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LECTURE 48

PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS PROVED

The following considerations, taken together, seem to me to establish

the truth of the doctrine in question beyond reasonable doubt.

1. God has from eternity resolved upon the salvation of all the elect.

This we have seen. No one of this number will ever be lost. These

are given to Christ from eternity, as a seed to serve Him. The

conversion, perseverance, and final salvation of the elect, we have

seen to be secured. Their conversion, perseverance, and salvation,

are secured by means of the grace of God in Christ Jesus, prevailing

through the gospel so to influence their free will as to bring about this

result. The instructions, promises, threatenings, warnings,

expostulations of the Bible, with all the influences with which they are

surrounded, are the instrumentalities by means of which the Holy Spirit

converts, sanctifies, and saves them. At every step, as Fletcher

acknowledges, "grace is beforehand with free will." God first comes

to, and moves upon, the sinner; but the sinner does not come to and

move, or attempt to move, God. God first draws, and the sinner

yields. God calls and the sinner answers. The sinner would never

approach God, did not God draw him.

Again: God calls effectually, but not irresistibly, before the sinner

yields. He does not yield and answer to a slight call. Some indeed

wait to be drawn harder, and to be called louder and longer than

others; but no one, in fact, comes to God until effectually persuaded to

do so; that is, until he is effectually hunted from his refuges of lies, and

drawn with so great and powerful a drawing, as not to force, but to

overcome his reluctance or voluntary selfishness, and as to induce

him to turn to God and to believe in Christ. That the sinner is wholly

disinclined to obey, up to the very moment in which he is persuaded

and induced to yield, there can be no doubt. His turning, as we have

seen, is an act of his own, but he is induced to turn by the drawings of

the Holy Spirit.

Every person who was ever truly converted knows, that his conversion

is not to be ascribed to himself, in any other sense, than that he finally

consented, being drawn and persuaded by the Holy Spirit. The glory

belongs to God, for the sinner only yielded after, perhaps, protracted

resistance, and never until after he was so convinced as to have no

further excuse or apology for sin, nor until the Spirit, by means of truth,

and argument, and persuasion, fairly overcame him, and constrained,

not forced him to submit. This is a brief statement of the facts

connected with the conversion of every soul that was ever converted

to God. This is true of the conversion of all the elect of God; and if

others besides the elect are ever converted, this is a true account of

their conversion.

Again: the same is true of their perseverance in holiness, in every

instance, in every act. The saints persevere, not by virtue of a

constitutional change, but as a result of the abiding and indwelling

influence of the Holy Spirit. "Free grace is always beforehand with

free will"; that is, the will never obeys, in any instance, nor for one

moment, except as it is persuaded to do so as really as at the first.

The work begun by the Holy Spirit is not carried on, except as the

same Spirit continues to work in the saints to will and to do of His good

pleasure. Saints do not begin in the Spirit, and then become perfect

through or by the flesh. There is no holy exercise that is not as really

to be ascribed to the grace and to the influence of the Holy Spirit, as is

conversion itself.

The saints convert not themselves, in the sense that they turn or yield,

until persuaded by the Holy Spirit. God converts them in the sense,

that He effectually draws or persuades them. They turn themselves, in

the sense that their turning is their own act. God turns them, in the

sense that He induces or produces their turning. The same is true of

their whole course of obedience in this life. The saints keep

themselves, in the sense, that all obedience is their own; all their piety

consists in their own voluntary obedience; but God keeps them, in the

sense, that in every instance, and at every moment of obedience, He

persuades, and enlightens, and draws them, insomuch, that He

secures their voluntary obedience; that is, He draws and they follow.

He persuades, and they yield to His persuasions. He works in them to

will and to do, and they will and do. God always anticipates all their

holy exercises, and persuades the saints to put them forth. This is so

abundantly taught in the Bible, that to quote scripture to prove it were

but to waste your time. The saints are not only said to be converted,

but also sanctified, and kept by the power of God.

