Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Section 13
SECT. 13.
… SO, Perſeverance which God requires. Gal 6 9.for Perſeverance and Conſtancy with…ut which no Crowne, no …eward; 1. God requires as a Condition of Life and Happineſſe; be thou Faithfull unto the death, and I will give thee Crowne of life, Rev. 2.10. In due ſeaſon wee ſhall reape if we faint not. And Chriſt is ſaid to reconcile us: that he might preſent us holy and unblamable, and unproveable in his ſight, (eſpecially) at the day of judgment, (if ſaith the Apoſtle) ye contin… in the Faith, Col. 1.22.23. Iohn 15.6, 7.grounde… and ſetled, and be no… moved away from th… hope of the Goſpell, &c. And elſewhere ſai… Chriſt: if a man abide no… in me, he is caſt for… &c. And, if ye abide i… me, and my words a bi… in you, ye ſhall aske wh… yee will, and it ſhall b… done unto you.
2. He yet promiſeth i… to the great comfort of hi… people ſaying: Promiſeth.I wi… make an everlaſting Covenant with them, that … will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare i… their heart, Ier 3.2.40.that they ſhall not depart from mee▪ ſo God will neither turne… from us, nor ſuffer … …o turne from him, though …thers fall away, and erre …oncerning the truth, as did Hymeneus and Philetus; ne…ertheleſſe ſaith th'Apoſtle, 2 Tim. 2.18, 19.…he foundation of the Lord …emaines ſure, (or ſteady) …aving this Seale: The Lord …noweth who are his. No …emptation ſhall finally pre…aile againſt ſuch; 1 Cor. 10.13.For God …s faithfull, who will not ſuffer …ou to be Tempted above that …ee are able, but will with the Temptation alſo make a way …o eſcape, that ye may be able …o beare it. Yea when ſuch …s truſt in God, Ieremy 20, 8.9.are ready …o yeeld (as Ieremy; who becauſe Gods Word was made a reproach to him, and he was had in deriſion dayly, ſaid he would no longer make mention of him, nor ſpeake any more in his name,) yet God… word and Spirit quicke… them up againe, as they d… him; Yea God hath ſai… and promiſed: Iſalme 125.3.The ro… of the wicked ſhall no… reſt upon the Lot of th… righteous, leaſt the righteous put forth their hand unto iniquity.
And ſo Chriſt hath promiſed the continuance, an… abode of his grace and hol… Spirit; Iohn 4.14.ſaying: The Wat… that I ſhall give him, ſhall … in him a Well of Water, ſpringing up into everlaſting Li… See alſo Iohn 14.16.17. an… 1 Joh. 2.27. and 3.9.
3. He accordingly work… it; Worketh Phil. 1.6. Heb. 12.2.beginning and perfec… ing his owne worke; He… which hath begunne a goo… worke in you, will perform… it, untill the day of Ieſ… Chriſt. This Jeſus Chriſt is …lled the authour (or be…nner) and alſo the fi…ſher of our Faith; Yea … us he ſpeakes moſt com…rtably: Iohn 6.37.All that the Father …eth mee, ſhall come unto …, and him that cometh to …, I will in no wiſe caſt out.