Part 26

4. There are some who suppose that a believer may fall totally, though not finally from grace. And their reason for it is this; because they conclude, as they have sufficient warrant to do, from scripture, that they shall not fall finally, inasmuch as the purpose of God concerning election, must stand; if they had not been chosen to salvation they would never have been brought into a state of grace: they are supposed, before they fell, to have been sanctified; whereas sanctification is inseparably connected with salvation; and therefore, though they consider them, at this time, as having lost the grace of sanctification, and so to have fallen totally; yet they shall be recovered, and therefore not fall finally. Sanctification is Christ’s purchase; and where grace is purchased for any one, a price of redemption is paid for his deliverance from condemnation; and consequently he shall be recovered and saved at last, though, at present, he is, according to their opinion, totally fallen.

These suppose, not only that the acts of grace may be lost, but the very principle, and the reason hereof is, because they cannot see, how great and notorious sins, such as those committed by David, Peter, Solomon, and some others, can consist with a principle of grace: this indeed cuts the knot of some difficulties that seem to attend the doctrine of the saints perseverance, though falling into great sins: nevertheless, I think it may easily be proved, which we shall endeavour to do, that they shall be preserved from a total, as well as a final apostacy: or, that when they fall into great sins, they do not lose the principle of grace, though it be, at present, innactive; which we shall take occasion to insist on, more particularly under a following head, when we consider that argument mentioned in this answer for the proof of this doctrine taken from the Spirit and seed of God abiding in a believer, as that which preserves him from a total as well as a final apostacy.

II. We shall now consider, that the best believers would certainly fall from grace, were they left to themselves: so that their perseverance therein is principally to be ascribed to the power of God, that keeps them through faith unto salvation. This is particularly observed in this answer, in which several arguments are laid down to prove the doctrine of the saints’ perseverance in grace, and it is supposed to be founded on his power, and will, to maintain it. God is styled _the preserver of men_, Job vii. 20. inasmuch as he upholds all things by the word of his power, so that independency on him is inconsistent with the idea of our being creatures; and we have no less ground to conclude, that his power maintains the new creature, or that grace, which took its first rise from him. Should he fail or forsake us, we could not put forth the least act of grace, much less persevere therein. When man at first came out of the hands of God, he was endowed with a greater ability to stand than any one, excepting our Saviour, has been favoured with, since sin entered into the world; yet he apostatized, not from any necessity of nature, but by adhering to that temptation which he might have withstood. Then how unable is he to stand in his present state, who is become weak, and, though brought into a state of grace, renewed and sanctified but in part; having still the remainders of corruption, which maintain a constant opposition to the principle of grace? Our perseverance in grace cannot therefore be owing to ourselves; accordingly the apostle ascribes this to a divine hand, when he says, that _we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation_, 1 Pet. i. 5.

A late celebrated writer, on the other side of the question,[81] attempts to evade the force of this argument to prove the doctrine of perseverance, though I think, without much strength of reasoning, when he says; that all who are preserved to salvation, are kept by the power of God, but not that all believers are so kept.

To which it may be replied, that all believers, whose character answers that of the church, to which the apostle writes, shall be saved; namely, all who are _begotten again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for them_; whose _faith_, after it has been tried, shall be _found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ_, 1 Pet. i. 3, 4, 7. I say, these shall certainly be saved: therefore, if all who are thus preserved to salvation, are kept by the power of God, this is all we need contend for. And whereas he adds, that when they are said to be kept through faith, the meaning is, they are kept, if they continue in the faith. To this it may be replied, That their continuance in the faith was put out of all dispute, by what is said concerning them in the words going before and following, as row referred to. And as to his argument, it amounts to no more than this; that they shall be kept by the power of God, if they keep themselves; or they shall persevere if they persevere, to which I need make no reply.

