confirms it, he still presses the absurdity of making the promise of God concerning perseverance conditional, and so suspending it on any thing, in and by us to be performed. And indeed all the acts whereby we persevere, flowing according to him from the grace of perseverance, it cannot but be absurd to make the efficient cause in its efficiency and operation, to depend upon its own effect: this also is with him ridiculous, that the grace of perseverance should be given to any, and he not persevere; or be promised, and yet not given yet withal he grants in his following conclusions, that our wills secondarily, and in dependency, do co-operate in our perseverance.

The second principle this learned schoolman insists on, is, that this gift of perseverance is peculiar to the elect, or predestinate: Disput. 104. 1. Con. Donum perseverantiæ est proprium prædestinatorum, ut nulli alteri conveniat :' And what he intends by 'prædestinati;' he informs you according to the judgment of Austin and Thomas; Nomine prædestinationis ad gloriam, solum eam prædestinationem intelligunt (Augustinus et Thomas) qua electi ordinantur efficaciter, et transmittuntur ad vitam æternam; cujus effectus sunt vocatio, justificatio et perseverantia in gratia usque ad finem.' Not that (or such a) conditional predestination, as is pendent in the air, and expectant of men's good final deportment; but that which is the eternal, free fountain of all that grace, whereof in time by Jesus Christ we are made partakers.

And in the pursuit of this proposition, he farther proves at large, that the perseverance given to the saints in Christ, is not a supplement of helps and advantages, whereby they may preserve it if they will; but such as causes them, on whom it is bestowed certainly and actually, so to do: and that in its efficacy and operation, it cannot depend on any free co-operation of our wills, all the good acts tending to our perseverance, being fruits of that grace which is bestowed on us, according to the absolute unchangeable decree of the will of God.

This indeed is common with this author and the rest of his associates (the Dominicans, and present Jansenians) in these controversies, together with the residue of the Romanists, that having their judgments wrested by the abominable

figments of implicit faith, and the efficacy of the sacraments of the New Testament, conveying and really exhibiting the grace signified, or sealed by them; that they are enforced to grant, that many may be and are regenerate, and made true believers, who are not predestinate, and that these cannot persevere, nor shall eventually be saved. Certain it is, that there is not any truth, which that generation of men do receive and admit, but more or less it suffers in their hands, from that gross ignorance of the free grace of God in Jesus Christ, the power whereof they are practically under; what the poor vassals and slaves will do, upon the late bull of their holy father casting them in sundry main concernments of their quarrel, with their adversaries, is uncertain; otherwise setting aside some such deviations, as the above mentioned (whereunto they are enforced, by their ignorance of the grace and justification which is in Jesus Christ), there is so much of ancient candid truth in opposition to the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians, preserved and asserted in the writings of the Dominican friars, as will rise up (as I said before) in judgment against those of our days, who enjoying greater light and advantages, do yet close in with those, and are long since, cursed enemies of the grace of God.

To this Dominican, I shall only add the testimony of two famous Jesuits, upon whose understandings the light of this glorious truth prevailed, for an acknowledgment of it: the first of these is Bellarmine, whose disputes to this purpose, being full and large, and the author in all men's hands, I shall not transcribe his assertions and arguments; but only refer the reader to his 1. 2. de Grat. et 1. Ar. cap. 12. 'Denique ut multa alia Testimonia,' &c. The other is Suarez, who delivers his thoughts succinctly upon the whole of this matter, lib. 11. de perpetuitat. vel Amis. Grat. cap. 2. sect. 6. saith he, 'De prædestinatis verum est infallibiliter, quod gratiam finaliter seu in perpetuum non amittunt; unde postquam semel gratiam habuerant, ita reguntur et proteguntur a Deo, ut vel non cadant, vel si ceciderint resurgant; et licet sæpius cadant et resurgant, tandem aliquando ita resurgunt ut amplius non cadant:' in which few words he oth briefly comprised the sum of that, which is by us conl for.

vas in my thoughts in the last place to have added

the concurrent witness of all the reformed churches, with that of the most eminent divines, which have written in the defence of their concessions; but this trouble, upon second considerations, I shall spare the reader and myself: for, as many other reasons lie against the prosecuting of this design, so especially the usefulness of spending time and pains, for the demonstration of a thing of so evident a truth, prevails with me to desist; notwithstanding the endeavours of Mr. Goodwin to wrest the words of some of the most ancient writers, who laboured in the first reformation of the churches; I presume no unprejudiced person in the least measure acquainted with the system of that doctrine, which with so much pains, diligence, piety, and learning, they promoted in the world, with the clearness of their judgments, in going forth to the utmost compass of their principles which they received, and their constancy to themselves, in asserting of the truths they embraced, owned by their friends and adversaries, until such time as Mr. Goodwin discovered their self-contradictions, will scarce be moved once to question their judgments by the excerpta of Mr. Goodwin, cap. 15. of his treatise: so that of this discourse this is the issue.

