Immanuel, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
That Religion is a laſting and perſevering principle in the ſoules of men, proved by ſeveral Scriptures. The grounds of this perſeverance aſſigned, firſt negatively; It doth not ariſe from the abſolute inamiſſability of grace in the creature, nor from the ſtrength of mans Free-will. Secondly Affirmatively, the grace of election cannot fail. The grace of Juſtification is neither ſuſpended nor violated, The Covenant of grace is everlaſting: The Mediator of this Covenant lives for ever: The promiſes of it immutable; The righteouſneſs brought in by the Meſſiab everlaſting. An objection anſwered concerning a regenerate mans willing his own apoſtaſie. An Objection anſwered drawn from the falls of Saints in Scripture, as alſo from thoſe Scriptures that ſeem to imply a mans falling away. A diſcovery of counterfeit Religion and the ſhamefull apoſtaſie of falſe profeſſors. An encouragement to all holy diligence from the conſideration of this doctrine, the rather that we may ſtop the mouths of thoſe that falſly affirm that the ſame is prejudicial to true godlineſs.
I Come now to the third property of true Religion contained in theſe words, and that is the perſeverance of it. And here the foundation of my following diſcourſe ſhall be this propoſition.
True Religion is a laſting and perſevering principle in the Souls of good men. It is ſaid of the hypocritical Jews, that their goodneſs was as the early dew that ſoon paſſeth away, Hoſ. 6. 4. But that principle of true goodneſs which God planteth in the ſouls of his people is compared to a well of water, evermore ſending forth freſh ſtreams, and inceſſantly ſpringing up towards God himſelf: our Saviour compares hypocritical profeſſors to ſeed ſown upon ſtony ground that ſprings up indeed, but ſoon withers away, Mark. 4. 5, 6. but this well of water which is in the ſincere godly ſoul, ſprings up into everlaſting life, it ſprings and is never dryed up, it is a ſpring of water, whoſe waters fail not, or lyes not, as it is expreſt by the Prophet, Iſa. 58. 11. Or if you look upon it under the Metaphor of oyle, as it is ſometimes expreſt in Scripture, then it is truly that Oyle that faileth not, whereof the Widow of Sarepthahs cruiſe of Oyle was but a ſcant reſemblance. Amongſt other Texts which the learned Dr. Arrowſmith brings to prove the infallibility of the perſeverance of Saints, this ſpeech of our Saviours which is the ſubject of my whole diſcourſe, is one; who alſo quoteth Theophylact for the ſame mind, viz. the perſeverance of this principle, yea and ſome what more, even the growth and multiplication of it. To the ſame purpoſe the ſame excellent Author quoteth, Joh. 10. 27, 28. My ſheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; And I give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any man pluck them out of my hand. In which words our Saviour ſtrongly aſſerteth the certain glorification of his elect, by uſing a Verb of the preſent tenſe, I give unto them eternal life; he will as certainly give it them as if they had it already; except the words do imply that they have it already, viz. the beginnings of it, even in this life: and if ſo, then the words do yet more ſtrongly aſſert the doctrine of perſeverance; for how can that life be called eternal, which may be ended? In the ſame words he ſeemeth purpoſely to prevent fears, and before hand to anſwer objections, by ſecuring them both from internal and external enemies, they ſhall never periſh (viz. of their own accord) neither ſhall any one pluck them out of my hand; for the word in the original is ſuch as doth ſecure them from the power of devils as well as men; and what is ſaid of the Church in general, is alſo certain concerning every true member of it in particular; the gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt it. Chriſt hath not only choſen and ordained his people that they ſhould be holy, but alſo that they ſhould perſevere in holineſs; not only that they ſhould bring forth good fruits, but that their fruits ſhould remain, Joh. 15. 16. Hence they are ſaid to be born again of incorruptible ſeed, which liveth and abideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1. 23. And he that is born of God, is ſaid to have the ſeed of God in him, and remaining in him, and ſo remaining in him as that he ſhall never again commit ſin, that is, ſhall not become any more ungodly, 1 Joh. 3. 9. To all which may be added that ſtrong and ſtrengthning text, Rom. 8. 38, 39. I am perſwaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord: which one text doth excellently aſſert both thoſe high and comfortable doctrines of Aſſurance and perſeverance; and they are worthily to be honoured in the Church of God, who have vindicated it from the corrupt gloſſes and cavils of the Papiſts, who have endeavoured to rob Chriſtians of the ſweetneſs which may be ſuckt out of that pregnant honey…comb: In a word, let the holy Pſalmiſts experience of the ſupporting vertue of this doctrine ſhut up the proof of it at preſent, who ſound himſelf wonderfully comforted by it after all his▪ fears and foyls, Pſal. 73. 24. where he ſings of the loving kindneſs of the Lord in time paſt, thou haſt holden me by my right hand; and at preſent, I am continually with thee, that is, thou art continually with me▪ and with the like courage and confidence he ſpeaks of all time to come, thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and afterwards receive me to glory. Now although the doctrine of the perſeverance of Saints be thus fully and clearly laid down in Scripture, yet it is eaſie to erre in giving an account of it and of the grounds of it. And therefore I ſhall proceed to the grounds of it, which I will briefly lay down negatively and affirmatively. Firſt negatively,
