One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 67
SERMON LXVII. Arguments proving, That Every One that is in the State of Grace ſhall be preſerved to Eternal Life.
JOH. 17.11.
Not one of them is periſhed.
WE have been delivering ſeveral particulars to ſtate and clear this neceſſary Truth, viz.
That every one in the state of Grace, the weak as well as the ſtrong, ſhall by a divine power be preſerved to Eternal Life.
The next thing is to produce thoſe Reaſons and Arguments which will confirm it, for when it ſhall appear to be Gods Truth and not mans bare Opinion, then we may the more confidently reſt on it.
Argum. 1 And the firſt Argument ſhall be from Gods Election; Thoſe whom God hath ordained from all Eternity to Everlaſting Glory they ſhall never periſh, but ſuch who have true grace (though in the leaſt degree) God hath thus predeſtinated and appointed to happineſſe; So that this Argument ſtands firmer then Heaven and Earth, for it's built on Gods Election, and it's good to obſerve how the cauſe of all good and preſervation from a periſhing condition, is reduced to this as the Original of all, Mar. 13.22. The falſe Apoſtles are there ſaid to ſeduce if it were poſſible the very Elect, If it were poſſible, therefore the Elect can never be ſeduced into a periſhing eſtate, if it be ſaid, that Elect is to be taken adjectively for as much as good and precious, as the Septuagint ſometimes uſeth the word, in which all Iſrael is ſometimes called Gods Elect, Iſa. 45.4. Iſa. 65.9. This cannot ſtand, for in the ſame Chapter, v. 20. Theſe Elect are ſaid to be thoſe whom God hath choſen, So that the word is not to be taken adjectively as denoting ſome inward excellency, but as a participle relating to Gods action. The Elect whom God hath choſen; If again it be ſaid that the phraſe (if it be poſſible) doth not denote an abſolute impoſſibility, but a great difficulty, as in ſome other places it is uſed; Neither will this ſerve the Arminians turn, for though it be uſed ſo in ſome places, yet unleſſe they can prove it's alwaies uſed ſo, and therefore in this place, they do nothing; Now we ſay, that we are not to depart from the literal meaning, when there is no abſurdity, yea, in this Text we are to ſtand to it, becauſe it is brought in by way of aggravation of the deceitful waies of Falſe Teachers, They were ſo inſinuating, ſo ſpecious, that had not the Elect a firmer ground then their own prudence and knowledge, viz. Gods Election, they would be undone, ſo that Grotins his illuſtrations in his Expoſition on Mat. 24. from Galen, who uſeth this Proverb to expreſſe a pertinacious adherent man to his Opinion; You may ſooner unteach a man, Moſes, and Chriſt, or out of Auſtin, when they can write in the water, &c. then they may perſwade a Chriſtian to forſake Chriſt, are but fair paintings to his deformity: The Scripture intends a full impoſſibility and not a difficulty, becauſe brought in to aggravate, and indeed it would be frigid and jejune to make this the ſence, They ſhall come with ſuch lying wonders, that they ſhalt difficultly and very hardly ſeduce the Elect; Beſides the Arminian, who holds that indifferency in a mans power, that when all pre-requiſites on Gods part are put, yet he can will or not will, cannot ſay it's difficult, at leaſt ſo difficult, as that phraſe imports; Do they not ſay? David by his Fall did wholly ſhake off all grace branch and root, and yet there was no ſuch difficulty to that? How eaſily did one ſinne draw on another? So that it would have been abſurd to have ſaid that Bathſheba (who was meerly paſſive at firſt) did ſo ſtrongly tempt David, that if it were poſſible he would have fallen into Adultery: And if further you ſay, The godly may fall into fundamentall errours though Elected; Even the diſciples did not beleeve Chriſts Reſurrection and his ſpiritual Office as a Meſſiah, We anſwer, they may a while, but God will graciouſly recover them; Theſe Vipers ſhall not ſtick upon them till they die; Though they have ſwallowed theſe deadly things yet they ſhall at laſt vomit them up; As God though he ſuffered Chriſts body to be dead and buried in the grave, yet he would not let it ſee corruption; Thus it is here, Though the Godly may erre dangerouſly, and fall fouly, yet they ſhall not ſee corruption: Laſtly▪ It is anſwered, that the Elect before their converſion may lie in all ſinne, and be deceived by all kinde of errours, Therefore there cannot be any ſtrength from this becauſe Elected; But the Reply is eaſie; By elect are meant ſuch who do not only partake of that mercy, but ſuch who finde the effects of this upon their ſoul, Elected and converted; And that this is included is plain, becauſe it is ſaid, If it be poſſible to deceive even the Elect: Now he is ſaid to be deceived that was in the right and Truth, it's improper to ſay, They ſhall deceive ſuch as are already in a plain deceived way, So that this neceſſarily inferreth, That it is meant of Elected perſons who finde the mighty power of this upon their hearts.