No saint then keeps himself, except in so far as he is kept by the

grace, and Spirit, and power of God. There is therefore no hope for

any saint, and no reason to calculate upon the salvation of any one,

unless God prevails to keep him from falling away and perishing. All

who ever are saved, or ever will be, are saved by and through free

grace, prevailing over free will, that is, by free grace securing the

voluntary concurrence of free will. This God does, and is sure to do,

with all the elect. It was upon condition of the foreseen fact, that God

could by the wisest administration of His government, secure this

result, they were elected to eternal salvation, through sanctification of

the Spirit, and belief of the truth. Now observe how the elect are

saved. All the threatenings, warnings, and teachings of the Bible are

addressed to them, as to all others. If there are any saints, at any

time, who are not of the elect, the Bible nowhere notices any such

persons, or speaks of them, as any less or more secure than the elect.

Again: the Bible nowhere represents or implies, that any but the elect

are converted. It does not represent any but the elect as at any time

coming in heart to Christ as at any time regenerated or born of God.

The Bible nowhere acknowledges two classes of saints, elect and

non-elect. But, if there were two such classes, and the salvation of the

elect was certain, as it really is, and that of the non-elect not certain, it

is incredible that the Bible should not reveal this fact. Again: so far is

the Bible from recognizing or implying any such distinction, that it

everywhere implies the contrary. It divides mankind into two, and but

two classes, and these it sets one over against the other. These are

contrasted by the names, saint and sinner; people of God, and people

of this world; children of God, and children of this world, or children of

the devil; the elect and the reprobate, that is, the chosen and the

rejected; the sanctified and the unsanctified; the regenerated and the

unregenerate; the penitent and the impenitent. By whatever names

they are called, it is manifest that the same classes and none others

are meant. The elect of God is a common name for the saints or

people of God. I cannot find in the Bible any evidence, that any were

converted at any time, but the elect, or those whose salvation is sure.

The elect are, or will be, every one of them certainly converted and

saved. If any one chooses to contend that any other are ever

converted, the burden of proof is upon him; let him prove it, if he can.

But this he must prove, in order to establish the fact, that any truly

regenerated persons are ever lost, for sure it is, that no one of the

elect will ever be lost. But, since I am to take the affirmative, I must

take the burden of showing, that none but the elect are recognized in

the scriptures as saints; and as I am speaking only of the salvation of

the saints, I shall take it for granted, that all those who were from

eternity chosen to eternal salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit

and belief of the truth, will certainly be saved.

Now, if it can be shown, that some saints have been really lost, it will

follow, that some have been converted who were not of the elect.

And, on the other hand, if it can be shown that no saint has been, or

will be, finally lost; but, on the contrary, that all the true saints are, and

will be, saved, it will follow that none but the elect are converted. For

all who are, or will be, saved, are saved by God, and saved by design,

and in accordance with an eternal design, and of course they were

elected to salvation from eternity.

I have already said, that it is incredible that the Bible should read as it

does, and that it should nowhere distinguish between elect and

non-elect saints, if there is any such distinction. It cannot be said with

justice, that the Bible purposely conceals from all saints the fact of

their election, lest it should be a stumbling-block to them. This we

have seen is not the fact, but on the contrary, that the elect, at least in

some instances, have known that they were elect.

But it is said, that Peter exhorts the saints to "give all diligence to make

their calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10); from which it is inferred,

that they did not know that they were elect; and furthermore, that it

might be that, although they were real saints, nevertheless they were

not, at least all of them, of the elect. The words here referred to stand

in the following connection:

"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that

have obtained like precious faith with us, through the righteousness of

God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied

unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord;

According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain

unto life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called

us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and

precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine

nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to

virtue, knowledge; And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance,

patience; and to patience, Godliness; And to Godliness, brotherly

kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in

you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor

unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that

lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath

forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather,

brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye

do these things, ye shall never fall" (2 Peter 1-10). Upon this passage,

I remark:

That Peter addressed this epistle to all who had faith, that is, to all true

Christians, as appears from the first verse. He addressed no one by

name, but left it for every one to be sure that he had faith. He then

proceeds to exhort them to grow in grace, assuring them that, if any

one did not do so, he had forgotten that he was purged from his

former sins; that is, if any one lacked that which he enjoined, it would

prove that he had not true faith, or that he had backslidden. Then he

adds, as in the 10th verse: "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give

diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these

things, ye shall never fall." The apostle plainly assumes:

(1.) That the called and elected will be saved; to make their calling and

election sure, was to make their salvation sure: and,

(2.) That none others are saved but the called and elected, for if others

are saved, it were of no consequence whether they were of the called

and elected or not, provided they were saved;

(3.) That he regarded none as Christians, or as at any time having true

faith, but the called and elected; for he was not exhorting supposed

impenitent sinners to become Christians, but supposed Christians to

be sure of their calling and election. This shows that he regarded all

Christians as of the called and elected. To be sure of their calling and

election was to be sure of their salvation. The apostle did not certainly

mean to exhort them to become of the number of the elect, for this

number we have seen was settled from eternity; but by diligence and

growth in grace to secure their salvation, or thus to prove or

demonstrate their calling and election. He meant also to admonish

them that, although called and elected, still their ultimate salvation was

conditionated upon their diligent growth in grace, and perseverance in

holiness to the end of life. He therefore exhorts them to make their

calling and election sure, which is the same as to secure their

salvation. He speaks of calling and election as indissolubly connected.

Effectual calling either results from election, or election from calling.

We have seen that election is eternal; therefore election cannot result

from calling, but calling must result from election.

Again: Christians and saints, and the children and people of God, the

disciples of Christ, and the elect, are to all appearance regarded

throughout the Bible as the same class.

Again: Christ says, "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me;

and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. And this is the

Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I

should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day" (John

6:37, 39).

Here Jesus says, that all who are given to Him by the Father shall

come to Him, and that of those that come to Him, it is His Father's will

that He should lose none, but that He should raise them up, (that is, to

eternal life), at the last day. He does not say here, that none do come

to Him who are not given to Him by the Father, but this is plainly

implied, for He says, "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me;

and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." What He means

by not casting them out, is plain from the 39th verse: "It is the Father's

will that of all that shall come to Me I should lose nothing." By not

casting them out, then, He intended that He should surely save them,

that is, all that came to Him. But if He saves them, they must have

been given to Christ and have been elected, or they were not. If they

were not elected, or given to Christ by the Father, they will never be

saved, unless some are saved without God's designing or choosing to

save them. If any are saved, God saves them, through or by Christ. If

He saves them, He does it designedly, and not without design. But if

He ever does, or will design it, He has from eternity designed it. So

then, it appears, that all who come to Christ were given to Him of the

Father; and that He will lose none of them, but will raise them up at the

last day. My object at present, however, is not to insist that no one

that comes to Christ will be lost, but only that all who come to Christ

are of the number that were given to Him of the Father, or are of the

elect.

Again, compare: "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, and

Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. And this is the

Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I

should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. No

man can come to Me except the Father which hath sent Me, draw him,

and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets, And

they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard,

and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me" (John 6:37, 39, 44,

45).

Here it appears that no one can come to Christ except he be drawn of

the Father. Every one who is drawn by the Father with an effectual

drawing, or every one who hears and learns of the Father comes to

Christ, and no other. The Father draws none to Christ, but those

whom He has given to Christ; for these, and these only, are the

children of God. "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and

great shall be the peace of thy children" (Isaiah 54:13). From these

passages it appears that none come to Christ but those who are

drawn by the Father, and that none are drawn by the Father but those

whom He has given to His Son, or the elect; and that of those who are

thus drawn to Christ, it is the Father's will that He should lose none,

but that He should raise them up at the last day; that is, that He should

save them. But observe, it is my particular object just now to establish

the fact, that none come to Christ but those who are of the number

that are given to Christ, and also that every one who is given to Him

shall come to Him. These, and these only are effectually called or

drawn of the Father. All are called in the sense of being earnestly and

honestly invited, and all the divine persuasion is addressed to them

that can wisely be addressed to them. But others, besides those given

to the Son, are not, as a matter of fact, persuaded and effectually

drawn, in a sense that secures the "concurrence of free will with free

grace."