1. The certain perſeverance of the Saints in a ſtate of grace doth not ariſe from the abſolute inamiſſability of grace in the creature: It is one thing to affirm that grace ſhall not be loſt, and an other thing to affirm that it is abſolutely unloſeable: God hath told us that the world ſhall no more be drowned, but who will ſay for all that, that it is not in itſelf capable of drowning? whileſt we think to honour God by aſſerting the permanency of grace, we muſt take …eed leſt we make a God of grace, and ſo diſhonour him. Grace as it is in God, in the fountain, which divines ſometimes call Active Grace is eternal and unchangeable, not ſubject to any defection or alteration. There is no time, or place, or caſe wherein the love and goodneſs of God faileth towards his elect. It is one and the ſame in God towards his people even when they are under the greateſt deſertions, and have no ſenſe at all of it; we muſt not ſay the Sun is grown dark, as oft as a dark cloud interpoſeth between it and our ſight. Yea however it be moſt certain that the pure and holy God hateth ſin even in his elect, yet it is alſo certain that the good and gracious God loveth the perſons of his Saints, even at what time they ſin: For the love of God towards the regenerate (ſaith learned Davenant) is not bottomed upon their perfect purity and holineſs; but upon Chriſt Jeſus the Mediator, who hath transferred their ſins upon himſelf, and ſo hath redeemed them from the wrath of God. The love and kindneſs of God towards his people is abſolutely unchangeable and everlaſting. But grace in the creature, itſelf being a creature, is not ſimply and abſolutely unchangeable or unloſeable: There is a poſſibility of loſing inherent grace if it be conſidered in itſelf; yea and it would actually be loſt and periſh, but that God upholdeth his people with one hand whileſt he ex…rciſeth them with the o…her. Though with all my might I deſire to maintain the perſeverance of the Saints, ye… I dare not (as the manner of ſome is) ground it upon the firmneſs and rootedneſs of faith in man, but upon the goodneſs and faithfulneſs of God, which is ſuch towards his elect, that he will keep them by his mighty power through faith unto ſalvation, as the Apoſtle expreſſeth it, 1 Pet. 1. 5.
2. It doth not ariſe from the ſtrength of mans Free will, as if he were of himſelf able to keep himſelf for ever in a ſtate of grace, when God had once put him into it. The ſaints indeed ſhall for ever will their own perſeverance (as we ſhall ſee anon) but it is God that worketh in them even this will, Phil. 2 13. mans own Free-will or ſelf-ſufficiency, is ſo far from being the ground of his perſeverance in grace and holineſs; that I do believe nothing in the world is more directly contrary to grace than habitual and predominant ſelf confidence; and even in the Saints themſelves, there is nothing that doth ſtrike a greater ſtroke towards their apoſtaſie, than this ſelfconceit and confidence of their own ſtrength, as ſomething diſtinct from God, though the ſame be not habitual and predominant, for they themſelves are many times ſadly weakned and ſet back by that means, and ſuffer many lamentable ſpiritual decayes. This ſeems to have ſometimes been the caſe of Hezekiah and of David too, and had like to have been the caſe of Paul, when he had ſo much abounded in Revelations, 2 Cor. 12. 7. ſure it is, that nothing doth more eſtrange the hearts of Gods people from him, nor bind up the influences of divine grace and favour from them, than this ſecurity, confidence in the ſtrength of their own wills, and vain opinion of ſelf-ſufficiency, which thing the ſad experience of many holy Chriſtians doth atteſt: not only the Apoſtles James and Peter, but indeed all the true Diſciples of Chriſt in the world do agree to the truth of that Proverb, God reſiſteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. In a word, though to do juſtly and to love mercy, have indeed much of Religion in them, yet unto perſeverance it is alſo required that a man deny himſelf and the ſufficiency of this own Free-will, and (in the Prophets expreſſion) walk humbly with his God. You know whoſe brag it was, Though all men ſhall be offended becauſe of thee, yet will I never be offended, and again, Though I ſhould dye with thee, yet will I not deny thee; and what was the lamentable conſequence of this ſelf-confidence, you know likewiſe: wherefore let him that ſtandeth by his own ſtrength, take heed leſt he fail.
