THE Fifth and Last Fruit of Sanctification, is Perseverance in Grace. The Heavenly Inheritance is kept for the Saints, 1 Pet. 1.4. and they are kept to the Inheritance in my Text, Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation. The Apostle asserts a Saints stability and permanency in Grace. The Saints Perseverance is much oppugned by Papists and Arminians, but it is not the less true because it is opposed. A Christians main Comfort depends upon this Doctrine of Perseverance; take away this, and you much prejudice Religion, and cut the Sinews of all cheerful Endeavours. Before I come to the full handling and discussing this great point, let me first clear the Sense of it, which I shall first do by way of Concession or Grant. When I say Believers do persevere, First I grant that such as are so only in Possession, may fall away, 2 Tim. 4.10. Demas hath forsaken us. Blazing Comets soon Evaporate. A Building on Sand will fall, Mat. 7.26. Seeming Grace may be lost; no wonder to see a Bough fall from the Tree that is only tied on. Hypocrites are only tied on to Christ by an External Profession, they are not ingrafted. Who ever thought artificial motion would hold long? The Hypocrites motion is only Artificial not Vital. All Blossoms do not ripen into Fruit. Secondly, I grant, that if Believers were left to stand upon their own Legs, they might fall finally. Some of the Angels who were Stars full of Light and Glory, yet did actually lose their Grace; and if those pure Angels fell from Grace, much more would the Godly who have ⟨p. 219⟩so much Sin to betray them, if they were not upheld by a Superior Power. 3. I grant, true Believers, though they do not fall away actually; and lose all their Grace, yet their Grace may fail in the degree, and they may make a great Breach upon their Sanctification. Grace may be moritura, not mortua, dying but not dead, Rev. 3.2. Strengthen the things which are ready to dye. Grace may be like Fire in the Embers, though not quenched, yet the Flame is gone out. This decay of Grace I shall show in two particulars. 1. The lively actings of Grace may be suspended, Rev. 2.4. Thou hast left thy first love. Grace may be like a sleepy Habit; the Godly may act faintly in Religion, the pulse of their Affections may beat low. The wise Virgins slumbered, Matt. 25.5. The Exercise of Grace may be hindered;
THE Fifth and Last Fruit of Sanctification, is Perseverance in Grace. The Heavenly Inheritance is kept for the Saints, 1 Pet. 1.4. and they are kept to the Inheritance in my Text, Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation. The Apostle asserts a Saints stability and permanency in Grace. The Saints Perseverance is much oppugned by Papists and Arminians, but it is not the less true because it is opposed. A Christians main Comfort depends upon this Doctrin of Perseverance; take away this, and you much prejudice Religion, and cut the Sinews of all chearful Endeavours. Before I come to the full handling and discussing this great point, let me first clear the Sense of it, which I shall first do by way of Concession or Grant. When I say Believers do persevere, First I grant that such as are so only in Possession, may fall away, 2 Tim. 4.10. Demas hath forsaken us. Blazing Comets soon Evaporate. A Building on Sand will fall, Mat. 7.26. Seeming Grace may be lost; no wonder to see a Bough fall from the Tree that is only tied on. Hypocrites are only tied on to Christ by an External Profession, they are not ingrafted. Who ever thought artificial motion would hold long? The Hypocrites motion is only Artificial not Vital. All Blossoms do not ripen into Fruit. Secondly, I grant, that if Believers were left to stand upon their own Legs, they might fall finally. Some of the Angels who were Stars full of Light and Glory, yet did actually lose their Grace; and if those pure Angels fell from Grace, much more would the Godly who have ⟨p. 219⟩so much Sin to betray them, if they were not upheld by a Superior Power. 3. I grant, true Believers, though they do not fall away actually; and lose all their Grace, yet their Grace may fail in the degree, and they may make a great Breach upon their Sanctification. Grace may be moritura, not mortua, dying but not dead, Rev. 3.2. Strengthen the things which are ready to dye. Grace may be like Fire in the Embers, though not quenched, yet the Flame is gone out. This decay of Grace I shall shew in two particulars. 1. The lively actings of Grace may be suspended, Rev. 2.4. Thou hast left thy first love. Grace may be like a sleepy Habit; the Godly may act faintly in Religion, the pulse of their Affections may beat low. The wise Virgins slumbred, Matt. 25.5