The same truth is strongly implied in many other passages in the

teachings of Christ. For example, He says:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the

sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a

robber. But He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the

sheep. To Him the porter openeth: and the sheep hear His voice; and

He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when

He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep

follow Him: for they know His voice. And a stranger will they not

follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what

things they were which He spake unto them" (John 10:1-6).

He then proceeds to expound the parable. He is the good shepherd

having the care of His Father's sheep. He says:

"Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am

the door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and

robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; by Me if any

man enter in, he shall be saved, and go in and out, and find pasture.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am

come that they might have life, and that they might have it more

abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His

life for the sheep. But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd,

whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, leaveth the

sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the

sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for

the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am

known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father:

and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which

are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My

voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth

My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it

again" (John 10:7-17).

He had other sheep which were not yet called they were not of this

fold that is, they were not Jews, but Gentiles; these He must bring. To

the unbelieving and cavilling Jews He said:

"But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto

you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither

shall any pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me,

is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of My Father's

hand" (John 10:26-29).

Here it is plainly implied, that all those were sheep who were given to

Him by the Father, and that all such would surely hear and know His

voice and follow Him, but those that were not of His sheep, or were not

given Him by the Father, would not believe. He says, verse 26: But ye

believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you. What

He here says amounts to this: all those are sheep who are given to Me

of My Father. All My sheep thus given, shall and will hear My voice,

and follow Me, and none others will. I do not notice in this place what

He says of the certainty of their salvation, because my present object

is only to show that those and those only come to Christ who are given

to Him of the Father, or are of the elect.

This same truth is either expressly taught, or strongly implied in a

great many passages, and indeed it seems to me to be the doctrine of

the whole Bible. "And we know that all things work together for good

to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His

purpose" (Romans 8:28). Here they that love God are represented as

identical with those "who are the called according to His purpose." In

other words, they who love God are the called according to, or in

consequence of their election. All that love God do so because they

have been effectually called, according to the purpose or election of

God. This passage seems to settle the question, especially when

viewed in its connection, that all who ever love God are of the elect,

and that they are prevailed upon to love God in conformity with their

election.

We shall have occasion, by and by, to examine the connection in

which this passage is found, for the purpose of showing that all who at

any time truly come to love God, will be saved. I have only quoted this

twenty-eighth verse here for the purpose of showing, not directly, that

all that love God at any time will be saved, but that they are of the

number of the elect, from which fact their ultimate salvation must be

inferred.

It is plain that the apostles regarded regeneration as conclusive

evidence of election. The manner in which they address Christians

seems to me to put this beyond a doubt. Paul, in writing to the

Thessalonians, says, "But we are bound to give thanks always to God

for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the

beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit,

and belief of the truth" (2 Thess. 2:13). Here the apostle speaks of all

the brethren at Thessalonica as beloved of the Lord, and as being

from eternity chosen to salvation. He felt called upon to give thanks to

God for this reason, that God had chosen them to salvation from

eternity. This he represents as true of the whole church: that is,

doubtless, of all true Christians in the church. Indeed, the apostles

everywhere speak as if they regarded all true saints as of the elect,

and their saintship as evidence of their election. Peter, in writing to the

Christians in his first letter, says:

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered

throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through

sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of

Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be

the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to His

abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the

resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance

incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in

heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto

salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time: Wherein ye greatly

rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness

through manifold temptations; That the trial of your faith, being much

more precious than that of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with

fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the

appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen ye love; in whom,

though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy

unspeakable, and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even

the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:1-9).