I proceed now to ſpeak ſomething affirmitively concerning the grounds of the Saints perſeverance in a ſtate of grace. I have already ſhewed you that Active grace is abſolutely of an immutable nature: And although paſſive grace be not ſo, yet it ſhall not be loſt totally and finally. For,
1. The grace of Election cannot fail. when I think of that uncertain, conditional, mutable decree of ſaving men, which ſome aſcribe to God, who is infinite and eternal wiſdome and oneneſs, methinks I may with great reaſon apply the Apoſtles words ſpoken concerning himſelf, and ſay when God is thus graciouſly minded to Elect his people to eternal life, doth he uſe lightneſs, or the things that he purpoſeth, doth he purpoſe according to the fleſh; after the manner of men, who are unſteady and wavering in their determinations? Is there with him yea, yea, and nay, nay? what doth the Apoſtle mean by thoſe words 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this ſeal, The Lord knoweth them that are his? The Apoſtle in the foregoing Verſe, having related the apoſtaſie of Hymeneus and Philetus, and the overthrow of ſome mens faith by their means, immediately ſubjoyns this comfortable doctrine of the ſtedfaſtneſs and firmneſs of Gods decree of election, to prevent the offence which the Saints might take againſt the falls of others and to relieve them againſt the fears that they might poſſibly conceive concerning their own perſeverance; q. d. let no one be offended, as if the ſalvation of the Elect ſtood at uncertainties; it appears that theſe men were none of Gods elect, becauſe they are ſeduced, and the faith that they had is overthrown; and as for your part who are elected, fear not leſt ye alſo ſhould apoſtatize, it is not poſſible to deceive the elect in the neceſſary and fundamental truths of the Goſpel, (Matth. 24. 24.) fear not leſt ye alſo ſhould be drawn away by the errour of the wicked unto perdition, For the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, &c. In which ſentence, ſayes Dr. Arrowſmith, almoſt every word breaths firmneſs and performance: nothing is more firm in a building than the foundation; that you may not doubt of that, it is alſo called ſure or ſteady; this ſure foundation is ſaid to ſtand, i. e. (ſay the Dutch Annotat.) abideth ſtedfaſt and certain; for it is the foundation not of mans laying, but of God, with whom there is no variableneſs nor ſhadow of change: yea further, this foundation is ſaid to be ſealed; now what is accounted more firm and ſure than thoſe things which are ſealed with a ſeal? eſpecially ſuch a ſeal as this, The Lord knoweth who are his; though the wiſeſt of men are oft deceived in their opinions, yet the knowledge of God is infinitely infallible; according to that of Auſtin, If any of the Elect periſh, God is deceived; but God is not deceived, therefore none of the Elect can periſh, for the Lord knoweth who are his. When Samuel indeed went to ſeparate one of the Sons of Jeſſe from the reſt of his brethren to be King over Iſrael, he firſt pitcht upon Eliab, and afterwards rejected him, 1 Sam. 16. but God is guilty of no ſuch inconſtancy in that eternal election which he makes of men to be Kings and Prieſts unto himſelf. Thoſe ſeveral acts of divine grace mentioned, Rom. 8. 29, 30. though they be many links, yet run one into an other, and all from firſt to laſt make up but one chain; concerning which divine and myſterious concatenation one may boldly uſe that peremptory prohibition which our Lord uſeth concerning a leſs indiſputable conjunction, Matth. 19. 6. What God hath joyned together, let no man put aſunder.
2. The grace of Juſtification is neither ſuſpended nor violated, it admits neither of interciſion nor reſciſſion, neither of pauſe nor period. There is nothing between Juſtification and glorification in the Apoſtles ſentence, but the copulative [and] Rom. 8. 30. there is nothing between a juſtified ſoul and glory, but a meer paſſage into it. May we be allowed to triumph with the holy Apoſtle in the forequoted chapter, who ſhall bring an accuſation againſt Gods elect? It is God that juſtifieth. But what though you be at preſent juſtified may ſome ſay, is there not a poſſibility of being unjuſtified again, may not the righteouſneſs of the righteous be taken from him, may you not be condemned hereafter? But who is he that ſhall condemn us? It is Chriſt that dyed: As if the Apoſtle had ſaid, the love of God towards his juſtified ones is not grounded upon their purity, lovelineſs or perfection, but it is founded in their Redeemer, which Redeemer hath done enough, both to bring them into a juſtified ſtate, and to keep them in it for ever; It is Chriſt that dyed, to free them from ſin, it is Chriſt that is riſen again for their juſtification; that is at the right hand of God, to deliver them from all their enemies, that maketh interceſſion for them, for their perſeverance. God loves nothing but the communications of himſelf, ſo far as any thing partakes of the divine image, ſo far it partakes of divine favour and complacency, ſo that whileſt a good man bears a reſemblance unto God, ſo long he ſhall be accepted of him, and embraced in the arms of his love▪ and that ſhall be for ever, as we ſhall ſee under the next head. Untill you have blotted out all the image and ſuperſcription of God out of a godly ſoul, untill you have razed out all the ſtamps and impreſſions of goodneſs: in a word, untill you have rendred him wicked and ungodly, you cannot abandon him from the embraces of God; which thing men and devils ſhall never be able to do, as I have partly ſhewed already, and ſhall yet ſhew more at large.
