A Body of Practical Divinity

Of PERSEVERANCE.

1 Pet. 1.5. Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation.

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