Argum. 2 A Second Argument is from the Covenant of grace and Gods ſure mercies, which are made to ſuch, and this makes them ſtand like Mount Zion, yea firmer, for at the day of Judgemnt that ſhall be ſhaken, but theſe will go ſafe thorow the fiery Triall: This Magna Charta, of which you have ſeveral branches or promiſes every where, is clearly laid down, Jer. 32.39, 30. God there promiſeth firſt the Converſion of his people, He will write his Law in their inward parts, and then he promiſeth Perſeverance, He will put his Fear in their hearts that they ſhall not depart from him: God there promiſeth he will never turn from them, and he will ſo graciouſly affect their hearts as they ſhall never turn from him, and this Covenant the Prophet cals an Everlaſting Covenant, it ſhall laſt above the Sunne and Moon, it ſhall not be like the former Covenant that was broken, and indeed it muſt needs continue, for it promiſeth all thoſe qualifications which may enable to perſevere, and perſeverance it ſelf▪ For whereas it may be thought Gods own Children may through careleſſe, negligent, and ſlothful walking, undo themſelves, God ſaith, He will put his fear in their hearts, as being the ſpecial Antidote againſt Apoſtaſie, fot Bleſſed is he that feareth alwaies, Prov. 28.14. It's a bleſſed thing not to be in a doubtfull perplexing fear, that is a curſed, helliſh thing, the portion of Cain and Judas ▪ but in a filiall, godly Fear, as Joſeph was, when he ſaid, How can I do this, and ſinne againſt God? Now ſinne can never come in at the Gate while Fear is the Porter; Therefore above all things God ſaith, He will put his Fear in their hearts, and this promiſe is ſpoken ſo peremptorily and abſolutely, that it's an abſurd thing with the Arminians to ſuppoſe ſome condition on mans part that it may be made good, as if God indeed were ready to put his fear in their hearts, for his part nothing ſhall be wanting, only they muſt not put a ſtop to his munificence, for this is as if God had ſaid, I will give you a will to fear me if you will, I will make you to will if you will, or I will make you to perſevere if you will perſevere; I will make you that you ſhall never depart from me, if ye will not depart from me; What a ridiculous and abſurd ſence would hereby be put upon this Glorious Promiſe; The Arminians doe to evade this powerfull Argument, Say, This was made to the whole body of the Jews in their Captivity, and are buſie in finding out ſubtle Reaſons, That it was never made good, and are off and on, like Noahs Dove, not knowing where to ſet their Feet, Whereas the Apoſtle in Hebr. 10.16, 17. doth very plainly apply it as the Covenant of Grace to all Beleevers.
