146 SERMONS upon Serm ;i, fa3i td..; vt toto, in totem, from all Grace and Godlinefs in the whole Man, with full confect ; he may fin, but not fall totallig, no more than finally. There is fomething remaineth, a Seed ; s John 3. 9. Whofoever is born of God, cloth not commit fin, for hit Seed remaineth in him ; An Un &ion, a John 2.27. But the Anointing which ye have re- ceived of him, abideth in you. There is a Root in a dry Ground, that will bud and fcent again. Well then, this we hold, that true Grace (hall never utterly be loft, tho it be much weakned, but by the ufe of Means (hall constantly be preferved to Eternal Life. Secondly, Having(tated the Point, let me now confirm it. The Grounds of Perfe verance are thefe : r. On the Father's part, there is an Everlafing Love, and Alfufficient Power. His Everlafting Love; God doth not love for a fit, but for ever. Pfal. so3. s 7. The Mer. cy of the Lord is from Everlafting to Everlafting upon them 'that fear him before the World was, and when the World is no more. There can be no change in God's Counfels, becaufe they are accompanied with infinite Wifdom and Power. God never repented in Time, of what he purpofed to do before Time. Rom. s s. 29. The Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance. By Gifts, are meant, Gifts proper to the Ele &, Remifion of Sins, Grace and Glory : And by Caging, is meant, Effe&ual Cal- ling, fuch as is xamx wepaoly, according to his Purpofe, Rom. 8. 28. God never re- pented of it; he is never afhamed of, nor Corry for his Choice : tho Men be unwor- thy, it is the Reafon why he brought them under the Grace of the Covenant. His Alfufficient Power, and Almightinels, is engaged in the prefervation of Grace. John so. 29. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no Man it able to pluck, them out of my Father's Hands. As long as God hath Power, we are Cafe ; and this Power is engaged by his Love and Will. 2. Then on Chrifìs Part, there is his Everlafting Merit, and confiant Inter - cefion. (s.) For his Merit. Heb. 9. 12. By his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy Plate, hiving obtained Eternal Redemption for us. Legal Expiations did but lati from Year to Year, but Christ's is for ever and ever. The Levitical Prieft, once every Year entred into the Holy Place; but Christ is once gotten into Heaven, his Redemption is Eternal ; not only as it is of ufe for all Ages of the Church, but in refpe& of every particular Saint : thole who are once redeemed by Christ, they are eternally redeem- ed ; not for a time, to fall away again, but to be Caved for ever. So, Heb. so. 54.. By one Offering he hath perfetled for ever them that are fanllifted : He hath not only pur- chafed a poffibility of Salvation, but hath perfe&ed them, hath made Purchafe of all that we need to our full Perfe&ion ; it is not for a certain time, as if afterwards they could be taken out of his Hands, and fo perilh, but for ever : and this for all thofe that are fan&ified, feparated by God's Purpofe and Decree, and afterwards renewed and fanetified in time, let apart to be Veffels of Honour to God. (2.). Then.for his confiant Interceion, a Copy of which we have in this Place. It is laid, Heb.7:25. Wherefore he is able to fave unto the uttermnft, all that come unto God through him, feeing he liveth for ever to make intercel ton for me. He is inter- ceding with God, that the Merit of his' Death.may be applied to us, and that is Salva- tion to the uttermoti. The Heirs of Salvation need not to fear mifcarrying; Jefus Chrift, who is the Teftator, who by Will and Tefiament made over the Heritage to them, he liveth for ever to fee his own Will executed ; tho he died once to make the Tefament, yet he liveth for ever to fee it made good : Chrifi is rifen from the Dead, and dieth no more, and therefore a Believer cannot mifcarry. 3. On the Spirit's part, there is a continued Influence, fo as to maintain the Effence and Seed of Grace: The Father's Love is continued by the Merit of Chriff, that he will not depart from us; and we are preferved by the Spirit of Christ, that we may not depart from him. He doth not only put into oirr Hearts Faith, and Fear, and other Graces at firfi ; but he maintaineth and keepeth them, that the Fire may never go out: Our Hearts are his Temples, and he will not leave his Dwelling- place. There is a continued Influence. Now this he Both, to preferve the Honour of Chit% and the Comfort of Believers ; he glorifieth Christ, and is our Comforter. It is to preferve the Glory of Christ. Chrift bath received a Charge'from the Father, John 6.39. This is the Father's Will which bath feet me, that of all which he bath given me I fhould lofe no- thing, but fhould raife it up again at the lag pay ; nothing, neither Body nor Soul. In point
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