It is true indeed that Adam fell from a juſt ſtate though not from a juſtified ſtate, for that ſuppoſes ſin formerly committed. But this is no great wonder; for he had his righteouſneſs in himſelf, and his happineſs in his own keeping: But the condition of believers is now more ſafe and firm, as depending not upon any created power or will, but upon the infinite and effectual help and ſtrength of a Mediator, which will never fail.
3. The covenant of grace is everlaſting. It hath pleaſed God to enter into a covenant of grace and peace with every believing ſoul; which I ſuppoſe I need not go about to prove, all Chriſtians acknowledging it, though they do not all agree in one notion of it. Now this Covenant, wherein God engages himſelf to be their God (for that is the ſummary Contents of it on his part) is expreſly called by the Apoſtle foreign, the everlaſting Covenant, Heb. 13. 20. and again Jer. 32. 40. I will make an everlaſting Covenant with them: which Covenant and the everlaſtingneſs of it are fully explained in the following words, I will not turn away from them to do them good: The inviolable nature of this Covenant is alſo expreſly aſſerted in that famous place, Jer. 31 31, 32. I will make a new Covenant with the houſe of Iſrael, not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers which my Covenant they brake: as if he had ſaid, I will make a Covenant that ſhall not be ſubject to breaches: In the former Covenant with their fathers, I gave them laws to keep which they kept not, but in the New Covenant I will give them alſo a heart to keep my laws: It is not poſſible that Covenant ſhould be broken, one principle part of which is an heart both able and willing to keep it. The ſimilitudes which God uſeth in the 35, 36, 37. verſes of that ſame chapter, do alſo further confirm and illuſtrate this Doctrine of the everlaſtingneſs of this Covenant of grace.
Under this head, let me glance at three things.
1. The Mediator of this Covenant lives for ever, and lives to make interceſſion for believers, Heb. 7. 25. and from this the Apoſtle argues, that they ſhall be ſaved to the uttermoſt, or evermore, as the Margin reads it. From this alſo the Apoſtle argues the unchangeable ſtate of believers, as we obſerved before out of Rom. 8. 34. Chriſt Jeſus is alwayes heard and accepted of the Father in all the requeſts that he maketh to him, according to that in Joh. 11. 41, 42. Jeſus lift up his eyes and ſaid, Father I thank thee that thou haſt heard me; And I know that thou heareſt me alwayes. If theſe things be ſo, then the perſeverance of the Saints is built upon a moſt certain bottome, is ſecured againſt the very gates of Hell, for Chriſt hath prayed for them that they may be where he is, Joh. 17. 24. and in the mean time that they may be kept from the evil, ver. 15. and that their faith fail not, Luke 22. 32.
2. The promiſes of this Covenant are immutable, they are in Chriſt Jeſus yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20. as if one ſhould ſay in Latine, Certo certiora, perfectly ſure and certain. God who is truth itſelf, will not, can not be unto his people as a lyar, or as waters that fail, as the Prophets phraſe is; the infinite fountain of grace and truth, cannot poſſibly become like one of the brooks which Job ſpeaks of, which ſeem to be full of water, and are ſo at a certain winter ſeaſon, but when the poor ſcorched Arabian comes to look for water thence in ſummer, he goes away aſhamed, becauſe they are now vaniſhed, they are conſumed out of their place, Job 6. 19, 20. Now the promiſe is concerning not only grace, but the final perſeverance of it: If he promiſe pardoning grace, it is in theſe full and ſatisfying expreſſions, I will remember their ſin (any one of their ſins) no more, Jer. 31. 34. If he promiſe purging and purifying grace, it is in the like amplitude of phraſe, that they may fear me for ever; and again, they ſhall not depart from me, Jer. 32. 39. 40. with many other places of like importance.
