2. Perseverance is ascertained. It consists not with the Majesty of God to call a person effectually to himself to day, to make him sit for his Eternal love, to give him faith, and take away that faith to morrow; his effectual call is the the fruit of his Eternal Election, and that Counsel hath no other foundation, but his constant and unchangeable Will; a foundation that stands sure, and therefore called the foundation of God, and not of the Creature; the foundation of God stands sure, the Lord knows who are his. *Tis not founded upon our own natural strength, it may be then subject to change, as all the products of nature are: The fallen Angels had Created Grace in their innocency, but lost it by their fall.* Were this the foundation of the Creature, it might soon be shaken; since man after his revolt can ascribe nothing constant to himself, but his own inconstancy: But the foundation is not in the infirmity of nature, but the strength of grace, and of the grace of God who is immutable, who wants not virtue to be able nor kindness to be willing to preserve his own foundation. To what purpose doth our Saviour tell his Disciples, their names were written in Heaven, *but to mark the infallible certainty of their Salvation, by an opposition to those things which perish and have their names written in the Earth; *or upon the sand, where they may be defaced? And why should Christ order his Disciples to rejoice, that their names were written in Heaven, if God were changeable to blot them out again? or why should the Apostle assure us, that tho God had rejected the greatest part of the Jews, he had not therefore rejected his people elected according to his purpose and immutable Counsel; because there are none of the elect of God but will come to Salvation? For saith he, the Election hath obtained it; *that is, all those that are of the Election have obtained it, and the others are hardened: Where the Seal of Sanctification is stamped, it is a testimony of Gods Election, and that foundation shall stand sure. The foundation of the Lord stands sure having this Seal, the Lord knows who are his, that is the foundation, the naming the name of Christ, or believing in Christ, and departing from iniquity is the Seal.* As tis impossible, when God calls those things that are not, but that they should spring up into being and appear before him:
2. Perseverance is ascertained. It consists not with the Majesty of God to call a person effectually to himself to day, to make him sit for his Eternal love, to give him faith, and take away that faith to morrow; his effectual call is the the fruit of his Eternal Election, and that Counsel hath no other foundation, but his constant and unchangeable Will; a foundation that stands sure, and therefore called the foundation of God, and not of the Creature; the foundation of God stands sure, the Lord knows who are his. *Tis not founded upon our own natural strength, it may be then subject to change, as all the products of nature are: The fallen Angels had Created Grace in their innocency, but lost it by their fall.* Were this the foundation of the Creature, it might soon be shaken; since man after his revolt can ascribe nothing constant to himself, but his own inconstancy: But the foundation is not in the infirmity of nature, but the strength of grace, and of the grace of God who is immutable, who wants not vertue to be able nor kindness to be willing to preserve his own foundation. To what purpose doth our Saviour tell his Disciples, their names were written in Heaven, *but to mark the infallible certainty of their Salvation, by an opposition to those things which perish and have their names written in the Earth; *or upon the sand, where they may be defaced? And why should Christ order his Disciples to rejoyce, that their names were written in Heaven, if God were changeable to blot them out again? or why should the Apostle assure us, that tho God had rejected the greatest part of the Jews, he had not therefore rejected his people elected according to his purpose and immutable Counsel; because there are none of the elect of God but will come to Salvation? For saith he, the Election hath obtained it; *that is, all those that are of the Election have obtained it, and the others are hardned: Where the Seal of Sanctification is stampt, it is a testimony of Gods Election, and that foundation shall stand sure. The foundation of the Lord stands sure having this Seal, the Lord knows who are his, that is the foundation, the naming the name of Christ, or believing in Christ, and departing from iniquity is the Seal.* As tis impossible, when God calls those things that are not, but that they should spring up into being and appear before him:
- *2 Tim. 2.19.
- *Turretin Ser. p. 322.
- *Luk. 10.20.
- *Jer. 17.23.
- *Rom. 11.7.
- *Cocceius.