Argum. 3 3. A Third Argument ſhall be From the Mediatour of this Covenant, or the way to ratifie and confirm theſe Gracious Promiſes, which are from the firſt to the laſt, that we ſhall have Everlaſting Glory from Predeſtination to Glorification, and that is by Chriſts bloud, So that Chriſt is become their Mediatour, their Head, and they his Members; The Covenant is confirmed by the Death of Chriſt, and the Sacraments are viſible Seals to confirme this, 2 Corinth. 2.20. All the Promiſes of God are in Chriſt Yea and Amen: There is not Yea and Nay, but a ſure infallibility in them; Hence this Prieſthood of Chriſt and our Bleſſing in him, as Abrahams Seed is ſaid to have a Promiſe, and an Oath to confirm it. Hebr. 6.18. That by two Immutable things, in which it was impoſſible for God to lye, we might have ſtrong Conſolation: Chriſt then by his Bloud purchaſed theſe Priviledges for us, he obtained by his Death our Salvation▪ and his Prieſthood for this purpoſe was confirmed by an Oath; How then can we ever think or imagine that they ſhould periſh who have ſuch preſervation and Security provided for them: Indeed we ſee the Angels, and Adam though full of Grace to Apoſtatize, and the Godly man though weak in Grace, and ſurrounded with many Temptations, yet ſafely preſerved, but the Reaſon is plain, They have a Mediatour of this New Covenant, who by his Death will certainly bring them to Glory, for if this were not ſo, but all depended upon mans indifferent power; Chriſt might have died, and not one man have been ſaved, who cannot but deteſt and abhorre ſuch a thought, that by the Arminian Poſition Chriſt might have ſuffered and endured all thoſe Agonies, and not one be ſaved, all might have been in vain, but the Scripture ſpeaks otherwiſe, Iſaiah 53.11. The work of the Lord ſhall proſper in his Hand; He ſhall ſee his Seed and the Travell of his Soul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: Chriſt would not have been ſatisfied in his Soul, had he not ſeen the Fruit and Event of his Agonies and Sufferings, and that ſuch perſons were ſaved for whom he died.
Argum. 4 4. A Fourth Argument is taken From Chriſts peculiar Praier and Interceſſion for their Preſervation; And thus the Argument runnes: Thoſe for whom Chriſt offered up a Mediatory Praier, and earneſtly begged and entreated that they might be ſo kept that none ſhould periſh, Such must infallibly be preſerved, but all the Godly are comprehended in this Prayer for their Preſervation; You ſee in theſe Verſes it is Chriſts whole drift and ſcope to obtain this for them, that though they muſt be in the world, yet that they might be kept from the evil and wickedneſſe of the world, and leſt this ſhould be thought for his Apoſtles onelyonly, or ſuch as did already beleeve in him, He addeth, verſe 20. that he praieth for all ſuch as ſhall beleeve in him: Here you ſee all that do or ſhall beleeve in Chriſt they are comprehended in this Praier, that none may periſh; Now it's plain that the Father heard Chriſt in all that he deſired, and there was alwaies an Agreement or Correſpondency between his will and the Fathers; Now what Chriſt did for all, we ſee more pregnantly in Peter, Luke 22.23. I have praied (ſaith he) that thy Faith fail not; This is done for every godly Perſon as well as Peter, and therefore upon this Occaſion ſaid in the generall to all the Apoſtles; Satan had deſired to winnow them, if it were poſſible to have caſt them out as Chaff; And this Mediatory Prayer continueth ſtill in ſome ſence, For Hebr. 5.26. He ever-liveth to make Interceſſion for us; This certainly muſt neceſſarily be effectual to our preſervation.