3. righteouſneſs brought in by this mediator is foreign, an everlaſting righteouſneſs, as it is expreſſly called, Dan. 9. 24. by which I do not underſtand the righteouſneſs of Juſtification (which was alwayes one and the ſame, and there was never any righteouſneſs of that kind temporary or fading) but the righteouſneſs of real internal ſanctification in oppoſition to that poſitive and temporary righteouſneſs, which depended upon the pleaſure of God that did preſcribe it. This righteouſneſs brought in and advanced by Chriſt (who in a powerful and vital way diſpenſeth the ſame by his holy ſpirit unto the minds and ſouls of men) is not only true and inward, (in oppoſition to the phariſaical, which was an external conformity only) but it is of an everlaſting and unchangeable nature; as being grounded upon and indeed comformable to eternal and unchangeable truth, in oppoſition to that temporary kind of righteouſneſs which was grounded upon poſitive Laws, and the arbitrary commands of God, if I may ſo call them. This eternal righteouſneſs is by Chriſt Jeſus the Prince of liſe put into the very ſouls of men, and being a plant of his planting ſhall never be pluckt up. We read indeed in the Prophet Ezekiel that the glory of God departed out of the Temple made with hands; but this glory of God, his image; ſhall never depart out of the living Temple, the ſouls of good men, having once powerfully diſplayed itſelf there. And therefore God is ſaid to dwell in the ſouls of his people, in oppoſition to a wavering man who turneth in to tarry for a night. God indeed hath promiſed that it ſhall be ſaid to them that were not his people, ye are the ſons of the living God, Hoſ. 1. 10. but never on the contrary; he hath no where threatned them that are the ſons of the living God that it ſhall at any time be ſaid to them, ye are not my people. True indeed, as to external profeſſion, Church-memberſhip, meer Covenent-holineſs, and ou…w…rd communion, God doth many times diſinherit and reject them that were ſo his people: but as to true godlineſs; participation of the divine image, internal and ſpiritual communion, we may confidently ſay with the Apoſtle to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is faithfull, by whom ye were called unto the fellowſhip of his Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord; or with the …ame Apoſtle to the Theſſalonians, I Theſ. 5. 24. faithfull is he that calleth you, who alſo will do it: Do what? why that which he was ſpeaking of, and praying for, in ver. 23. v z preſerve ſpirit and ſoul and body blameleſs unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
I conclude then that Grace in the Crea…ure is a partic…pation of him who is eſſential and perfect grace and goodneſs, a communication made by him of his holy nature, which becomes a living principle in the ſouls of men, a …ountain ſending forth a continued … of holy diſpoſitions and affections without interciſion or ceſſation: Though theſe ſtreams run ſometimes higher, ſometimes l…wer; ſometimes ſwi…er, ſometimes ſlower, yet they are never wholly dryed up as the brooks of Tema were. For where God hath once opened a fountain in the ſoul, he feeds it … ſupplyes from himſelf; as a … itſelf would dry up, if it … not nouriſhed by the ſupplyes o… ſubterraneous waters. The perſeverance of grace depends purely upon the ſupports and ſupplyes of uncrea…d eſſential life and goodneſs. But how do we know that God will certainly afford theſe ſupplies? We build upon his goodneſs and love in Chriſt towards his elect, which is infinite and unſpeakable; and upon his faithfulneſs in accompliſhing his promiſe, viz. that be will never leave nor ſorſake them, Heb. 13. 5. that he will keep them by his power unto ſalvation, 1 P…. 1. 5. They that are of the number of Gods holy and choſen ones ſhall no doubt continue of that number according to that in 1 Jo…. 2. 19. they that are truly in Chriſt ſhall abide in him, 1 Joh. 2. 27. the ſeed of God remaineth in the godly, and they cannot ſin, becauſe they are born of God, 1 Joh. 3. 9. he that is begotten of God keepeth himſelf, and that wicked one toucheth him not, 1 Joh. 5. 18. What can be more expreſs and ample than that conſolatory promiſe of our Lord made to his poor frail ſheep, Joh. 10. 28. I give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any one pluck them out of my hand.
But ſome one may ſay perhaps, what if man will apoſtatize; what if the ſaints themſelves will forſake God? will he not then ſay of them, as the Apoſtle of the unbelieving huſband, If they will depart, let them depart. Will not God forſake them that forſake him?
Anſw. Yes, God will forſake them that forſake him; But they never ſhall forſake him: They being rightly renewed after the image of God, and perfectly overpowered by his grace, ſhall never will any ſuch departure: I will betroth thee unto me for ever, Hoſ. 2. 19. It is certain ſaith Dr. Arrowſmith that God will condemn all impenitent ſinners; but it is as certain that all juſtified and regenerate ſinners ſhall repent, ſemper fit, procurante ſpiritu. It ſeems unreaſonable to demand what if man himſelf will apoſtatize; ſeeing he is by the grace of God ſo renewed in his will, and put into ſuch a condition, that he cannot will any ſuch thing. God doth not give unto his Saints (ſaith Auſtin) only ſuch help, without which they could not perſevere if they would (which was that which he gave Adam;) but he alſo worketh in them the will: that becauſe they ſhall not perſevere except they both can and will, his bountifull grace beſtoweth upon them both the can and the will. For their will is ſo enflamed by the ſpirit of God, that they therefore can, becauſe they ſo will, they therefore ſo will, becauſe God worketh in them to Will. Neither is it any diſparagement or injury to the freedom of mans will, that it ſhould be overpowered by divine grace, and determined only to that which is good. The indi…erency and fl…ctuation of the will of man is indeed the imperfection of it, and the more God reveals himſelf to the ſoul as the chiefeſt good, the more this indifferency of the will is