CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

The first is, Our Election, ¹that is the fountain of all our perseverance This is the first round in that ladder, by which we ascend to Heaven, Rom. 8. It's from Predestination, that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Rom. 11. It's Election hath obtained, that elected remnant shall never perish; and thus in this prayer of our Saviours, all security of the godly, it's because the Father had given them to Christ, viz. by Election, as the root and source of all their good; This is so cogent a truth, that many who hold a falling away from true grace, do yet maintain, That no Elect man can ever perish finally, because then God should be frustrated of his purpose, and the counsel of man should make void the counsel of God. This Election of God, is the vivificall cause of all Preservation. As by this they were Called and Converted from a state of sin, Election did bring them in; so the same Election, when they are Converted, doth protect and keep them, if they fall, doth raise and repair them, whereby they safely at last arrive at Eternity; so that their Perseverance is not a merit, or reward of their former holiness, but it's a free gift of God, and an effect of Election, as their effectual Vocation was.

The first is, Our Election, ¹that is the fountain of all our perseverance This is the first round in that ladder, by which we ascend to Heaven, Rom. 8. It's from Predestination, that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Rom. 11. It's Election hath obtained, that elected remnant shall never perish; and thus in this prayer of our Saviours, all security of the godly, it's because the Father had given them to Christ, viz. by Election, as the root and source of all their good; This is so cogent a truth, that many who hold a falling away from true grace, do yet maintain, That no Elect man can ever perish finally, because then God should be frustrated of his purpose, and the counsel of man should make void the counsell of God. This Election of God, is the vivificall cause of all Preservation. As by this they were Called and Converted from a state of sinne, Election did bring them in; so the same Election, when they are Converted, doth protect and keep them, if they fall, doth raise and repair them, whereby they safely at last arrive at Eternity; so that their Perseverance is not a merit, or reward of their former holinesse, but it's a free gift of God, and an effect of Election, as their effectual Vocation was.