195 / 504
PreCervation in
Saiñtíhip
promifed
to
Believers.
CAP:V1.4:
i
x,13.
vaile over them
for
ever,
if
in
the
meane
time there
be
other
more
clore
and
139
powerful'
Adverfaries, who may cafi them downe with
a
perpetual' defiru-
dion.Some
few
confiderations
of
the intendment
of
the place, will:ferve for
the
inforcing
of
our Argument from this portion
of
Scripture.
I. That
which
is
here promifed the
Saints, isa
perpetual! prefervation
of
55.124
them
in
that condition
wherein
they
are,
both
on
the part
of
God,
he
is
round
about them,
even henceforth
&
for ever,and
on
their parts,they
thall
not
be
re-
moved;
that
is,
from
the
fate
and condition
of
acceptation with him, wherein
they are
fuppofed
to be,but
abide
for
ever and continue therein immoveable
unto
the
end.It
is(I fay)a plain Promife
of
their cótinuance
in
that
condition,
wherein they are,with
their
fafety from
thence, and not
a
Promife`
of
force
other
good
thing, provided that they continue
in
that
condition.
Their
be-
ing compared
to
Mountaines, and
their
Stability, which
confifis in
their
being
and
Continuing fo,
will
admit
no
other
fence.As Mount Sion
abides
in
its
con
dition,fo
fhall
they:
and
as
the
Mountaines about jerufalem continue
, fo
doth
the Lord
his
prefence
unto
them.
2.
That
expreffion which
is
ufed.'v.2.
is
weighty and
fill
to
this
purpofe,
The
Lord
is
round
about
his
People
henceforth
andfor
ever,
What
can
be fpoken
more
fully
,
more pathetically
?
Can
any expreffion
of
men
fo fet
forth
the truth
which we
have
in
hand?
The
Lord
is
round about them,
not to
fave
them from
this
or
that
incurfion
,
but
from all:
not from
One
or two
evills,
but
from
every one,
whereby they are,
or
may be affaulted. He
is
with them
and
round}.
about them,
on every
fide
,
that
no evilI
fhal' come
nigh
them.
It
is
a
mofi
full expreffion
ofuniverfall prefervation,
or
of
Gods
keeping
his
Saints
in his
Love
and
Favour, upon
all accounts
whatfoever. And
that
not
only for
a feafon,
but it
is, henceforth
from
his
giving this Promife
unto their
Souls in
particular, and their
receiving
ofit
in all
Generations, according
to
their
appointed
times, even for ever.
Some
few
exceptions,
with
a
great
furplufage
of
words
and
phrafes,
to
4
t3
make them
feeme force
other
things;
then what
have been formerly
inffiedd
on againe and
again;
are advanced
by Mr
Goodwin
to
overturns
this
Sion,
-
and to
cafi
downe
the
mountaines
that
are
about
Jerufalem. ch.
s
i.
Sell. 9.
pag:23o,23
I
,23
2.
Thefumme
of
our Argument from
hence,
as
of
the
intend-
ment
of
this place,is
this: Thofe
whom
the Lord
will
certainly preferve
for
ever
in
the
fiate and conditiorroftru[hing
in
him,.
they
[ball
never be forfaken
ofhim,
nor feparated
from him.
The latter
claufe
of
this Propoftion
is
that
which we
contend for,the
whole
of
that
whole proofe
is
incumbent
on
us:
of
this,
the former part
is a fuflicient balls
and fòundation
:
being comprehenfive
of
all
that
is,or
can be required
to
the
unqueflionable efiablifhment
thereof:
from
the Letter
of
the Text
we
aflame; But
God
will
certainly preferve for
ever
all his Saints
that
put their
Trufi
in him
,
in
their
fo
doing,
that
they
!hall
not be altered,
or
cafi
downe from
that
flare and
condition:Change but
the
figurative
expreffions
in
the Text,
and
the
AHufions
ufed for
the accom-
modation
oftheir
Faith
in
particular,
to
whom this Promife
was firft
given,
into
other
termes
of
a
dire&
and
proper
fignificancy,
and
the Text
and
the
,Affumption
of
our
Argument
will
appeare
to
be
the faine;
whence
the
con
-.
clufion
intended
will
undeniably follow
:
unto
this cleare
dedu
&ion
of
the
Truth
contended for, from
this
place
of
Scripture,
the
Difcouríe
enfuing in
the
place
mentioned,
is
oppofed.
I.
The
Promife only affures
them
that
truf
in
the
Lord,
that
they
f
all
be
pre-
ferved,
but
not
at all
that
they
that truli
in him,(hall
be
need-hated
to doe
fo
or
that
fo
they
(hall
doe. So
Paul
faith, it
was
in
my
heart
to
live
and
dye
with
the
Corinthian:
but
doubtleffé
with this
provifo
that
they
alwaies continued
fach
as
T
2
they