Heaven Opened, Treatise · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Perſeverance in the Covenant.
8. PErſeverance. Jer. 32.40. I will make an everlaſting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me.
The Perſeverance of the Saints, is founded on the Election of God, and the immutability of his Counſel; The foundation of the Lord ſtandeth ſure, Rom. 8.38. Whom he did Predeſtinate, them he alſo called, and whom he called, them he alſo juſtified, and whom he juſtified, them he alſo glorified. This golden Chain will hold, not a link of it ſhall be broken: on whomſoever the firſt link Election hath taken hold, it will infallibly bring him up to the laſt, Glory. God is not as man, that he ſhould repent. But not to wade farther into this deep, our buſineſs lyes in the Promiſe of God.
There are two ſorts of Promiſes concerning Perſeverance. There are Promiſes—
To Perſeverance.
Of Perſeverance.
1. The Promiſe of eternal life is made to Perſeverance. Hold out to the end, and be ſaved. Overcome and reign. Be faithful to the death, and I will give thee a Crown of life. Rev. 2,10. If thou forſake him, he will caſt thee off for ever. 1 Chron. 28.9. If any man draw back, my ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him. Chriſtians, beware of Apoſtacy, beware of Preſumption; Paſs the time of your ſojourning here in fear. Let it not be ſaid of you, ye (did) run well: He runs well, that gives not off, that ſits not down on this ſide the goal. So run that ye may obtain.
2. There are Promiſes of Perſeverance. The Covenant of God, is an everlaſting Covenant. He hath commanded his Covenant for ever, Pſal. 111.5.
There are two things in the fore-mentioned Scripture, Jer. 32.40. ſecured to Believers, which ſecure their Perſeverance.
1. God will not depart from them.
2. They ſhall not depart from him.
1. God will not depart from them. I will not turn aw… from them. God is with me, but I fear I ſhall provoke him away; I ſhall weary him out by my ſins, and drive him from me. No ſaith the Lord, I will not turn away from them, to do them good. I will never fail thee, nor forſake thee.
2. They ſhall not depart from him. 'Tis true, the Lord will be with me, but tis onelyonly while I am with him; if I depart, he wil depart: if I forſake him, he will ca… me off for ever. Here's my great fear, that I ſhall turn away from him; there is in me an evil heart of unbelief, that's ever departing from the living God. Oh this falſe and fickle heart, I dare not truſt it for a day, I dare not undertake for it for an hour; I doubt it will be gone ere I am aware; my corruptions are ſtrong, my temptations are many, every day brings its temptations; and I am in great fear that by one means or other, one day or other, I ſhal fall before them, and depart from the living God! No ſaies God, fear not, thou ſhalt not depart; I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me. They ſhall be kept by my Almighty Power, through faith unto ſalvation. My grace ſhall be with them, and my grace ſhall be ſufficient for them; and ſhall preſerve them to my Heavenly Kingdom.
And here is the Saints ſecurity: The Lord God will not turn away from them, nor ever ſuffer them to run away from him. If the Promiſe fail, then may their faith alſo fail. Its true, there may be gradual declinings, and departures of the Saints from Chriſt for a ſeaſon, but total or final there ſhall not be: They ſhall not be of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the ſaving of the ſoul. Though they fall, they ſhall riſe again; they may turn, but they ſhal return. As Hypocrites will not ſtay (with) Chriſt alwaies, ſo neither will Saints alwais ſtay from him. And there's a like reaſon of both: Sinners ſometimes will ſtep aſide, and ſalute Religion, and take ſome turnes with Chriſt; but after a while, away they muſt again: And there is a double Reaſon of it,
1. There's that within them
2. There's one without them
That will fetch them back.
1. There's that within them that will fetch them back. Corrupt nature, the power of unmortified Luſt, this it that bears the ſway in their hearts; and however for the time, the ſtream may be ſomewhat turn'd out of its courſe, or bayd up; however by the impetus of ſome external Motives or Arguments, or the impulſes of an awakened Conſcience, or ſome ſudden heat of affection, they are carried on after, and in ſome fair compliance with the Lord Jeſus; yet when the Bay is removed, when the external force is ſpent, Conſcience laid to ſleep, the heat of affection allaid, which is often almoſt as ſoon out as in; thou very natures will reduce, and bring them back to their old courſe. What is it that pulls a Stone, or a lump of Clay down again, that is thrown into the Ayr? Why when the vis impreſſa by which they were forc'd up, is ſpent, their natures, their innate gravities will bring them down to their place. Sinners need no other weights to pull them down to this Earth, then their earthly hearts.