Here it is plain that Peter regarded all who had been born again to a

lively hope, or who were regenerated, as elected, or as chosen to

salvation. I might pursue this argument to an indefinite length, but I

must attend to other considerations in support of the doctrine in

question.

I will for the present close what I have to say under this particular

branch of the argument, by reminding you that Christ has expressly

asserted that no man can or does come to Him except the Father draw

Him, and that the Father draws to Him those and by fair inference

those only whom He has given to Christ; and further, that it is the

Father's will, that of those whom the Father had given to Christ, and

drawn to Him, Christ should lose none, but should raise them up at the

last day. It is, I think, evident, that when Christ asserts it to be His

Father's will, that of those whom the Father had given Him He should

lose none, but should raise them up at the last day, He intended to

say, that His Father not merely desired and willed this, but that such

was His design. That the Father designed to secure their salvation.

This we shall more fully see in its proper place.

LECTURE 49 PERSEVERANCE PROVED

2. I remark, that God is able to preserve and keep the true saints from

apostasy, in consistency with their liberty: "For the which cause I also

suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed; for I know whom

I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I

have committed unto Him against that day" (2 Tim. 1:12). Here the

apostle expresses the fullest confidence in the ability of Christ to keep

him: and indeed, as has been said, it is most manifest that the

apostles expected to persevere and be saved only because they

believed in the ability and willingness of God to keep them from falling.

Again, "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant; to his own

master he standeth or falleth; yea, he shall be holden up, for God is

able to make him stand" (Romans 14:4). Again, "Who shall change

our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body,

according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things

unto Himself" (Phil. 3:21). Again, "Now unto Him that is able to do

exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the

power that worketh in us" (Eph. 3:20). Again, "Now unto Him that is

able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the

presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). Again, "And God

is able to make all grace abound towards you; that ye, always having

all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2 Cor.

9:8). "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that we may

know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory

of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness

of His power to us ward who believe, according to the working of His

mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from

the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places"

(Eph. 1:18-20). Again, "Wherefore He is able to save them to the

uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make

intercession for them" (Heb. 7:5). These and many other passages

prove beyond a doubt that God is able to preserve His saints.

3. God is not only able to keep all that come to Christ or all true

Christians, but He is also willing. But Christ has settled this question,

as we have seen.

"All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, and him that cometh

to Me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to

do My own will, but the will of Him that sent Me; And this is the

Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I

should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And

this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son,

and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise Him up

at the last day" (John 6:37-40).

Here, then, we have just seen these two points settled, namely, that

God is able to save all saints, or all who at any time truly believe and

come to Christ; and, that He is willing, or wills to do it. Now if He is

both able and willing to keep and save all the saints, He certainly will

do it.

But here I know it will be objected, that by this course of argument, the

doctrine of universal salvation may be established. The Bible, it is

said, represents God as both able and willing to save all men, and if

His being both able and willing to save the saints, proves that they will

all be saved, it follows that His being able and willing to save all men

proves that all men will be saved. But the cases are not parallel; for

God nowhere professes ability to save all men, but on the contrary,

disclaims such ability, and professes to be unable to save all men; that

is, He cannot, under the circumstances, wisely save them, nor can He

wisely do any more for saints or sinners than He does. No passage

can be found in the Bible, in which God asserts His ability to save all

men. The passages that affirm that "God can do all things" (Deut.

3:24), and that "nothing is too hard for the Lord" (Jerem. 32:17), and

the like, cannot be understood as affirming God's ability to save all

men. They do imply, that He has power to do whatever is an object of

physical omnipotence; but to save sinners is not an object of physical

power. Their salvation, if accomplished at all, must be brought about

by a moral and persuasive influence, and not by the exercise of

physical omnipotence. In the sense in which we can justly apply the

terms ability and inability to this subject, God is really unable to do

what it is unwise for Him to do. He has an end in view. This end is the

highest good and blessedness of universal being. This end can be

accomplished only by the appropriate means, or upon certain

conditions. These conditions include the perfect holiness of moral

agents. If God cannot wisely use such means as will secure the

conversion and sanctification of sinners, He cannot save them. That

is, He is unable to save them. This He repeatedly professes to be

unable to do.