There remains only that I give a brief account of some concernments of the ensuing treatise, and dismiss the reader from any farther attendance in the porch, or entrance thereof.

The title of the book speaks of the aim and method of it; the confutation of Mr. Goodwin was but secondarily in my eye; and the best way for that I judged to consist, in a full scriptural confirmation of the truth he opposed. That I chiefly intended, and therein I hope the pious reader, may, through the grace of God, meet with satisfaction. In my undertaking to affirm the truth of what I assert, the thing itself first, and then the manifestation of it, was in my consideration for the thing itself, my arguing hath been to discover the nature of it, its principles and causes, its rela tion to the good will of the Father, the mediations of the Son, and dispensation of the Holy Ghost to the saints thereupon; its use and tendency, in, and unto that fellowship with the Father and the Son, whereunto we are called and admitted.

As to the manner of its revelation, the proper seats of it

in the book of God, the occasion of the delivery thereof, in several seasons, the significant expressions wherein it is set forth, and the receiving of it by them to whom it was revealed, have been diligently remarked.

In those parts of the discourse, which tend to the vindication of the arguments from Scripture; whereby the truth pleaded for is confirmed, of the usefulness of the thing itself contended about, &c. I have been, I hope, careful to keep my discourse from degenerating into jangling, and strife of words (the usual issue of polemical writings), being not altogether ignorant of the devices of Satan, and the usual carnal attendencies of such proceedings: the weight of the truth in hand, the common interest of all the saints, in their walking with God therein, sense of my own duty, and the near approach of the account which I must make of the ministration to me committed, have given bounds and limits to my whole discourse, as to the manner of handling the truth therein asserted. Writing in the common language of the nation, about the common possession of the saints, the meanest and weakest as well as the wisest and the most learned, labouring in the works of Christ and his gospel, I durst not hide the understanding of what I aimed at, by mingling the plain doctrine of the Scripture, with metaphysical notions, expressions of arts, or any pretended ornaments of wit or fancy; because I fear God. For the more sublime consideration of things, and such a way of their delivery, as depending upon the acknowledged reception of sundry arts and sciences, which the generality of Christians neither are, nor need to be, acquainted withal; scholars may communicate their thoughts and apprehensions unto, and among themselves, and that upon the stage of the world, in that language, whereunto they have consented, for and to that end and purpose: that I have carefully abstained from personal reflections, scoffs, undervaluations, applications of stories, and old sayings, to the provocation of the spirit of them with whom I have to do, I think not at all praise-worthy; because that upon a review of some passages in the treatise (now irrecoverable) I fear I have scarce been so careful, as I am sure it was my duty to have been.

OF THE

SAINTS' PERSEVERANCE

EXPLAINED AND CONFIRMED.

CHAP. I.

The various thoughts of men concerning the doctrine proposed to consideration. The great concernment of it (however stated) on all hands confessed. Some special causes pressing to the present handling of it. The fearful backsliding of many in these days. The great offence given, and taken thereby: with the provision made for its removal. The nature of that offence and temptation thence arising considered. Answer to some arguings of Mr. G. c. 9. from thence against the truth proposed. The use of trials and shakings: grounds of believers' assurance that they are so. The same farther argued and debated. Of the testimony of a man's own conscience concerning his uprightness, and what is required thereunto. 1 John iii. 7. considered. Of the rule of self-judging, with principles of settlement for true believers, notwithstanding the apostacies of eminent professors. Corrupt teachings rendering the handling of this doctrine necessary: its enemies of old and of late. The particular undertaking of Mr. G. proposed to consideration. An entrance into the stating of the question. The terms of the question explained: of holiness in its several acceptations. Created holiness, original or adventitious. Complete or inchoate. Typical by dedications, real by purification. Holiness evangelical, either so indeed, or by estimation. Real koliness, partial or universal. The partakers of the first, or temporary believers, not true believers: maintained against Mr. G. Ground of judging professors to be true believers. Matt. vii. 20. considered: what is the rule of judging men therein given. What knowledge of the faith of others is to be obtained. What is meant by perseverance: how in Scripture it is expressed. The grounds of it pointed at. What is intended by falling away; whether it be possible the Spirit of grace may be lost; or the habit of it, and how. The state of the controversy as laid down by Mr. G. The vanity thereof discovered. His judgment about believers' falling away examined; what principles and means of perseverance he grants to them. The enemies of our perseverance. Indwelling sin in particular considered. No possibility of preservation upon Mr. G.'s grounds demonstrated. The means and ways of the saints' preservation in faith, asserted by Mr. G. at large, examined, weighed, and found light. The doctrine of the saints' perseverance, and way of teaching it, cleared from Isa. iv. That chapter opened. The fortythird verse particularly insisted on and discussed. The whole state and method of the controversy thence educed.

THE truth which I have proposed to handle, and whose defence I have undertaken in the ensuing discourse, is com