Argum. 5 5. A Fifth Argument is, The Godly mans divine protection to Everlaſting Happineſſe is confirmed by aſſertory places as well as promiſſory; There are ſeverall Texts of Scripture that doe plainly and clearly declare as much: Therefore let that be beleeved before mens Opinions, John 6.39. It is the Fathers Will that of thoſe who are given me I ſhould loſe none of them; To this purpoſe alſo is that in John 10.28. Yea, that we may firmly be eſtabliſhed herein, Matth. 16.18. Our Saviour tels us, That he will build his Church upon a Rock, that the Gates of Hell ſhall never prevail againſt it; Some would limit the Gates of Hell to Death, as it were an Hebraiſme, but it is plain our Saviour meaneth every thing that ſhall oppoſe and hinder him in the Building of his Church, and thus not onelyonly Death, but Sinne and Hell are great Adverſaries, otherwiſe it might ſo fall out that God ſhould have no Church here upon the Earth, which would be a horrible Derogation to Chriſt, as if he might be a Head without Members: Another pregnant place affirming this is in 1 John 2.19. If they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us; No doubt: See how the Apoſtle puts it out of all Queſtion; There is a Diſciple indeed, and a Diſciple in Appearance and Profeſſion onelyonly: The Diſciple indeed is a Pillar that ſhall never be removed out of the Houſe, but ſhall abide for ever; But the Diſciple in Appearance and Shew onelyonly, he is not a fixed Starre but a Meteor, For all his light and blaze is compounded of terreſtriall matter, and ſo will quickly periſh and vaniſh away: We may ſay, Duſt he is, and unto Duſt he will return: Of ſuch our Saviour ſpeaketh, John 10. Every Branch in me that bringeth not forth Fruit, he cutteth off, and casteth away: It is a Branch in him not by lively Inſition but externall Profeſſion: Another place to bring up the Rear of theſe Aſſertory Texts of Scripture, is 1 John 3.9. Whoſoever is born of God (there is the Univerſality) he ſinneth not, neither can he, viz. not as a Cain, as a wicked one he doth not ſinne, he cannot give up himſelf wholly unto ſinne, and the Reaſon is becauſe the Seed of God abideth in him.
Argum. 6 6. A ſixth Argument is, The Compariſons and Similitudes the Scripture uſeth doe inferre the Godly mans Continuance; And although Similitudes doe not prove in every particular, yet they doe for that end they are brought; Now the Scripture excellently illuſtrates the ſtability of the Godly by enduring things, Pſal. 1. To a Tree planted by the Waters Side: Alſo to Mount Zion that can never be removed, Pſalm. 125.1. Eſpecially John 4.14. where Regenerating Grace is called a Well of water ſpringing up to Eternall Life, and is differenced from materiall water in this reſpect, A man drinketh of that and is thirſty again, but whoſoever drinketh of this ſhall never thirſt again: He ſhall not goe back into Egypt again, deſiring his former Onyons and Garlick.
Argum. 7 7. All thoſe places which admoniſh the Godly to take heed, and to walk humbly do prove their ſtanding; Indeed the Arminian inferreth the clean contrary, but the Truth is, By theſe Admonitions, Exhortations, and other means of Grace they are enabled to continue: As man by his Food is preſerved alive, for God uſeth all theſe Ordinances as practicall Mediums by which he ſtirreth them up when ſecure, quickens them when decaying, and recovers them when fallen; To theſe we may adde the Afflictions which the Godly are ſure to have when they goe aſtray; Therefore whereas Solomon is thought by all to be the hardeſt Inſtance of any that had true Grace, and apoſtatized ſo fouly, yet that he died not out of Grace, appeareth not onelyonly by the Book of Eccleſiaſtes, which he made at his latter end, as a plain Teſtimony of his Repentance and Turning to God, but alſo fully by 2 Sam 1.14. If he commit Iniquity, I will chaſten him, but my Mercy I will not utterly take away, So that theſe Afflictions being ſanctified will be effectuall to awaken them, and bring them home with the Prodigall at laſt to their Fathers Houſe.
Laſtly, If God did not vouchſafe Perſeverance in Grace as well as Grace, he had not done the beſt for us; To keep Grace is far better then to have Grace: It's perſeverance that crowneth all, Holding out to the end, is that which bleſſeth all: Therefore the Scripture deſcribeth God by this, That he is able to keep them unſpotted and blameleſſe till the Coming of Chriſt, It would redound to Gods diſhonour, as it did to that fooliſh Builder, if God ſhould begin and not finiſh his work.
Ʋſe of Encouragement to the Godly in all their Conflicts and Difficulties in the way to Heaven, you have need of this Conſolation, You had need have your Eyes open to ſee what is for you as well as what is againſt you; This Aſſurance will not breed Deſpair, but quicken you up to a lively working; Though thou art not certain of Life and Wealth, yet of Gods aſſiſting Grace to the laſt.