But since our main design in this head is not to prove that believers shall persevere, which we reserve to our next; but to shew that whatever we assert concerning their perseverance, take its rise from God; we shall consider this as plainly contained in scripture. Accordingly the apostle speaks of the Lord’s _delivering him from every evil work, and preserving him to his heavenly kingdom_, 2 Tim. iv. 18. Jude, ver. 1. and the apostle Jude speaks of believers as _sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called_, or as being first called, and then preserved by God the Father, through the intervention of Christ, our great Mediator, till they are brought to glory. And our Saviour, in his affectionate prayer for his church, a little before he left the world, says, _Holy Father, keep, through thine own name, those whom thou hast given me_, John xvii. 11. which not only proves that the perseverance of the saints is owing to God, but that the glory of his own name is concerned herein; therefore it is not from ourselves, but him: and there is another scripture, in which our Saviour, speaks of the perseverance of his _sheep_ in grace, and of his giving them eternal life, and adds, that _they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand_, chap. x. 28. therefore it is owing to his care, as the great Shepherd of the sheep, and to his power, that is superior to that of all those who attempt to destroy them, that they shall persevere in grace. And this leads us to consider,

III. What ground we have to conclude that the saints shall persevere in grace, and so explain and illustrate the arguments insisted on in this answer, together with some others that may be taken from the sense of several scriptures, by which this doctrine may be defended.

1. The saints’ perseverance in grace may be proved from the unchangeable love of God, and his decree and purpose, relating to their salvation, in which it is discovered and executed. That God loved them with a love of good-will, before they were inclined to express any love to him, is evident; because their love to him is assigned as the effect and consequence of his love to them, as the apostle says, _We love him because he first loved us_, 1 John iv. 19. Therefore this love of God to his people, must be considered as an immanent act; from whence it follows, that it was from eternity, since all God’s immanent acts are eternal: and this is particularly expressed by the prophet, when he says, _The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love_, Jer. xxxi. 3. If this be meant of a love that shall never have an end, it plainly proves the doctrine we are defending; but inasmuch as the words that immediately follow, _Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee_, seem to intimate that this everlasting love is that which was from everlasting; as his drawing them or bringing them into a converted state is the result hereof: therefore this everlasting love is the same as his eternal purpose, or design to save them. If there be such an eternal purpose relating to their salvation, this necessarily infers their perseverance; and that there was such a design in God has been already proved under a foregoing answer[82]. And they who are the objects of this eternal purpose of grace are frequently described, in scripture, as believers, inasmuch as faith and salvation are inseparably connected together; therefore, the execution of God’s purpose in giving faith, necessarily infers the execution thereof, in saving them that believe.

That this purpose of grace is unchangeable, has been before proved[83]; and may be farther argued from what the apostle speaks concerning _the immutability of his counsel_, shewn to the _heirs of promise_, as the ground of that _strong consolation_ which they have _who are flying for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them_, Heb. vi. 17, 18. Therefore, if God cannot change his purpose, relating to the salvation of believers, it necessarily follows, that they shall certainly attain this salvation, and consequently, that they shall persevere in grace.

_Obj._ To this it will be objected, that though God may be said to love his people, while they retain their integrity, yet they may provoke him by their sins to cast them off; therefore the present exercise of divine love to them is no certain argument that it shall be extended to the end, so as that, by virtue hereof, he will enable them to persevere, and then bring them to glory.

_Answ._ To this it may be replied; that we do not deny that believers, by their sins, may provoke God so far, as that, if he should mark their iniquities, or deal with them according to the demerit thereof, he would cast them off for ever; but this he will not do, because it is inconsistent with his purpose to recover them from their backslidings, and forgive their iniquities. Moreover, it cannot be denied, that, notwithstanding God’s eternal love to them, there are many instances of his hatred and displeasure expressed in the external dispensations of his providence, which are as often changed, as their conduct towards him is changed; but this does not infer a change in God’s purpose: he may testify his displeasure against them, or as the Psalmist expresses it, _Visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquities with stripes_, Psal. lxxxix. 32. Nevertheless he cannot change his resolution to save them; and therefore, by some methods of grace, he will recover them from their backslidings, and enable them to persevere in grace, since his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure.

2. Another argument to prove the saints’ perseverance, may be taken from the covenant of grace, and the many promises respecting their salvation, which are contained therein. That this may appear, let it be considered,

(1.) That Christ was appointed to be the head of this covenant, as was observed in a foregoing answer[84]; and accordingly there was an eternal transaction between the Father and him; in which, all things were stipulated in the behalf of his elect, whom he therein represented, which relate to their everlasting salvation. In this covenant God the Father, not only promised that he should _have a seed to serve him_, Psal. xxii. 30. but that he _should see his seed_; and that _the pleasure of the Lord_, with relation to them, _should prosper in his hand_; that he should _see of the travel of his soul, and be satisfied_, Isa. liii. 10, 11. which implies, that he should see the fruits and effects of all that he had done and suffered for them, in order to their salvation; and this is not spoken of some of them, but of all; and it could not have had its accomplishment, were it possible for them not to persevere in grace.