deſtroyed, and the faculty is determined; not by being conſtrained, but indeed perfected. Oh unhappy liberty, for a ſoul to be indifferently affected towards its own happineſs, and to be free to chooſe its own miſery! The nobleſt freedom in the world is, when a ſoul being delivered from its heſitancies, and healed of its indifferencies, is carryed like a ſhip with ſpread ſales and powerfull winds in a moſt ſpeedy, cheerful and ſteady courſe into its own harbour, into the arms and embraces of its own object. The grace of God doth never ſo overpower the will of man as to reduce it to a condition of ſlavery, ſo as that man ſhould not have a proper dominion over his own acts; but I think we do generally conclude that in the world to come, in the future ſtate, the wills of all glorified Saints ſhall be ſo advanced and perfected in their freedome, as not in the leaſt to verge towards any thing that is evil, but ſhall in the moſt gladſome and ſteady manner be eternally carryed towards their full and glorious object, which the glorified underſtanding ſhall then repreſent in a moſt true clear and ample manner: And this we take to be the ſouls trueſt liberty in the higheſt elevation of it. Now although it be not altogether thus with us in this preſent world, (for by reaſon of the weakneſs and muddineſs of our underſtandings which do here repreſent God unto us ſo faintly and diſadvantagiouſly, it comes to paſs that the will cannot ſo freely and fervently, with ſo ardent and generous motions purſue its excellent object, as it ſhall do hereafter) yet I believe that the more God reveals himſelf to any ſoul, the more the fluctuations and aequilibriouſneſs of it are healed, and a true liberty of will encreaſed; and that he doth ſo far reveal himſelf to every truly godly ſoul, as to eſtabl…ſh this noble freedome in him, in ſuch a degree as will keep him from willing a final departure from him, and carry him certainly, (how remiſly and faintly ſoever) towards the ſupream and ſoveraign good, till he come to be perfectly ſwallowed up in it. A will thus truly and divinely free, thought it be not the proper efficient cauſe, yet certainly is an inſeparable concomitant of final perſeverance. So then the more God communicateth himſelf to any ſoul, the more powerfully it willeth a nearer conjunction with him; and no ſoul I conceive to whom God communicateth himſelf ſavingly can at any time will an utter ſeparation from him.
As for the fouleſt falls of Scriptureſaints, that are any where recorded, I know not what more can rationally be inferred from them but that grace in the creature admits of ebbs and flows, is ſubject to augmentations and diminutions; which I know no ſober perſon that denies. But I think the hiſtory of their lapſes, if we take it altogether, hath a very favourable aſpect upon the doctrine of perſeverance; yea for ought I know, one great deſign of God in penning thoſe relations might be to confirm this very doctrine, by giving us ſo expreſs and ample an account of their Repentance and Recovery, that we are indeed to believe they were ſtrengthned by their falls, ſo far were their falls from proving mortal to them: one would think that if ever the habits of grace ſhould be utterly ſuffocated and extinct, if ever they ſhould languiſh even unto death, it ſhould be under the power of ſuch contrary Acts as David and Peter committed, and eſpecially Solomon, whoſe acts for ought I can ſee were as foul, and alſo often repeated, which is the likelieſt thing that I know, to deſtroy gracious habits. I know there are inſtances given of good Joaſh, Hymeneus, Alexander, Demas utterly falling from that gracious ſtate, wherein ſometimes they had been. But it did never yet appear to me beyond contradiction, that ever they were any of them in ſuch a ſtate. Joaſh is put amongſt the number of hypocrites by ſome that have rifled his ſtory: And for ought that can evidently appear to the contrary, Demas might be no better. Moſt is pleaded for Hymentus and Alexander who put away a good conſcience, and made ſhipwrack of faith, 1 Tim. 19. 20. But it do's not yet appear that the faith which they made ſhipwrack of, was any more than the profeſſion or doctrine of the true faith; yea rather it doth appear that it was no more. Neither do's it at all appear that they ever had that good conſcience which they are ſaid (in our tranſlation) to have put away; which may as fully be rendred [rejected;] for that we find to be the moſt common uſe of the Greek word foreign or foreign arceo, prohibeo, reſiſto, renitor, repello, to reject, repell, or thruſt away from one. I am not confident that this apoſtaſie of theirs was total neither. ſuppoſing it to be an Apoſtaſie; for however their faith was ſhipwrackt, poſſibly ſome plank or other of it might be left. And who dare ſay that it was final? The Apoſtle doth not that I perceive give them up for loſt, but executes diſcipline upon them as it ſeems for their receovery, of which one might think by the following words, that he had ſome hopes—that they may learn not blaſpheme. In ſhort then, as to theſe two men, I conceive, that good canſcience which they put away they never had, and the faith which they had was not that good faith. And as to the other two that were named, and indeed as to all other inſtances of the like nature, I ſuppoſe we may give this general anſwer, that either they did but ſeem to ſtand, er they did but ſeem to fall: the former perhaps was the caſe of Joaſh, and the latter of Demas. When ever you obſerve therefore the backſlidings of any ſeeming Chriſtians take heed of concluding raſhly againſt the perſeverance of Saints, but rather inferr with the holy Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us, but they were not of us: had they been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; Which words if they be meant only of a communion in doctrine and profeſſion, ſo as to conclude againſt the ſeparation of ſuch as are indeed in ſuch a communion; then we may argue the more ſtrongly, a minore ad majus againſt the final apoſtaſie of any that are in a higher and more excellent communion.
