Chapter 17: Of The Perseverance of the Saints
1._____ Those whom God hath accepted in the beloved, effectually called
and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect
unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but
shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing
the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, whence he still begets
and nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the
graces of the Spirit unto immortality; and though many storms and floods
arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them
off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding,
through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of the
light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them,
yet he is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power
of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession,
they being engraven upon the palm of his hands, and their names having
been written in the book of life from all eternity.
(
John
10:28, 29; Philippians
1:6; 2
Timothy 2:19; 1
John 2:19; Psalms
89:31, 32; 1
Corinthians 11:32; Malachi
3:6 )
2._____ This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free
will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from
the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of
the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with him, the oath
of God, the abiding of his Spirit, and the seed of God within them, and
the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth also the certainty
and infallibility thereof.
(
Romans
8:30Romans
9:11, 16; Romans
5:9, 10; John
14:19; Hebrews
6:17, 18; 1
John 3:9; Jeremiah
32:40 )
3._____ And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of
the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect
of means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins, and for a time
continue therein, whereby they incur God's displeasure and grieve his Holy
Spirit, come to have their graces and comforts impaired, have their hearts
hardened, and their consciences wounded, hurt and scandalize others, and
bring temporal judgments upon themselves, yet shall they renew their repentance
and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end.
(
Matthew
26:70, 72, 74; Isaiah
64:5, 9; Ephesians
4:30; Psalms
51:10, 12; Psalms
32:3, 4; 2
Samuel 12:14; Luke
22:32, 61, 62 )
Chapter 18 "Of
the Assurance of Grace and Salvation"
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of Contents.
Webservant, mrbill@vor.org. Original
page July, A.D. 1995. Revised June, A.D. 1996. Scripture hypertext script
by sdp@i2k.com. Mirror page loaded to vor.org December, A.D. 1996.