A30241:1657
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, or, Christs prayer before his passion explicated, and both practically and polemically improved by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Sermon 65: Of the Perseverance of the Saints. The Question stated.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. He saith, He will lose nothing of what the Father hath given him; He doth not say, he will lose none, but nothing [Greek or Hebrew], not any thing, neither his soul, nor his body, and therefore because the body, when consumed to dust, seemeth to be for ever lost, he addeth, I will raise it up at the last day.
1. He saith, He will lose nothing of what the Father hath given him; He doth not say, he will lose none, but nothing 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, not any thing, neither his soul, nor his body, and therefore because the body, when consumed to dust, seemeth to be for ever lost, he addeth, I will raise it up at the last day.
2. This is so great a matter, that he saith, This is the will of his Father that sent him; So that the main command to be received from the Father, and the great thing willed was, to let none of the elect perish.
The second Text is John 10.28. where speaking of this property of his sheep, that they hear his voice, he addeth, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Here you see the expression for the future, lest it might be objected against this in the Text, though none is perished yet, yet he may when new temptations and dangers arise, then they may be undone. Judas did not immediately upon his Discipleship betray Christ; but our Saviour saith, None shall perish, and he giveth a sufficient cause of this their perseverance, because they are in his Fathers hand; Here is the dear respect God beareth to them, and then none is stronger then the Father: So that you must find out a power greater then Gods, and more prevailing then his arm, if you will hold they can perish. Thus you see this truth confirmed by the mouth of two faithful witnesses. But because this truth is of singular use, and of much difficulty.