As for thoſe texts of Scripture that ſeem to ſuppoſe a mans falling away from grace and turning from righteouſneſs; I conceive a fair anſwer may be given unto them by diſtinguiſhing of righteouſneſs; and ſo it may be granted that many men have turned away from, and utterly made ſhipwrack of their legal righteouſneſs, conſiſting in an external conformity to the letter of the precepts of the law, void of the ſupernatural and divine principle: it is indeed the common lot of theſe men that ſpring up thus fairly, and yet have no root, to wither away, Mat. 13. 6. Luk. 8. 6. And yet on the other hand it abides an everlaſting maxime of truth, whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſin, for his ſeed remaineth in him, and he cannot ſin, becauſe he is born of God, 1 Joh. 3. 9. If there be any texts that ſeem to ſpeak of apoſtatizing from an Evangelical righteouſneſs, a righteouſneſs of faith, and ſo cannot well be ſalved by this diſtinction, as that in Heb. 10. 38. and ſome others; it muſt be conſidered that ſuppoſitions are made of things impoſſible as well as poſſible, yea and that even in the Scriptures themſelves, as ſome have obſerved from Gal. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 14. which texts do not at all imply what they ſuppoſe. I know indeed that external ſalvation is ordinarily entailed upon perſeverance, and ſo is promiſed to us in Scripture, as it were conditionally, Joh 8. 31. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my Diſciples indeed, Col. 1. 21, 22, 23. you hath he reconciled in the body of his fleſh through death to preſent you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his ſight, If ye continue in the faith, and be not moved away from the hope of the Goſpel, &c. To the ſame purpoſe are thoſe words, He that endureth to the end, the ſame ſhall be ſaved, and Rev. 2. 26. He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give, &c. All which do ſtrongly imply that there is no ſalvation but in a way of perſeverance; and the words being laid down thus conditionally (eſpecially the words firſt quoted) are indeed cautionary and quickning to the dull and ſluggiſh minds of men, but do not neceſſarily imply any uncertainty or doubtfulneſs in the thing itſelf; no more than thoſe words of the Apoſtle Peter, 1 Pet. 1. 10. compared with the latter end of the 12. verſe where he doth affirm them to be eſtabliſht in the truth, and yet at the ſame time doth ſpeak to them by way of caution and encouragement. There are many Texts that do ſeem to ſuppoſe the apoſtaſie of men in a ſtate of regeneration, but not one that doth aſſert it, that ever I could yet find; but they are almoſt without number that to my apprehenſion do more than ſeem to aſſert the contrary, viz. their final perſeverance: of which perſeverance we have alſo through the goodneſs of God thouſands of inſtances; but no man could ever yet produce one inſtance of the contrary, but by meer conjecture; which conjectures, let them that make them ſee that they be neither over-charitable towards men, or uncharitable towards God. Wherefore I do conclude that what is ſaid concerning Heaven and Hell in the Parable, (as to one branch of it) is true of grace and wickedneſs; a gulf is fized, and they that would paſs from God to ſin and the devil cannot: not that there ſhall ever be in any a real and predominant deſire ſo to paſs, as I ſuppoſe I have already proved; but it denotes the impoſsibility of the thing. It is equally impoſſible that a godly ſoul ſhould fall from God and become an hater of him, fall from his love and image, and take upon him the image of the devil, as it was for L…zarus to quit Abrahams boſome for the flames of hell: the caſe ſeems to be the ſame, the former being the moſt reall Heaven, and the latter the trueſt Hell. True Religion is that holy fire which being once kindled in the ſoul from Heaven, never goes out; whereof the fire of the altar was but a faint and imperfect reſemblance: It is as true in this reſpect of good men, as it is of wicked men in an other, their fire never goes out.
