ten Virgins Openedand Applied. Men may rejoyce in Johns Minil:try, and be affeC\ed with ir, bur •ris only for a feJfon. Bur, . l. In reaard 0f the eternal Eleetion and Purpofe of God. Their confhncy in the "sme of Gr.1ce depends upon that immura~ility of his counfel, Maub. 24- 24. Thry fh"ll decezve ifpojfible the !ilefl; but lts not poflible, they being LleCl:. Wife men may have the1~ Brams crazed, an~ Nebuchadne:;:,;c,"r like, rhe ufe of reafon gone, but the ~nnC!ple of reafon c~nnnues, and the uf<l of ir in rime rerums •gain; and fo 'ns in regard of dammr.g delulions, 2 Tini. z. I 9· H;·menem ;md Philetm fl"ll; He1:ce do nor rl:e Ele~t fall? ~O) for that Four.dation remains Jure. I, The certamty of thetr connnuance 111 Grace is builr uron a Foundation. z. Not every weak one,buc afirm Foundation. 3· Not a Foundation of mans laying, but Gods. 4· Not a wavering and tottering, but fhnding Foundation, and that fealed with the Knowledge of God , the Lord. k!ows who 11re hu, i.e. rhough fome men fall, that one cannot reil by C\utward expreflions and profe!lion who are she Lords, yet The Lord /z.nows who 11re his, and they are fea!cd by his love and knowledge. And ir feems this is rhe prime ·caufe of tbecominuanceofAngels, I Tim.5.21. And EleC\ion being free, for his own fake, not for their fakes, theLordforefaw all their good and evil; hence rhey are nor cur o!f. II. In reg.trd of the Faithfulnefs .and Promife an? C01•enanr of Geds Gralie. • A dam hJd rbat Covenant': If he d1d d0, he lho11ld hve : But he had no abfolure Promife he ihould ·do, or (;Qnci'uue to do; but the Faithful have; and hence tf,ey Hand, mt by the flrength of Grace, but by the flrength of the Covenant of Grace. And hence that which ro reafon i~ incredible, to nature impoffible, is brought about by F.1irh; not by vertue of any power of Faith, bur by vertue of rhe power ofa pro~ife. God hath faid it, and Faith believes it; and hence A brahams de.1d body begers, and Sarahs barren womb brings forth 1 [ttllC. Hence through all the Word, when the ApoA:le perfwades nimfelf of their ' cominumce he ever puts iH Gods Faithfulnefs, I Cor. I, 8, 9· I The[. 5· 24, 2 Thef. 3· 3: Hence Jer. p. 40. 1 will not turn awaJ from them. Anfw. True, if they do nor fro:n rhe Lord. No, but they fhall n•t turn llJMJ fr•m me. Objer:I. Bur we fee many do f.11l. Anfw. B~r if he doth, he lhallnot be bro~en, ~ut taken up ag.tin, Pfal.37·24: Yea fc>r a nrr.erhe Lordma~do tl~us. But will this continue, hwing linned ag.nn(t fuah mercy, and my hn bemg no1v greater? Now the Lord wii l depart. Anjiv. I Ox. 1.8. Yea, he willconfirmyou tHhe end. Yes, it may be he will, ;JS he hath done, while I am our of temptation : But I may meet wirh it before I die. Anfw. I Cor. I o. I 3. He will 11ot fujfer you-t• be tem;red alm1e meafure, &c. Yea, 1f I was fuch a one as .dbraha111 or David, that had fuch hems, and did the Lxd fo much honour. Nay, b11t 1fai.55· 3· Evrn the Jure mercies of David. This is rhe Fairhfulnefs of God. HI. In reg,1rd of rhe conHanr abode of the Spirit of the Lord in the hearts of the Saints, whereby they are kept, John to. 28, None Ciln pullhu Sheep out of the FNhers hand. Look as the firft A dam linnino-, conveys the power of fin.and Satan and_ de~th, which reigns wlrh unconquerable power over all-the Sons of men ; fo Chn£1: n!ing; conveys that Grace and confianr prefence of the Spirit which reigns to eternal lif<l, and carries rhe foul through all dif!iculties, Deut. 3 ~· 27. The eternal Ged u thy rl:fage, Let what evils can come, there is a refuge. Yea fo long as I cm fland. But what if I fall ? U-_nderneath are the everlafting arms. Let a Sa!mfall never fo low, yer G(>ds ·evedafltng armure fiilllower ; where-ever he falls; h~ f.~lls at Jail inro rhe Lords arms ; For elfe it was impoflible f0r any foul to concmue, 1f"!·46•3,4· From the womb to tht hoAr hRirs 1 will tarrj yoH. ~.1inrs when they, are lmle, rhmk ~hey fhall fa!! ar lafi, and when £1:renathened., fear if they live rill old age, their hearts an~ fpirirs will die ; yet they d~ nor. Buc how co,nes this abOilt ? 1 will carry JOlt· And hence 'ris impoflible they lhould ever G g 3 die
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