(2.) In this covenant, Christ has undertaken to keep them, as the result of his becoming a Surety for them, in which he not only engaged to pay the debt of obedience and sufferings that was due from them, which he has already done; but that he would work all that grace in them which he purchased by his blood; and he has already begun this work in them which is not yet accomplished: can we therefore suppose that he will not bring it to perfection, nor enable them to endure to the end, that they may be saved, which would argue the greatest unfaithfulness in him, who is styled Faithful and True?

Moreover, as there are engagements on Christ’s part, relating hereunto, and in pursuance thereof, they are said to be in his hand; so the Father has given them an additional security, that they shall be preserved from apostasy; and therefore they are also said to be _in his hand_; from whence _none can pluck them out_; and from thence it is argued, that _they shall never perish_, John x. 28, 29. And we may observe, that the life which Christ is said to give them respects not only the beginning thereof, in the first grace which they are made partakers of in conversion; but it is called _eternal life_, which certainly denotes the completing of this work in their everlasting salvation.

(3.) The subject-matter of the promises contained in the covenant of grace, relates not only to their sanctification here, but salvation hereafter; in which respect it is called _an everlasting covenant_, and the mercies thereof, _the sure mercies of David_, Isa. lv. 3, 4. that is, either those mercies which David, who had an interest in this covenant, was given to expect; or mercies which Christ had engaged to purchase and bestow, who is here called David, as elsewhere, Hos. iii. 5. inasmuch as David was an eminent type of him, as well as because he was his seed according to the flesh; and that this is the more probable sense of the two, appears from the following words, in which he is said to be _given for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people_: and if these mercies are in Christ’s hand to apply, it is no wonder that they are styled _sure mercies_.

We might here consider the covenant of grace as containing in it all the promises that respect the beginning, carrying on, or completing the salvation of his people; and these relate not only to what God will do for them; but what he will enable them to be, and do, in those things that concern their faithfulness to him, whereby they have the highest security that they shall behave themselves as becomes a covenant-people. Thus he assures them, that he will be to them a God, that is, that he will glorify his divine perfections in bestowing on them the special and distinguishing blessings of the covenant; and that they shall be to him a people, that is, shall behave themselves so as that they shall not, by apostacy from him, oblige him to disown his relation to them, or exclude them from his covenant. He has not only encouraged them to expect those great things that he would do for them, provided they yielded obedience to his law; but that he would _put his law into their inward parts, and write it in their hearts_, whereby they might be disposed to obey him: and when he says, that they _shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord_, he gives them to understand that they should not only teach or instruct one other in the knowledge of God, which respects their being favoured with the external means of grace; but that they _should all know him, from the least of them unto the greatest_. This not only denotes that they should have a speculative knowledge of divine truth, but a saving knowledge thereof; which is inseparably connected with _life eternal_, John xvii. 3. as appears from its being accompanied with, or flowing from forgiveness of sin, as it immediately follows; _for I will forgive their iniquity_; and this is expressed with a peculiar emphasis, which is certainly inconsistent with their falling from a justified state, when it is said, _I will remember their sin no more_, Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. And elsewhere, when God speaks of his _making an everlasting covenant_ with his people, chap. xxxii. 40. he promises that _he will not turn away from them to do them good_; and, inasmuch as they are prone, by reason of the deceitfulness of their hearts, to turn aside from him, he adds, _I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me_; it is not only said that he will not turn from them, if they fear him; but he gives them security in this covenant, that they shall fear him: can we therefore conclude that they, in whom this covenant is so far made good, that God has put his fear in their hearts, which is supposed in their being believers, shall not attain the other blessing promised, to wit, that of their not departing from him?

Moreover, the stability of this covenant, as a foundation of the saints’ perseverance, is set forth by a metaphor, taken from the most fixed and stable parts of nature; and it is said to exceed them herein; _The mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee; neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee_, Isa. liv. 10.

