A Body of Practical Divinity

2. The second Argument is, à potentia Dei, from the Power of God. In the Text we are kept by the Power of God unto Salvation; every Person in the Trinity hath an hand in making a Believer persevere. God the Father establisheth, 2 Cor. 1.21. God the Son confirms, 1 Cor. 1.8. God the Holy Ghost Seals, Eph. 1.13. so that it is the power of God keeps us. Alas, we are not kept by our own power. The Pelagians held, That Man by his own power might overcome Temptation and persevere. But St. Austin confutes them, Man (saith he) prays unto God for Perseverance, which would be absurd if he had power of himself to persevere. And saith St. Austin, If all the power be inherent in a Mans self, then why should not one persevere as well as another? why not Judas as well as Peter? So that it is not by any other than the power of God that we are kept: As the Lord preserved Israel from perishing in the Wilderness till he brought them to Canaan; the same care will he take, if not in a miraculous, yet a spiritual, invisible manner, in preserving his People in a state of Grace, till he brings them to the Celestial Canaan. As the Heathens feigned of Atlas, That he did bear up the Heavens from falling: The power of God is that Atlas which bears up the Saints from falling. It is disputed whether Grace of it self may not perish, (as Adam's) yet sure I am, Grace kept by the power of God cannot perish.

3. The third Argument is taken ab Electione, from Gods electing Love; such as God hath from all Eternity elected to Glory, cannot fall away finally; but every true Believer is elected to Glory, ergo, he cannot fall away. Wat can frustrate Election, or make Gods Decree void? This Argument stands like Mount Zion which cannot be moved. Insomuch that some of the Papists hold, that such who have absolute Election cannot fall away, 2 Tim. 2.19