2. There's one without them that will fetch them off. Satan the god of this world, whoſe they are, and whom they ſerve; who though he indulge them ſo much liberty for their Religion, as is conſiſtent with their captive ſtate, and may poſſibly ſecure them the more under his Dominion, (Hypocrites are often the faſter to Satan, for being ſo near to Chriſt) the very Religion they have, is but the Devils ſnare, by which he holds them back from Religion; yet leſt by venturing them too farr, they ſhould be loſt to him at laſt, he that firſt tempted them ſo near to Chriſt, (Hypocrites are often beholding to the Devil for their Religion they have) will quickly tempt them back again.
And ſo on the other ſide, there are the like Reaſons why Saints cannot alwaies wander, or ſtay ſway from Chriſt.
1. There's that within them, which will bring them back. the grace of God within them, will bring them home. The grace of God, is now their nature. Sinners whileſt walking with Chriſt, and Saints whileſt wandring from Chriſt, are both under a force; they are carried againſt the ſtream, when the winds are down that carried them on, they will return to their courſe. The grace of God is the ſeed of God, He that is born of God, ſinneth not; (that is, not unto death) the ſeed of God remaineth in him. Thy ſeed of God is immortal ſeed; it may languiſh, and be ready to dye, but it ſhall not dye, it ſhall recover.
2. There's one above them which will bring them back. Though he ſuffer them for a time, to wander from the way; yet he will not ſuffer them to periſh from the way. Of thoſe whom thou haſt given me, I have loſt none. He hath loſt none, and he will loſe none. He ſends a word of command after them, Jer. 3.14. Return O lack ſliding children, for I am married to you. Whither are you running? Whom are you following after? Come back from your Lovers, return to your Husband; I am married to you, and we may not part;
After the word of Command, he ſends a word of Promiſe, ver. 22. I will heal your back-ſlidings. Return from your back-ſlidings, and I will heal them. I will forgive your back-ſlidings, and I wil cure you of your back ſliding heart. All the Breaches they have made, ſhall be made up; I will paſs by all that you have done, and be reconciled to you. If you will return, return and I will receive you. And this word of Promiſe, is a word of Power. I will bring you to Zion: then ſhall ſhe ſay, I will go and return to my firſt Huſband, Hoſ. 2. Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God, Jer. 3.22. He that will not leave his Iſrael after the fleſh, with their Idols much leſs will he leave his Iſrael after the Spirit. Phil. 1.6. Being confident of this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work, will perform it until the day of Jeſus Chriſt.
A good work may be ſaid to be begun in double ſence.
1. When there is ſome good think a doing: Or when ſomething is done towards it; when it is in fieri. When the Lord hath been ploughing up the fallow ground, making his Batteries againſt the ſtrong Hold, ſhaking ſecure hearts, breaking falſe hopes, awakening Conſciences, convincing ſinners, ſpreading ſin, and death, and hell, before them entring upon a Treaty with them, and perſwading them over to Chriſt, to make an eſcape: There may be hopes in this, The pains of Travel gives hopes of a Birth. But this may go back, and after the higheſt hopes, prove an abortion. Sinners, awakened ſinners, beware you make not a ſtand at the Threſhold; beware that your Plough'd ground be not left to lye fallow. Beware that the Womb prove not the Grave of all your hopes. Miſtake not Conviction for Converſion; make on, let not your God, nor your ſouls loſe the things which here been wrought.
2. When there is ſome good thing done. When 'tis in facto eſſe. When the Rubbiſh is removed, and the firſt ſtone is laid; when the Plough hath been going, and the good Seed is ſown; when the New-creature hath paſſed the Birth; when Chriſt is formed, and the light of life is newly ſprung up in the ſoul; it there be but a grain of Muſtard-ſeed, the leaſt and the loweſt degree of ſaving Grace, broken forth in the heart, the queſtion is not, whether it be much or little, if it be grace, there's the immortal ſeed, there's the good work begun, which ſhall be carried on till the day of Jeſus Chriſt. Grace is a ſecurity for Glory: Yet beware Chriſtians, let not this ſecurity make you ſecure; though there be an Harveſt in the ſeed, yet the ſeed muſt be cheriſhed, watched, and well looked to, that it may grow up to the Harveſt: He that lets it dye for want of looking to, proves that it was dead whileſt alive. Let not your falling ſhort of Glory, prove that your Grace was not Grace.
