In that earnest and long contest which that learned doctor insists upon, to pro\e perseverance to be the gift of God (for which he hath sufficient ground from that of the apostle, 1 Cor. i. 7, 8, " That ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ," etc.), two things he especially aimed at : — First, An opposing of such a perseverance as should not be the fruit and work of the grace of God in us, but the work and effect of our own endeavours, upon a supply of such means, motives, persuasions, and considerations, as we are or may be furnished withal. Secondly, That it is so given and bestowed, as that on whomsoever it is bestowed, he certainly lialh it; that is, he doth certainly persevere. As it was heresy to that holy man to deny perseverance to be the gift of God, so it was ridiculous to hiin to say that that gift was given to any, and yet that they I'cceived it not ; that is, that they might not persevere. "Nobis," saith he, De Corrcp. et Grat., cap. xi., "qui Christo insiti sumus, talis data est gratia, ut non solum possimus si velimus, sed etiam nt velimus in Christo persevcrare." And cap. xii., "Non solum ut sine illo dono perse- verantes esse non possint, verum etiam ut per hoc donum non nisi perse- verantes sint."
And that which he adds afterward is most considerable, concluding from that of our Saviour, " Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, tliat ye should go and bring forth fruit." " Eis," saith he, "non solum justitiam, verum etiam in ilia perseverantiam dedisse mon- stravit. Cluisto enim sic eos poncnte ut cant et fructum afterant, et fructus corum maneat, quis audeat dicere 'Forsitan non manebunt?'" Though they dare say so who also dare to ])retend his authority for what they say ! — how falsely, how unjustly, is evident to all serious observers of his mind and spirit in and about the things of the grace of God.
2. As he mentioned perseverance to be such a gift of God as indeclin- ably wrought in them on whom it was bestowed a will to persevere, and on that account perseverance itself (an assertion as obnoxious to the ca- lumny and clamour of the adversaries of the doctrine under consideration as any we teach or atiirm concerning it), so he farther constantly taught this (jift and grace to he a fruit of j^rcih'stination or ejection, and to be be- stotced on all and onJi/ elected believers. So De Predestinatione Sane, cap. xvii., "Ila'C dona l)ei dantur eleetis, secundum Dei jiropositum vocatis, in quibus est et incipcrc et credere, et in fide ad hujus vita; exitum persevc- rare." And al'tcrward, cap. ix. De Bono Pcrsev. " Ex duobus piis" (of his meaning in that word afterward), "cur huic donetur perseverantia, usque in finem, illi non donetur, inscrutabilia sunt judicia Dei: illud tamen fidelibus debet esse certissimum, hunc esse ex pr.'cdestinatis, ilium non esse: ' Nam si fuissent ex nobis' (ait unus pncdestinatorum qui e pcctore Domini biberat
hoc secretum) 'mansissent utiquo nobiscum.' Qua; est ista discrctio?
Patent libri Dei, non avcrtamus aspectum, clamat Seriptura Divina, adiiibe-
A PREFACE TO THE READER. 65
amus auditum, non erant ex eis, quia non erant secundum propositum vocati : non erant in Christo electi ante mundi eonstitutionem, non erant in eo sortem consecuti, non erant prfedestinati secundum propositum ejus qui omnia operatur." And unto these elect, predestinate believers, he concluded still that perseverance was so given in and for Christ, so pro- ceeding from the immutable will of God, wrought by such an efficacy of grace, that it was impossible that they should not persevere. He compares it farther with the grace that Adam received : Lib. de Correp. et Gri'at., cap. xii., "Primo itaque homini, qui in eo bono quo factus fuerat rectus, ac- eeperat posse non peccare, posse non mori, posse ipsum bonura non deserere, datum est adjutorium perseverantise, non quo fieret ut perseveraret, sed sine quo per liberum arbitrium perseverare non posset. Nunc vero Sanctis in regnum Dei per gratiam Dei pra?destinatis, non tantum tale adjutorium perseverantite datur ; sed tale, ut iis perseverantia ipsa donotur, non solum ut sine isto dono perseverantes esse non possint, verum etiam ut per hoc donum non nisi perseverantes sint." And a little after : " Ipse itaque dat perseverantiam, qui stabilire potens est eos qui stant, ut perseverantissime stent." And in the 8th chapter of the same book, expounding that of our Saviour, Luke xxii. 32, " I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not," he manifesteth how, upon that account, it was impossible that the will of Peter should not actually be established to the end in believing. His words are, " An audebis dicere, etiam rogante Christo ne deficeret fides Petri, defecturam fuisse, si Peti'us eam deficere voluisset, idque si earn usque in finem perseverare noluisset? Quasi aliud Petrus uUo modo vellet, quam pro illo Christus rogasset ut vellet : nam quis ignorat tunc fuisse poritu- ram fidem Petri, si ea quce fidelis erat voluntas ipsa deficeret; et perman- suram, si voluntas eadem permaneret? Quando ergo oravit ne fides ejus deficeret, quid aliud rogavit, nisi ut haberet in fide liberrimam, fortissimam, invictissimam, perseverantissimam voluntatem?" And in this persuasion he had not only the consent of all the sound and orthodox doctors in his time, as was before manifested, but he is followed also by the schoolmen of all ages, and not forsaken by some of the Jesuits themselves, as we shall afterward see, when we have added that consideration of the doctrine of this learned man which hath given occasion to some to pretend his consent in opposition to that which most evidently he not only delivered but confirmed. There are in Austin, and those that either joined Avith him or followed immediately after him (notwithstanding the doctrine for- merly insisted on, that actual perseverance is a gift of God, and that it flows from predestination, as an effect thereof, and is bestowed on all elect believers, infallibly preserving them unto the end, — wherein they assert and strongly prove the whole of what we maintain), sundry expressions, commonly urged by the adversaries of the truth in hand, granting many who were saints, believing and regenerate, to fall away and perish for ever. I need not instance in any of their sayings to this purpose; the reader knows where to find them gathered to his hand, in Vossius, Gro- tius, and Mr Goodwin, from them. The seeming contradiction that is amongst themselves in the delivery of this doctrine will easily admit of a reconciliation, may they be allowed the common courtesy of being inter- preters of their own meaning. What weight in those days was laid upon the participation of the sacramental figures of grace, and what expressions are commonly used concerning them who had obtained that privilege, ai*e known to all. Hence all baptized persons, continuing in the profession of the faith and communion of the church, they called, counted, esteemed truly regenerate and justified, and spake so of them. Such as these they VOL. XI. 5