The ef fence of the fpiritual life with its habits, is what is preferved in them. In mount the affaults of the world and the devil. dwelling fin, which eafily befets them, Heb. 12. 1. ftill refides in their members. They are often tempted by the flattering lufts of the flesh, Gal. 5. 17. The very habits of engrafted graces are exceedingly im perfect in this life; and frequently, fome degrees of floth and drowfinefs fteals even upon the wife virgins and the chafte spouse of Chrift, Mat. 25. 5. Cant. 5 2. while the devil, that cunning and powerful ene my, watcheth thefe opportunities of acting, that he might eafily bring them under his power, were they left to themselves alone. The perfeverance there fore, of thofe, who are fo weak in themfelves, is owing, partly, to the internal principle of immortal life, which God has graciously beftowed upon them; and partly to the external fuperadded divine protection, guardianship and fupport, which the immutability of the divine covenant caufes to be perpetually, tho not equally, prefent with them. VI. That which God preferves in his people is the ESSENCE of the fpiritual life, and the HABITS of the Chrif tian graces. For, as to the Acts, we really own it to be poffible, that a true believer may gradually fink to fo torpid a ftate, in which the activity of that excel lent life may feem almoft to ceafe, and himfelf to be like trees almoft killed by a long and fevere winter. For, the church of God has alfo its alternate changes of winter and of fummer, Cant. 2. rr. Nor is that remarkable prophecy, Jer. 17. 8, any objection to this affertion, which experience has fo often proved, be fhall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that Spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not fee when beat cometh, but her leaf shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither fhall cease from yielding fruit. For, that promife is not uni verfal, nor the lot of all believers, in whatever fpiritual ftate they may be, feeing it is certain, they are fometimes like a bruifed reed, Ifa. 42. 3, which certainly differs very much from fuch a fruitful tree. 2 Neither Neither by beat, and withholding of rain, is here uris derstood fpiritual drynefs, arising from reftraining that myftical influence, which is the cause of vigour in believers: for, on the contrary, the abundance of that influence is fuppofed, when this tree is faid to be planted by the waters and to spread out her roots by the river whereby he intimated, that it is not without. the watering of the ftream that washes it, from which the root, may draw its juice and fap. The words therefore of God in Jeremiah contain a dif cription of a believer, who being filled with the grace of the spirit of God, brings forth the fruits of righteousness most abundantly, in the midst of adversities, and in the want of external things. fometimes VII. We add, that it is poffible, a fanctified perfon Believers may be guilty of fome acts, which are directly op without posite to spiritual life, and to the habits of chriftian good acts, graces. And experience, as well as fcripture, has and morproved, that the most eminent men of God have tally wounded frequently fallen into grievous and atrocious fins; by which they not only deferve to be entirely deferted of God, difinherited and fpiritual death; but, alfo actually very much grieve the fpirit of grace, wound the fpiritual life, and very greatly diminish the affurance of faith: nay would entirely title the principle of life, unlefs, their guilt being taken away by the blood of Chrift, his quickening fpirit gracioufly prevented this their mortal efficacy. diminish VIII. Nor do we difown, that habits themselves, Habits as to the facility and readinefs of acting, are fome fometimes times impaired, and fpiritual life ttfelf fometimes ed. undergoes fo violent a fainting fit, as to feem to be. juft at the point of death. This is thought by fome practical writers to have been the cafe of Heman, when he complained, Pf. 88. 15, I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I fuffer thy terrors, I am distracted. IX. When we therefore fpeak of confervation, we Yet not mean, that God fo continues to cherish, by his quite lofta 15 VOL. II. T gracious gracioue influence, the principle of tpiritual life once ingrafted, and the habits of christian graces once bestowed, that tho' they may be many ways fhaken by various temptations, and fometimes by very grievous fins, yet they are never quite extinuifhed, but afterwards refuming ftrength, and renewing faith and repentance, they fhall at laft triumph over all their enemies, and continue ftedfaft unto death. "C They who X. Neither do we affent to thofe; who teach, that admit a to the falvation of the elect is fo fecured, that death fhall tal,but de- not come upon them, while they are deftitute of failing of faith; yet they think, that the fpiritual life is fome ny a final faith. a very great miftake. T D times quite deftroyed, but may afterwards be restored communion communion of the Lord Jefus, in whom alone he can be reconciled (which yet is not at all fuitable to the goodness and clemency of our heavenly father) there can be no reafon given, why he should again receive them into his favour, when they are neither reformed, nor yet lament their paft fins, which they cannot do without the preventing grace of God. For, on what account could they, who are thus disinherited, be received into favour? No probable caufe can be affigned, but the fatisfaction and interceffion of Chrift. But if that can procure the restoration of thofe, who are already caft out of their father's houfe, difinherited, and enflaved to the devil; fhall it not rather procure, that they, whofe fin is pardoned,fhall never be ejected, difinherited, or brought under the power of the devil, but rather be orrected in measure, by their moft gracious father according to their fault? This is much more probable, and far more becoming L.God. 1 immuta pres XII. The whole adorable TRINITY Concurs to The Fa that confervation of believers above defcribed. The ther, 1. ATHER has, by a fure and immutable decree, pre-bly predeftinated them to eternal falvation, which we proved deftinated at large Chap. IV. Sect. XIV. feq. But they cannot the Elect obtain falvation, unless they perfevere in faith and holinefs. Neither can they perfevere, unless they are fupported by the power of God. Hence Christ hint felt infers the, impoffibility of the feduction of the elect, from their election. Mat. 24. 24, They shall hew great figns and wonders, in fo much that (if it were - poffible) they shall deceive the very elect. It is plain, that the Lord Jefus thefe treats of the elect after their scalling, and being brought to the knowledge of the truth; and speaks, not of any feduction whatever, but of that which is total and final; whereby, having forfaken Chrift, they give credit to the most falie and lying deceivers. He, moreover, foretels, that, fuch would be the efficacy of thofe falfe prophets to deceive, that they would not only feduce thofe, who at least make fome flight attempts after faith, but impofe on the very elect, if (as it is not) the power of any feduction was fo great, as to overthrow the faith of fuch. But that those words, if it were poffible, intimate a real impoffibility, from the fuppofition of the divine decree, is evident from this because if it was poffible for any of the elect to be feduced, which our adverfaries fuppofe; it would alfo happen, according to our Lord's expreffion, that fome of the elect might be actually deceived by the false prophets which is contrary both to the intention of Chrift, to experience, and all found reafoning XIII. Yet our adverfaries infift and pretend that the phrafe, if it were poffible, does not always denote an abfolute impoffibility, but often the difficulty of doing a thing; and bring, for that purpole, various places of fcripture; as Acts 20. 16, where Paul is faid to have bafted, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE for him, to be at Jerufalem the day of penticoft. Rom. 12. 18, IF IT BE POSSIBLE, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Gal. 4. 15, I bear you record, that, IF IT HAD.. BEEN POSSIBLE, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. Mat. 26. 39, O my father, IF IT BE POSSIBLE, let this cup pass from me. XIV. But the answer is at hand. Ift, If the thing fpoken of, fhould really happen, than the expreffion if it be poffible, would denote, the great difficulty of executing the fame; if it fhould not, its real impof fibility is then intended. Paul was in doubt, whether it was poffible for him, at fo great a diftance, to be at Jerufalem on the feat day: which was very difficult, nay impoffible, unless he made more than ordinary expedition. It is impoffible, confidering the great perverfenefs of mankind, to live always in peace with all men. It was impoffible for the Galatians, to pluck out their own eyes and give them to Paul, that they might become his, and be of fervice to him. They could not do it, without fuppofing them |