And here now we are preſented with another great difference between true and counterfeit Religion. All counterfeit Religion will fade in time, though never ſo ſpecious and flouriſhing; All dew will paſs away though ſome lye much longer than other; All land-floods will fail, yea the flood of Noah at length dryed up, though it were of many moneths duration: But this well of water which our Saviour ſpeaks of here, will never utterly fail; cold Adverſity cannot freeze it up, ſcorching proſperity cannot dry it up: The upper ſprings of uncreated grace and goodneſs will evermore feed thoſe nether ſprings of grace and holineſs in the creature. Though Heaven and earth paſs away, yet ſhall the ſeed of God remain; he that hath begun a good work, will certainly perform it, Eph. 1. 6. Where the grace of God hath begotten a Divine principle and ſpirit of true Religion in a ſoul, there is the central force even of Heaven itſelf, ſtill attracting, and carrying the ſoul in its motions thitherward, untill it have lodged it in the very boſome and heart of God. If any principle lower than true Religion do actuate a man, it will certainly waſte and be exhauſted; though it may carry him ſwiftly in a rapid motion, yet not in a ſteady; though it may carry him high, yet not quite through. A meteor that is exhaled from the earth by a forreign force, though it may mount high in appearance, and brave it in a blaze enough to be envyed by the poor twinkling ſtars, and to be admired by ordinary ſpectators, yet its fate is to fall down, and ſhamefully confeſs its baſe original. That Religion which men put on only for a cloak, w…ll wear out and drop into rags, if it be not preſently thrown by as a garment out of faſhion. You have read of the ſeeming righteouſneſs of Jehu founded in ambition and cruelty, the piety and devotion of Joaſh grounded upon a good and vertuous education, the zeal of Soul for the worſhip of God, and his fat Sacrifices, growing upon a root of ſuperſtition, as Samuel that man of God interprets it, 1 Sam. 15. 22. and you have ſeen the ſhamefull iſſue of all theſe diſſemblers, and the ſtinking ſnuff in which all this candle-light Religion ended, very much unlike to that ſun-light luſtre of true and genuine goodneſs, which ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day, according to that elegant deſcription which the ſpirit of God makes of it in the writings of Solomon, whoſe pen hath as much adorned this great truth, as his life hath blotted it, Prov. 4. 18. To this purpoſe I might fairly alleadge the frequent teſtimonies which the Holy Ghoſt in Scripture gives concerning ſuch hypocritical and unprincipled profeſſors that having no root they wither away in a ſcorching ſeaſon, that they are again entangled in the pollutions of the world and overcome, that like dogs they turn to their own vomit again, and like Sows wallow in the mire from which they had been waſhed, 2 Pet. 2. 20, 22. together with many others of the ſame nature: as alſo the propheſies that are made concerning them, that that which they ſeemed to have, ſhall be taken away from them, Luke 8. 18. that they ſhall proceed no further, for their folly ſhall be manifeſt to all men, 2 Tim. 3. 9. that evil men and ſeducers (and of thoſe, ſelf-ſeducers are the worſt) ſhall wax worſe and worſe, 2 Tim. 3. 13. with other places of the like nature. It were eaſie to record many hiſtories of many men, eſpecially great men, who have ſpeedily; I had almoſt ſaid diſdainfully thrown off that ſemblance of humility, meekneſs, ſelf-denyal, juſtice and faithfulneſs which they had put on for a vizard during their probationarſhip for preferment, the better to accompliſh their ſelfiſh deſigns, and to be poſſeſt of ſome baſe ends of their own. But yet I will not deny, but that a hypocrite may maintain a fair conformity to, and correſpondence with the letter of the law of God, he may continue fair and ſpecious to the very end of his life, yea perhaps may go to his grave undiſcovered either to himſelf or any in the world beſides. I believe many men have lived and dyed Phariſees, have never apoſtatized from that righteouſneſs which they profeſt, but have perſevered in their formality and hypocriſie to the laſt. But yet although that counterfeit righteouſneſs and Religion may poſſibly not fade away, yet nevertheleſs being of an earthly and ſelfiſh conſtitution, it is tranſitory and fading, and if it were ſoundly aſſaulted and battered with perſecutions and temptations, no doubt would actually vaniſh and diſappear; on the other hand, the promiſe of God is pregnant and precious, Iſa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord ſhall renew their ſtrength, they ſhall walk and no faint.
Take encouragement from hence all ye that love the Lord, go on in the ſtrength of God; Be the more lively, by how much the more you are aſſured that this well of water ſhall ſpring up in you into everlaſting life. Make this good uſe of this comfortable doctrine: will God indeed work in you, both to will and to do? why then ſo much the rather work out your own ſalvation, according to the Apoſtle, Phil. 2. 12. will the Lord God be with you, will he not fail you nor forſake you, till you have finiſhed all your work? why then Be ſtrong, and of good courage, and do, as good David inferrs and argues, 1 Chron. 28. 20. Have you this hope, this firm ground of hope in the promiſe and goodneſs of God? why then purifie your ſelves as God is pure; according to the Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 3. 3. ſtop the mouths of thoſe men that ſay the Doctrine of perſeverance is prejudicial to godlineſs; let them ſee, and be forced to acknowledge it, that the more a godly ſoul is aſſured of the infinite and unchangeable love and care of God towards him, the more is he winged with love and zeal, with ſpeed mounting up thither daily where he longs to arrive. They that underſtand the doctrine of perſeverance, do alſo underſtand that they muſt accompliſh it in a way of dutifull diligence, and watchfull willingneſs; and if any grow prophane and licentious, and apoſtatize from the way of righteouſneſs which they have known, it is an evident argument to them that they are no Saints, and then what will the doctrine of the perſeverance of Saints avail them?