Chriſtians lay hold on the Promiſe, and lift up your heads; you are under fears, however it be with you for the preſent, you are in doubt how it may be; your way is long, and dangerous; yet your hearts are deceitful and unſtable; you are going on at preſent, but doubt how you ſhall hold out: I may meet with Lions in the way, which may fright me back; I may loſe my way, and never recover: I may be weary, and faint in the way, and lye down and give off. My Lord and my ſoul, have been often upon the parting point; I have been almoſt gone, and I tremble to think what may yet become of me: Yet remember who it is that hath ſaid, I will not turn from you to do you good, I will put my fear in your hearts, and you ſhall not depart from me. Riſe ſoul, take care for to day, and take no thought for to morrow. Mind the preſent duty, go on thy way, though weeping and trembling, and hard beſtead; go on thy way, and then commit thy way, and thy ſelf to him, by whoſe mighty Power thou ſhalt be kept through faith unto ſalvation. Faithful is he that hath called you, and will do it
And now you have all. Let us hear the Concluſion of the whole matter. God hath made a Covenant with his people, hath given himſelf for their Portion, his Son for their price, his Spirit for their guide in the way, his Earth for their accommodation by the way, his Angels for their Guard, the Powers of darkneſs and death for their Spoils, everlaſting Glory for their Crown. And becauſe their way is difficult, and their work is contrary to them, he hath given them all that grace that is neceſſary to bring them to Glory. In General, a new heart, in all things ſuited to their way, and throughly furniſhed for every good work. In Particular, Knowledge to guide, oneneſs to fix and intend, tenderneſs to ſubmit ro and yeeld, love to conſtrain and bring on, fear to fence and hold in, obedience to perform and bring forth, and perſeverance to go through, and hold out to the end; and there grace and glory meet. This is the Covenant of grace, this is the word, which by the Goſpel is preached unto you.
It will be ſaid, But if God hath undertaken all this for us, what is there then left on us to do? Here's a Doctrine according to ſinners hearts; if this be Goſpel, then ſoul take thine eaſe, take thy liberty, caſt away care, make much of thy body, God will take care of the reſt.
But is there nothing required of us? Let the Scriptures ſpeak, Ezek. 36.37. Yet for all this will I be enquired of, or ſought unto by the houſe of Iſrael; otherwiſe let them look for no ſuch things. He that will not ask in faith, let not that man think he ſhall receive any thing of the Lord, Jam. 1.7. And can he think to receive any thing, that neither believes nor prayes? That neither prayes in faith, nor prays at all? Phil. 2.12,13. It's God works in you, both to will and to do. What then? Therefore ſit you ſtill and do nothing? No ſuch matter; therefore work out your ſalvation, with fear and trembling ſaith the Apoſtle. The promiſe of God was never intended, to make the command of God of none effect. God in promiſing grace, promiſes a power for duty; and as he doth not give, ſo we muſt not receive …hat power or grace of God in vain. Whilſt he gives what he requires, he ſtill requires what he gives. That promiſe of God (ye ſhall be my people) though he undertake to make it good, yet it is alſo the matter of our ſtipulation. And in this promiſe wherein the Lord aſſures us, what de facto we (ſhall) be, is included a Precept, wherein we may underſtand what de jure we (ought) to be.
In undertaking to give us a new heart, a tender and obedient, a perſevering heart, the Lord doth promiſe, both to make us what we ſhould be, and to help us in what we are bound to do; and gives us at once a clear hint, both of our mercy and our duty. This is the ſence and ſumm of that Promiſe, The Lord will work all that in us, and will help and cauſe us to perform all that which (is required) unto ſalvation; and ſo the Promiſſum on Gods part, doth not make void, but eſtabliſh the Debitum on ours. Do we then make void the Law through Faith? Nay we eſtabliſh the Law.
Though, it be certain as to the event, that all that's neceſſary to ſalvation, ſhall be accompliſhed in us, God hath undertaken that, yet it is altogether as certain that God hath made our loving him, fearing him, obeying his whole will, and our ſincerity, and perſeverance herein, ſo neceſſary, that we cannot otherwiſe be ſaved.
Chriſtians, miſtake not, nor abuſe the grace of the Goſpel. The Lord never meant your mercy ſhould make void your Obligation to duty. Redemption from ſin, was never intended as a toleration of ſin. He gives not his Spirit, in favour of the fleſh. What he undetakes to work for you, was never with a mind to maintain you in idleneſs, Tit. 2.11,12. The grace of God that bringeth ſalvation, teacheth us, that denying ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world.
