The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

It is true,¹ the Application of the Promises here looks immediately unto temporals: but yet being drawn out from the testimony of the continuance of the presence of God with his Saints, doth much more powerfully conclude to spirituals. Yea the Promise it self is of Spiritual Favour, and what concerns Temporals, is only from thence extracted. Let us then weigh a little the importance of this Promise, which the Apostle hath rescued from suffering under any private Interpretation, and set at liberty to the use of all Believers. To every one of them then, God saith directly and plainly, that he will never leave them nor forsake them. If there should any Question arise, whether he should be taken at his word or no,² it must be the Devil that must be entertained as an advocate against him. Unbelief indeed hath many pleas, and will have in the breasts of Saints against closing with the Faithfulness of God in this Promise, and the Issue of confidence in him, which from a due closing with it, would certainly flow. But shall our unbelief make the truth of God of none effectreversed ?? He hath told us that he will never leave us nor forsake us; The old Serpent, & some arguing from him herein, are ready to say: yea, hath God indeed said so? The truth of it shall not indeed be surely so, it may be otherwise, for God doth know, that many cases may fall out, that you may be utterly rejected by him, and cast out of his presence: you may have such oppositions rise against you in your walking with him, as shall certainly overcome you and set you at Enmity with him; or you may fully depart from him: and many such like pleadings will Satan furnish the unbelief of Believers withal. If they are not sufficiently taught by experience, what it is to give credit to Satan, endeavouring to impair, and call in Question (upon any pretence what ever) the Faithfulness of God and his Truth, when will they learn it? Surely they have little need to join with their Adversaries for the weakening of their supportments, or the impairing of their Consolations;

It is true,¹ the Application of the Promises here lookes immediately unto temporalls: but yet being drawne out from the testimony of the continuance of the presence of God with his Saints, doth much more powerfully conclude to spiritualls. Yea the Promise it selfe is of Spirituall Favour, and what concernes Temporalls, is only from thence extracted. Let us then weigh a little the importance of this Promise, which the Apostle hath rescued from suffering under any private Interpretation, and set at liberty to the use of all Believers. To every one of them then, God saith directly and plainly, that he will never leave them nor forsake them. If there should any Question arise, wehther he should be taken at his word or no,