1And seeing God hath promised to perfect the work of grace begun, and bound himself by covenant to confirm, strengthen, and stablish his children unto the end, and in the end to give them eternal life, such as find any true and lively work of grace wrought in them, are allowed from God to believe, that they shall never perish, nor quite be broken off from Christ, nor those living waters clean be dried up, but notwithstanding their own infirmities, and the sore temptations wherewith they are oppressed, they shall be preserved, upheld and kept unto salvation. For what God hath confirmed by promise and covenant unto his children, undertaken to effect by his Almighty power, and ratified by earnest and pawn, that they are allowed to believe and expect from him of his unchangeable grace and love. This is the golden and indissoluble chain which the Apostle speaks of,2 Whom he did predestinate, them also he called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified: 3so that effectual vocation is a pledge and token of glorification to ensue. Christ hath prayed for his people, that their faith might not fail: the faithful pray instantly,4 Lead us not into temptation: and that no man might waver a promise is annexed, Whatsoever ye shall ⟨p. 289⟩ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you. But without question, they have allowance to believe the obtaining of that which Christ hath prayed for,5 and the faithful ask of God in the Name of Christ according to his will. The servants of Christ, who lived by the like precious faith with us, grounded upon the same promises, and subject to the same temptations,6 believed their perseverance. 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 from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 7According to mine earnest expectation, & my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed: but that with all boldness, as always so now, also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, 8to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1And seeing God hath promised to perfect the worke of grace begun, and bound himselfe by couenant to confirme, strengthen, and stablish his children vnto the end, and in the end to giue them eternall life, such as find any true and liuely worke of grace wrought in them, are allowed from God to belieue, that they shall neuer perish, nor quite be broken off from Christ, nor those liuing waters cleane be dried vp, but notwithstanding their owne infirmities, and the sore temptations wherewith they are oppressed, they shall be preserued, vpheld and kept vnto saluation. For what God hath confirmed by promise and couenant vnto his children, vndertaken to effect by his Almightie power, and ratified by earnest and pawne, that they are allowed to belieue and expect from him of his vnchangeable grace and loue. This is the golden and indissoluble chaine which the Apostle speakes of,2 Whom he did predestinate, them also he called: and whom he called, them he also iustified: and whom he iustified, them he also glorified: 3so that effectuall vocation is a pledge and token of glorification to ensue. Christ hath prayed for his people, that their faith might not faile: the faithfull pray instantly,4 Lead vs not into temptation: and that no man might wauer a promise is annexed, Whatsoeuer yee shall ⟨p. 289⟩aske the Father in my Name, hee will giue it you. But without question, they haue allowance to belieue the obtaining of that which Christ hath prayed for,5 and the faithfull aske of God in the Name of Chr•st according to his will. The seruants of Christ, who liued by the like pretious faith with vs, groun•ed vpon the same promises, and subiect to the same temptations,6 belieued their perseuerance. I am perswaded, 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 shalbe able to seperate frō the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 7According to mine earnest expectation, & my hope that in nothing I shalbe ashamed: but that with all boldnes, as alwayes so now, also Christ shalbe magnified in my body, whether it bee by life or by death. And the Lord shall deliuer me from euery euill worke and will preserue me vnto his heauenly kingdome,
- 1The Godly are allowed to believe their perseverance.The Godly are allowed to belieue their perseuerance.
- 2Rom. 8.30.
- 3Luke 22.32. Math. 6.13.
- 4John 16.23.Iohn 16.23.
- 51. John 5.14.
- 6Rom 8.38.39.
- 7Phil. 1.20.
- 82. Tim. 3.18.
