Page images
PDF
EPUB

grace, who hath called us.... make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." Jude 24. "unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy."

These three, regeneration, increase, and preservation in the faith, considered as proximate causes on the part of God, and their effects, as faith, love, &c. considered as proximate causes on the part of man, or as acting in man, produce ASSURANCE OF SALVATION, and THE FINAL PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS. On the part of God, however, the primary or more remote cause is his predestination or election of believers. Rom. viii. 30. "whom he did predestinate," &c. as quoted above. xi. 29. "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.' Heb. vi. 17, 18. "wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation," &c. 2 Pet. i. 4. "whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.'

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Hence ASSURANCE OF SALVATION is A CERTAIN DEGREE OR GRADATION OF FAITH, WHEREBY A MAN HAS A FIRM PERSUASION AND CONVICTION, FOUNDED ON THE TESTIMONY OF THE SPIRIT, THAT IF HE BELIEVE AND CONTINUE IN FAITH AND LOVE, HAVING BEEN JUSTIFIED AND ADOPTED, AND PARTLY GLORIFIED BY UNION AND FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST AND THE FATHER, HE WILL AT LENGTH MOST CERTAINLY ATTAIN TO EVERLASTING LIFE AND THE CONSUMMATION OF GLORY.

HAS A FIRM PERSUASION; or, to speak more properly, ought, and is entitled to have a firm persuasion. 2 Pet. i. 10. "wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure," that is, the fruit of your calling and election, eternal life; for the calling itself cannot be made more sure, inasmuch as it is already past; but this is of no avail, unless we give diligence to make both sure. It follows, that, as far as this depends upon ourselves, it must be in our own power to make it sure.

IF HE BELIEVE. John iii. 16. "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." See also vi. 47. Rom. v. 2. "by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the

glory of God." 2 Cor. xiii. 5. " examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves: know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye

⚫ probates ?"

be re

But "Christ dwells in our hearts by faith," Eph. iii. 17. Hence we are enjoined to prove our faith, lest we should be reprobates; not our election, which cannot be sure without faith.

CONTINUE IN FAITH AND LOVE. Heb. vi. 18-20. "that we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil." x. 22, 23. "let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water: let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering." 2 Pet. i. 9-11. "he that lacketh these things, is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins: wherefore the rather, brethren, &c. ... . for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 1 John iii. 14. " we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." iv. 18. " there is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear." Rev. ii. 17. "to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." Here each is represented as receiving the stone, or pledge of election, after he has individually obtained the victory.

HAVING BEEN JUSTIFIED. Rom. v. 9, 10. "much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him: for if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." We are only justified, however, through faith.

[ocr errors]

ADOPTED. Rom. viii. 15, 16. ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.”

ON THE TESTIMONY OF THE SPIRIT. Rom. viii. 16. "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God." Eph. i. 13, 14. "in whom ye also trusted

ye

after that heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." iv. 30. "grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." 1 Thess. v. 19. "quench not the Spirit.' Certainly, if we grieve the Holy Spirit, if we quench that by which we were sealed, we must at the same time quench the assurance of our salvation.

[ocr errors]

This assurance of salvation produces a joy unspeakable. John xv. 10, 11. "ye shall abide in my love.... these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.' Rom. xiv. 17. " the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." 1 Pet. i. 1, 9. " in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."

THE FINAL PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS is THE GIFT OF GOD'S PRESERVING POWER, WHEREBY THEY WHO ARE FOREKNOWN, ELECT AND BORN AGAIN, AND SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, PERSEVERE TO THE END IN THE FAITH AND GRACE OF GOD, AND NEVER ENTIRELY FALL AWAY THROUGH ANY POWER OR MALICE OF THE DEVIL OR THE WORLD, SO LONG AS NOTHING IS WANTING ON THEIR OWN PARTS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO THE UTMOST IN THE MAINTENANCE OF FAITH AND LOVE.

THE GIFT OF GOD'S PRESERVING POWER. Psal. xxvi. 1. "I have trusted in Jehovah, therefore I shall not slide." Luke xxii. 32. “I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.” John vi. 37. "all that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in nowise cast out." Rom. v. 5. "hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Jude 1. "preserved in Jesus Christ."

FOREKNOWN. 2 Tim. ii. 19. "the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his; and, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.'

وو

BORN AGAIN.

John viii. 35. "the servant abideth not in the house for ever; but the Son abideth ever."

THROUGH ANY POWER OR MALICE OF THE DEVIL OR THE WORLD. Matt. xxiv. 24. "insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." John x. 28, 29. "neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand: my Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." xvii. 15. "that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." Rom. viii. 35, 38, 39. "who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

[ocr errors]

وو

SO LONG AS NOTHING IS WANTING ON THEIR OWN PARTS. In adding this limitation, I was influenced by what I had observed to be the uniform tenor of Scripture. Psal. cxxv. 1, 2. "they that trust in Jehovah shall be as mount Sion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever." 2 Chron. xv. 2. Jehovah is with you while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.' Jer. xxxii. 40. "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." In promising to "put his fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him," God merely engages to perform what is requisite on his part, namely, to bestow such a supply of grace as should be sufficient, if properly employed, to retain them in his way. At the same time he enters into a covenant with them.

Now a

covenant implies certain conditions to be performed, not by one, but by both the parties. "They shall not depart from me; that is, from my external worship, as the whole of the context shows, from the thirty-seventh verse to the end of the chapter, compared with the twentieth and twenty-first verses of the following; "if ye can break my covenant of the day.... then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant.... and with the Levites." Lastly, it appears that these very persons, in whose hearts he promised to put

VOL. IV.

BB

his fear that they should not depart from him, did actually so depart; for the same promise is made to their children, chap. xxxii. 39. The event therefore proved, that although God had according to compact put his fear into their hearts to the very end that they should not depart, they nevertheless departed through their own fault and depravity. Moreover, the words are addressed to, and include, the whole nation; but the whole nation was not elect; it follows therefore that the passage cannot refer to the elect exclusively, as is contended. Ezek. xi. 19-21. "I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh. .. that they may walk in my statutes ;.... but as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads." Matt. vii. 24, 25. "whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man that built his house upon the rock." John iv. 14. "whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him.... it shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." vi. 51. "if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever." "let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed Philipp. ii. 12. "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 1 John ii. 17. "he that doeth the will of God, abideth for ever.” v. 28. “ abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming."

وو

1 Cor. x. 12.

lest he fall.”

CONTINUE TO THE UTMOST IN THE MAINTENANCE OF FAITH AND LOVE. This clause is subjoined for the same reason as the preceding. John xv. 2. " every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away." v. 6. "if a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." v. 10. "if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." Rom. xi. 20. "because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith." v. 22. "behold therefore the goodness and severity of God; on them which fell, severity; but

4 By Calvin, &c. Whitby argues similarly to Milton on this passage On the five Points, p. 281.

« PreviousContinue »