_Object._ The principal objection that is brought to enervate the force of this argument taken from those promises of the covenant, which respect the saints’ perseverance, is, that they are to be considered either as conditional, and the conditions thereof not fulfilled, in which case they are not obliging, and therefore God is not bound to give salvation to those to whom he has promised it, upon these conditions; or else they are to be considered as made to a political body, _viz._ the Jewish nation, in which case it is not to be supposed that they respect their eternal salvation, but only some temporal deliverance which they were to be made partakers of, that belonged to that church in general; for everlasting salvation is never considered as a blessing that shall be applied to whole nations, how much soever an whole nation may partake of the common gifts of divine bounty which are bestowed in this world.

_Answ._ In answer to this objection, in both its branches, I need only refer to what has been said elsewhere. As to the former branch thereof, we have endeavoured to shew how those scriptures are to be understood which are laid down in a conditional form, without supposing that they militate against the absoluteness of God’s purpose, or its unchangeableness, and independency on the conduct of men.[85] And as to the latter branch thereof; what has been said in answer to an objection of the like nature, brought against the doctrine of election by Dr. Whitby, and others, who suppose that the blessings, which the elect are said to be made partakers of in scripture, respect the nation of the Jews, or the church in general, and not a particular number chosen out of them to salvation; and that the promises which are directed to them, are only such as they were given to expect, as a church or political body of men, may well be applied to our present purpose, and serve as an answer to this objection;[86] therefore all that I shall add by way of reply to it, in this place, is,

[1.] If any thing be annexed to these promises of the covenant, that gives occasion for some to conclude, that it is conditional, we must take heed that we do not understand such expressions as denoting the dependance of God’s determinations on the arbitrary will of man; as though his purpose relating to the salvation of his people were indeterminate, and it were a matter of doubt with him, as well as with us, whether he should fulfil it or no; because it is uncertain whether the conditions thereof shall be performed; for this supposition is inconsistent with the divine perfections: but, if, on the other hand, we suppose that the grace or duty annexed to the promise, must have some idea of a condition contained in it; this may be understood according to the tenor of God’s revealed will, as denoting nothing else but a condition of our expectation, or of our claim to the blessing promised; and then nothing can be inferred from hence, but that some who lay claim to, or expect salvation, without performing the condition thereof, may apostatize, and so miss of it; which does not in the least militate against the doctrine we are defending.

And to this we may farther add, that when such a condition is annexed to a promise (for I will not decline to call it so, in the sense but now laid down) and there is another promise added, in which God engages that he will enable them to perform this condition, that is equivalent to an absolute promise; and of this kind are those conditions that are mentioned in the scriptures before referred to, as has been already observed. When God promises that he will be a God to them, that he will forgive their iniquities, and never reverse the sentence of forgiveness, or remember their sins no more, and that he will never turn away from them to do them good; he, at the same time promises, that he will put his law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and put his fear in their hearts, and so enable them to behave themselves as his people, or to be to him a people; and when God sets forth the stability of his covenant, and intimates that it should not be removed, he adds, that his kindness shall not depart from them, which kindness does not barely respect some temporal blessings which he would bestow upon them, but his extending that grace to them that should keep them faithful to him; and therefore he says, _that in righteousness they should be established_; which contains a promise to maintain grace in them, without which they could hardly be said to be established in righteousness, as well as that he would perform the other things promised to them in this covenant.

[2.] As to the other branch of the objection, in which the promises are considered as given to the church in general, or to the Jews, as a political body of men; and that this cannot be supposed to respect their everlasting salvation, but only some temporal blessings which they should enjoy, it may be replied, That this is to be determined by the express words contained in the promise: if God tells them that he will do that for them which includes more in it than the blessings which they are supposed to enjoy, that are of a temporal nature, we are not to conclude that there is nothing of salvation contained in them, when the words seem to imply that there is. And though these promises are said to be given to the Jews, as a political body of men, and there are some circumstances therein, which have an immediate and particular relation to them: yet the promises of special grace and salvation were to be applied only by those who believed amongst them; and the same promises are to be applied by believers in all ages; or else we must understand those scriptures only as an historical relation of things that do not belong to us; which would tend very much to detract from the spirituality and usefulness of many parts of scripture.