recover itself. It is indeed sometimes overtopped by temptation, (as a fountain which being overflowed by the torrent of a neighbouring river, is covered while the flood lasts, that a man knows not where to find it; but, after those great waters are slid away, the fountain bubbles up as clearly as before,) yet it works all that while under the oppression, though not perceived. It will rise again by virtue of a believer's union with Christ; as a bough bent down by force, yet by virtue of its union to the body of the tree will return to its former posture, when the force is removed. The sap in the root of a tree, which the coldness of the season hath stript of its leaves, will, upon the return of the sun, disperse itself, and, as it were, meet it in the utmost branches, and renew its old acquaintance with it. Shall the Divine nature in the soul be outstript by mere nature in the plants? Grace can never be so blown out, but there will be some smoke, some spark, whereby it may be rekindled. The smoking snuff of Peter's grace was lighted again by a sudden look of his Master. Yea, it may by a secret influence of the Spirit gather strength to act more vigorously after its emerging from under the present oppression, like the sun more warm in its beams after it hath been obscured by fogs. Peter's love was more vigorous after his recovery. Christ implied it, when he acquainted him with his danger, that he who had not strength to keep his faith from falling, should after his rising have strength both for himself and his brethren : "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren," Luke xxii. 32.

2. Let us see what inconveniences and reflections upon God do follow from their doctrine,

H

Their denial of this truth is grounded upon their denial of election, and on the supposed resistibility of grace, by the will of man.

(1.) It evacuates all the promises of God, and concludes them to be empty vain things. As if they were made by God in mockery, and to sport himself in deceiving his creature.

[1] It frustrates the glory he designs by the promises. Doth God promise his presence with the church to the end of the world? and doth it consist with Infinite Wisdom to make an absolute promise concerning an uncertainty? It is possible, according to this doctrine, that God might not have so much as one sincere worshipper, one faithful servant in the whole earth; not one immediately capable of his gracious presence. What would become of the glory he intended to himself by all the promises of redemption and sanctification, and those praises and admirations he expects from men, when according to this doctrine it is possible there might not be one to give him the glory due to his name, if it were left to their natural wills, whether they would receive the grace offered them, or continue in it if they do receive it? For if one saint may fall away notwithstanding the covenant of grace, the truth of God, and the strength of Christ, why may not another, and a third, till there be not the appearance of one sincere christian? What certainty then had there been of a church in the world for God to be present with? What certainty of any admirer of his grace to eternity? Nay, what certainty that any would have received it, had it been left wholly to their natural wills? scripture intimates otherwise by representing man to us as dead in sin and enmity against God, one

The

that cannot receive the things of God, &c. May a man be said sincerely to worship God one hour, that doth cast dirt upon him the next, as the peasants in Germany deal with their St. Urban, the patron of their vines? Is that a worship intended by his promises, that might not endure the space of one minute, but be succeeded by the grossest despites and rebellions? Is that fear put into the heart, that they might never depart from him, of no greater prevalency than to come to so sudden a period, and produce no better effects? Is so slight, so short-lived a worship, fit for the great God by so many declarations in scripture to promise himself from his creature? No better it would be if it were left only to the creature's corrupt will, and the management of that natural enmity which is in the heart. Is the holiest soul in the world, without assisting and preventing grace, so sure of the immovableness of his own will, among so many blustering storms and temptations, or flesh-pleasing snares and allurements?

[2.] It frustrates the promises made to Christ. Is it consistent with the faithfulness of God to be careless of all the agonies, groans, and blood of his Son? Our Saviour might have bled, and died, and not see one grain of seed, but have lost all the travail of his soul, if this doctrine be true. Will God, according to these men's fancies, make no greater account of his oath? "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips," Psa. lxxxix. 33-36; that the seed of his servant David, the Messiah, as the Jews understand it, should endure for ever, and his loving-kindness he would not utterly take from them, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail. This,

though sworn but once by his holiness, is enough for an eternal obligation upon God, and a perpetual ground of faith to us. The pleasure of the Lord was promised to prosper in his hand, Isa. liii. 10. It was to break through all opposition, and overcome all invaders. Is it a way to glorify his faithfulness to Christ, to take the pleasure, the object of his pleasure, the fruit of his death out of the hands of Christ, and put it into the hands of freewill? The promise is, that his pleasure should prosper in his hand, not in our hands, not in the hands of natural will.

[3.] It frustrates the comfort of the promises to us. Doth not this doctrine give the lie to that blessed apostle, who was wiser in the mysteries of the gospel than the whole world besides? Doth it not accuse him of arrogance, when by a Divine inspiration he confidently persuades himself and all other believers, that neither angels, nor principalities, &c. should separate them from the love of God? Rom. viii. 38, 39. Doth God in the scripture pronounce those actually blessed that put their trust in Christ the Messiah? "Blessed are

all they that put their trust in him," Psa. ii. 12. How can it deserve the name of blessedness, and in all of them too, if the faith of any one that sincerely believes in him could be totally and finally lost? Could they be blessed even while they have faith, since the comfort and happiness of any particular act of faith would be overwhelmed by the tormenting fears of the possibility and probability of their losing the habits of it? It is not only likely, but certain to be lost, if its preservation depended upon no other hand but the slight hold of our own will. Adam in innocence fell under a

covenant of works, and we should as soon lose our habitual grace under a covenant of grace, did not our stability depend upon a supernatural and Divine power promised in it. This doctrine therefore wipes off all the oil of gladness from believers' hearts, and contrary to Christ's commission clothes them with the spirit of heaviness, instead of the garments of* praise.

(2.) It darkens the love of God. Are the products of infinite love so light, as these men would make them? Is not his love as immutable as himself? Can there be decays in an eternal and unchangeable affection? Can any emergencies be unknown from eternity to his omniscience? How then can the fountain of kindness be frozen in his breast? Shall not that everlasting love, which was the only motive to draw the believer at the first conversion to him, be as strong an argument to him to preserve the believer with him? "I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee," Jer. xxxi. 3. It was love in the choice; but by the expression loving-kindness, it seems to be increased in the execution. What is it then that should make it run as fast backward till it dissolve into disaffection? Was there a love of benevolence towards them in appointing them to be heirs of salvation, when they lay like swine in the confused mass and mire of the corrupt world? And is there not a love of complacency in them, since he hath pardoned them according to the riches of his grace, renewed them by the power of his word, and sealed them by the Holy Spirit of promise? Is it likely this everlasting love should sink into hatred, and the glorious fruits of it be dashed in pieces at one blow