Though you are ſaved by grace, yet you are ſtill (in a ſenſe) debtors to do the whole Law. Perfect Obedience to the whole Law, even to the utmoſt Iota, is ſtill due from you; and if it be not in your hearts, to pay all that you owe, that is, if there be any duty commanded, in the whole book of God, that you muſt be diſpenſed with, that you will not ſet your hearts to obſerve and obey; if there be any one ſin that you muſt be excuſed in, and will not part with; if there be any, the higheſt pitch of holy Care, Activity, Induſtry, Zeal for God and Holineſs, that you will not be perſwaded to preſs hard after; this is an evidence of ſuch an unſound heart, as hath no part in the Goſpel, or the ſalvation thereof. Perfection is ſtill due, though ſincerity will be accepted. Sincerity ſhall be accepted, but what is ſincerity leſs, then an hearty willingneſs to be perfect, atteſted by a ſtriving and preſſing on to that mark which is ſet before us.
O admire and bleſs the Lord, the Lord for grace, but do not turn the grace of God into licentiouſneſs. Shall we continue in ſin, becauſe grace that abounded? Will ye thus requite the Lord? Will ye thus deceive your ſelves, O fooliſh people and unwiſe? Will you ſlight him becauſe he hath loved you? Kick at him becauſe he hath cared for you? Shake off his Yoke, becauſe he hath ſecured you the Crown! Will you ſerve his enemies, becauſe he hath ſaved you from them? Will you nouriſh your diſeaſes, becauſe he hath ſaid he will cure you? Will you live and not eat? Reap and not Plough? Will you not eat, becauſe he hath given you meat? Will you not run, becauſe he hath given you Leggs? Nor work, becauſe he hath given you hands? Nor watch, becauſe he hath given you eyes? Or will you tempt the Lord, and call that your truſt in him? Awake from ſuch madneſs.
Chriſtians, ſay not (If God will I ſhall) whether I take care or no, believe or no, repent or no, be obedient, or rebellious, whether I wake or ſleep, work or be idle; my unbelief, my diſobedience, my negligence, ſhall not make the faith of God of none effect. But rather, ſince God hath ſaid, (you ſhall) let thine heart anſwer (I will) walk in his ſtatutes. Ariſe O my ſoul, up and be doing; work out thy ſalvation, becauſe its God that worketh in thee to will and to do: Shake off thy ſloth, ſet to thy work, run out thy race, ſince God hath ſaid, thou ſhalt not run, nor labour in vain. And look to it, for however thy Idleneſs, or greateſt Unfaithfulneſs, will not make void the Covenant of God, yet will it make manifeſt, that thou haſt no part nor lot in it.
But to all theſe glorious things that have been ſpoken, poſſibly ſome will reply; O if all this be ſo, then happy Saints indeed; Happy are the people that are in ſuch a caſe, yea bleſſed are the people whoſe God is the Lord. But will the Lord indeed do all theſe things for Mortals? Will he take notice of Worms? Shall ſuch dry bones live? Will he ſet ſuch vile duſt as the Apple of his eye? Is not this too good to be true? Too great to be believed? Are we not all this while but in a Dream, or a fools Paradiſe? Oh that I were ſure the one half were as it hath been told me. Too great to be believed? As if it muſt be queſtioned whether the Sun light, becauſe it dazles our eyes. But what certainty would you have? Is all this too great for the great and Almighty God to do, who hath ſaid, Iſa. 55.9. As the Heavens are higher then the Earth, ſo are my wayes higher then your wayes, and my thoughts, then your thoughts. Can he not do it, who can do all things? Will he not do it, when he hath ſaid he will? Will the Lord mock? Can God deceive? Shall his Word, yea and his Oath too, thoſe two immutable things, in which it is impoſſible for God to lye, can theſe fail? If you ſhould hear the Lord himſelf ſpeaking to you from Heaven, with audible voice, My Covenant I make with thee, and it is my intent and purpoſe to perform every word that is written in it, according to the plain import and meaning thereof; there ſhall not a tittle fail, neither will I alter the thing that is gone forth of my lips. Heaven and Earth ſhall fail, but my word ſhall not fail; truſt to it, truſt everlaſting truth, truſt to everlaſting ſtrength. Fear not, for there ſhall not fail one word, of all that I have ſpoken by all my ſervants the Prophets.
If you ſhould hear the Lord ſpeaking thus to you from Heaven, what would you ſay? Would not this ſatisfie you? Why ſearch the Scriptures, that more ſure word of Prophecy, 2 Pet. 1.19. Read them diligently, underſtond what thou readeſt, and then ſay, if thou doeſt not there finde the Lord ſpeaking fully to thee the following words,