1 l44 SERMONS tcprn . Serm.17. Confervation of the Saints, the Father will grant what he asketh. Yea, the Father himCelf loveth the Saints, the thing is pleafing to him. It is notable, that when Chrift had fpoken of the Perfeverance of ME Saints, he adds, John to. 3o. I and my Father are -ow-, as noting not only the Unity of Effence, but the Content of Will, that was between them in this Work. Well then, look as Chrift redeemeth us, becaufe the Father required ir, the Father will love us, and preferve us, becaufe the Son asketh it. If Chrift bear any refpe& to the Father's Command, or the Father to Chrift's Prayers, the Ele& are Cure to be faved. Chrift hath engaged God's Name to keep us. What can be óbje&ed agáioft this ? They fay that Chrift prayed conditionally, Keep .them if they will. But here is no Condition expretled, Chrift ablolutely prayeth, Keep them; and loch a Condition would make the. Gift of God to depend upon Man's Will ; and to to perfevere, would rather be Man's A &, than God's Gift, the Determination being on Man's part. Nay, the main Thing which is to be kept is our Will, and fo the Condi- tion would dettroy the very Nature of the Requeft. They fay, Chrift prayeth only for the Apoftl'es. I Anfwer, It cannot be reftrained to the Apoftles, it is the common Priviledg of all the Saints, thofe which thou haft given me. Chrift explaineth himflf, and extendeth it to Believers of all Ages; Verf. 20. Neither pray I for thofe alone, but for thofe which (hall believe in me through their Word. Chrift's Prayer is every way as good as a Promife. II. Let me handle the Do&rine it fell. The Dollrine of Perfeverance is much im- pugned ; but the Earth is never the more untitled, becaufe to giddy Brains it feemeth to run round. Let me flate, and then confirm it. Firfi, State it. I. Seeming Grace may be loft. Mat. 25.29. From him that bath not; fhall be taken away even that which he hath; compared with Luke 18. 18. Whofoever hath not, from him fhall be taken away, even that which he feemeth to have. Blazing Comets and Meteors are loon fpent, and may fall from Heaven like Lightning, while Stars keep their Orb and Station; Tandy Building will totter. The Hypocrites fhall be difcovered before the Congregation, Prov. 26. 26. 2. Initial or Preparative Grace may fail. Heb.6.4,5. They who were once enlightned, and have tafied of the Heavenly Gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghoft, and have gaffed the goodWord of God, and the Powers of the World to come, may fall away. Such as Illumination, external Reformation, temporary Faith, Tome good Beginnings. Some die in the Pangs of the New Birth, and are (till -born. Plenty of Bloffoms Both not al- ways foretel flore of Fruit. 3. True Grace may fuffer a fhrewd decay, but not an utter lofs. In Temptations it may be Comfy [haken ; the Heel may be bruifed as Chrift's was, but his Seed remaineth in him, t John 3. 9. As Peter denied Chrift, tho he did not fall from Grace. Luke 22. 32. 1 have prayed for thee, that thy Faith fail not. The Leaves. may fade, when the Root liveth. Chryfnftom faith concerning Chrifl's Prayer for Peter, ïnt bps 1vá µsí äpvhery, e 1A& dice peal &astrrEsv mmv ançiv. He Both not fay, that he might not deny him, but that his Faith might not fail, and altogether vanifh. 4. Such Grace as ferves to our well -being in Chrift, may be taken away, Joy, Peace, Chearfulnefi. A Man may be living, tho he be not lively ; a Man may have a Being, when his Well-being is loft ; he is a Man, tho a Bankrupt. So a Chriflian, the Ope- rations of Grace may be obflru &ed for a great while; a fit of Swooning, is not a [late of Death ; there may be no Alts, and yet the Seed may remain, this may lait : For a long time David did not recover himfelf, it was near a Year after his Sin, t Sam. 52. 14. The Child that is born of thee (hall finely die ; compared with Pfal. g t. Title; 1 ,Pfalm of David, when Nathan the Prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath - fheba. 5. Grace indeed, if left to us, would be foon loft ; we chewed that in Innocency. But it is our advantage, that our Security lieth in God's Promifes, not our own Strength, that we are not our own Keepers. God would not trot} this Jewel but in fafe hands; Perfeverance is God's Gift, not Man's All; he is ingaged in Chrift to main-. tain it. John to. 28, 29. I give to them Eternal Life, and they (ball never perifb, neither fhall any Man pluck them out of my bands. My Father that gave them me, is greater than I r and no Man is able to pluck them out of my Father's Banda; they neither [hall, nor can be taken out of God's Hands. God and Chrift is engaged in the keeping of them ; Chrift
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