The Promises, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Shewing how a godly man may comfort himselfe against the feare of falling away.
HItherto of the comforts against our daily infirmities. The consolations against the feare of our falling away follow.
Wee may three waies comfort our selues against this feare, namely, if wee consider God, or Christ, or our selues.
1 In God there are two things of excellent obseruation, both of them exprest in the Scriptures. The first is, that hee hath vndertaken to preserue vsus from falling away. The second shewes vsus distinctly, how he will performe this.
For the first, that GOD will keepe vsus from falling away, we hauehave four things to assure vsus.
First, the promises of God directly to that end: for he assures vsus, that his Elect shall enioy the worke of their Four things may assure vsus that God will keep vsus from falling away.hands, and shall not labour in vaine, Esay 65. 22. 23. The smoking weeke shall not be quenched, nor the bruised 1 His promisesreed broken. Esay 42. Not one of them shall bee lacking in the whole flocke, Ierem. 23. 4. God will build them, and not plucke them downe, hee will plant them, and not pull them vp. Ierem. 24. 6. He will confirme vsus, in and to the end, that we may bee blamelesse in the Day of our Lord Iesus Christ: for God is faithfull, who hath called vsus to the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord.1. Cor. 1. 8. 9.
2. Secondly, the decree 2 His decree.of GOD, concerning which the Apostle saith, That the foundation of God remaineth sure: he knoweth who are his. Though Hymeneus and Philetus fall away, yet none that call vponupon the name of the Lord, and depart from iniquity, can neuer bee lost, 2. Tim. 2. 19.
Thirdly, the attributes of God: and so there bee 3. Three attributes in God viz.three things in God may wōderfully settle vsus against this feare. The one is, his faithfulnesse. The other is His faithfulnesse.his power. The third is his immutable louelove: All three are laid to pawne for the performance of this preseruation, & so pleaded in Scripture. For his faithfulnes, the Apostle therethēce concludes, that the godly shall bee confirmed to the end, as was alleadged before, 1. Corin. 1. 8, 9. and so hee reasoneth, writing to the Thessalonians: The Lord is faithfull, who shall stablish you, and keepe you from euill, 2. Thess. 3. 3. And of the power of God these places speake, Wee are kept His power.by the power of God to saluation, 1. Pet. 1. 5. I know (saith Paul) whom I hauehave beleeued, and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I hauehave committed to him against that day, 2. Tim. 1. 12 Now vntounto him that is able to keep you from falling (saith Iude) and to preserue you faultlesse before the presence of his glory, with exceeding ioy. To the onelyonly wise God our Sauiour, be glory, and Maiesty, Dominion and Power, now and euer, Iude 24. And His louelove.for the louelove of God, that it is vnchangeable, there is apparant proofe. Whom he loueth, hee loueth to the end, Iohn 13. 1. so as wee may bee confident in this, that hee which hath begun a good worke in vsus, will performe it till the day of Christ, Philip. 1. 6.
Fourthly, wee hauehave the 4 His seale.seale of God for it, and he hath giuen vsus earnest, that wee shall certainely enioy the inheritance purchased for vsus. And thus eueryevery one that beleeueth, is sealed by the holy Spirit of promise, which also is our earnest, Ephes. 1. 14. 15. and therefore we shall bee stablished, 2. Cor. 1. 22.
Now for the second; If any aske how GOD will do this?
I answer, That the Scripture shewes how this will be performed thus: For
1 God will not cast off his What God will doe to keepe vsus frō falling awaypeople, he will neuer forsake his inheritance, Psal. 94. 14. 1. Sam. 12. 22. For the Lord loueth iudgement, and for saketh not the Saints, & therfore they are preserued for euer, Psalm. 37. 28.
2 God will put his feare into their hearts, that they shall not depart from him: For this is his Couenant with his people, that Hee will not turne away from them to doe them good, and hee will put his feare into them, that they shall not depart from him, Ierem. 32. 40, 41.
3 To make all the surer, hee will put his Spirit into them, which shall leade them into all truth, and cause them to keep his statutes, and to doe them, Ioh. 14. Ezech. 36.
4 He will vphold them, and order their wayes, and keepe their feet, that they fall not. The steps of the good man are ordered by the Lord, & hee delighteth in his way: Though he fall, hee shall not vtterly bee cast downe: for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand, Psal. 37. 23. 24. Hee holdeth our soule in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moued, Psal. 66. 9. Hee will keepe the feete of his Saints, 1. Sam. 2. 9.
5. Lastly, GOD will worke their workes for them, & continually assist them with his presence, and blessings, Esay 26. Eze. 36. Phil. 2. 13. And thus of the comforts that we may gather from God.
Now secondly, in Christ there are three things may minister much establishment Three things in Christ may comfort vsus.in our hearts against this feare.
1 His Intercession: he 1 His intercession.hath specially praied for vsus, that God would keepe vsus from euill, Iohn 17. and therefore is able to saue vsus to the vttermost, because hee euer loueth to make Intercession for vsus, Hebr. 7. 25.
2 The consideration of 2 His office herein.his office heerein. It is his worke to be Omega as well as Alpha, to be the finisher of our faith, as well as the author of it: He is the end as well as the beginning, Reu. 21. 6. Heb. 12. 2.
3 The power of Christ, 3 His power.None can take vsus out of his hand, Ioh. 10. & as was said before, hee is able to saue vsus to the vttermost, Heb. 7. 25. Thus of the consideration of Christ also.
Now thirdly, in our selues wee may looke vponupon three 3. Things in our selues may comfort vsus.things, as wee are in the estate of grace.
For first, we are borne againe to a liuely hope of an immortall inheritance reserued for vsus in Heauen: Our new birth intitles vsus to heauen, and it is kept for vsus, and our hope is liuely, 1. Pet. 1. 3.
Secondly, our seed abideth in vsus: It cannot bee blotted out. Hee that is borne of God, sinneth not, because his seede remaineth in him, 1. Iohn. 3. 9.
Thirdly, eternall life is begun in vsus, Ioh. 17. 3. Now if it bee life eternall, how can it end? How can we fall away from it? Naturall life may end, but Spiritual life can neuer end.