"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord

God; and not that he should return from his ways, and live? For I have

no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God;

wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye" (Ezek. 18:23, 32).

"Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the

death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live:

turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of

Israel?" (Ezek. 33:11).

"What could have been done more to My vineyard that I have not done

in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes,

brought it forth wild grapes?" (Isaiah 5:4). "How shall I give thee up,

Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as

Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within

Me, My repentings are kindled together" (Hosea 11:8).

These are only specimens of the manner in which God speaks of His

ability to save sinners, and to do more for the church or the world than

He does. From such professions on the part of God, we are to

understand Him, as disclaiming ability to do more or otherwise than He

does, in consistency with the highest good of being in general. Since

the highest good of being in general is the end which He is aiming to

secure, He "may justly be said to be unable to do whatever He cannot

do in consistency with the use of those means that will secure this

end." God, therefore, does not affirm His ability to save all men, but

fully disclaims any such ability, and professes to do, and to be doing,

all that He can to save them. He professes to be perfectly benevolent

and infinitely wise, and to be doing all that infinite wisdom and

benevolence can do for sinners and for all men, and complains, that all

He can do does not save, and will not save many of them.

But with respect to the saints, He does expressly affirm His ability to

keep them, in a sense that will secure their salvation. This we have

seen. He does for them all that He wisely can, and does enough, as

He expressly affirms, to secure their salvation. No one can attentively

read and consider the passages relating to God's ability to save all

men, and His ability to save His people, without perceiving, that the

two cases are not parallel, but that in fact they are contrasts. He

expressly affirms His ability to keep, to sanctify, and to save His elect

children, whilst He repeatedly, either expressly, or by implication,

disclaims ability to save all men.

Again: the Bible nowhere represents God as willing the salvation of all

men, in the same sense in which it represents Him as willing the

salvation of Christians, or of His elect. Such passages as the following

are specimens of God's professions of willingness to save all men.

"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge

of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4).

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that

whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting

life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world;

but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16-17).

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count

slackness; but is long-suffering to us ward, not willing that any should

perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

These and similar passages teach that God wills the salvation of all

men, only in the sense of desiring it. This we know from the fact, that

He nowhere intimates a willingness, in the sense of a design or

intention, to save all men; but on the contrary, plainly reveals an

opposite purpose or design; that is, He reveals the fact, that He

cannot, shall not, and of course, does not, expect or design to save all

men. By the profession of a willingness to save all men, we can

therefore justly understand Him to mean, only that He desires the

salvation of all men, and that He would secure their salvation if He

wisely could. This is all that we can understand Him as affirming,

unless we would accuse Him of self-contradiction.

But He professes a willingness to save His elect, or in other words, all

regenerate persons, or all believers in Christ, and all whoever will truly

believe in Him, in the sense of purposing or designing to save them.

This is most manifest from the scriptures we have already examined,

and this will still further appear from the passages to be examined.

We have seen that the Father has given a certain number to Christ,

with express design to secure their salvation; that He has committed to

Him all the requisite power and influences to save them, and that they

will actually be saved. Nothing like this can be found in the Bible,

respecting any other class of men whatever. This objection, then, is

without foundation, and the argument from the ability and willingness

of God to save His saints, remains in full force and conclusiveness.

4. Again: Christ expressly prayed for all believers, and in a manner

that secures their being kept and saved:

"As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give

eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. I have manifested Thy

name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they

were, and Thou gavest them Me; and they have kept Thy word. Now

they have known that all things whatsoever Thou hast given Me are of

Thee; For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me;

and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out

from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me. I pray for

them; I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me,

for they are Thine. And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I

am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these

are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine

own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as

we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name:

those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but

the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now

come I to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might

have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Thy word; and

the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as

I am not of the world. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also

which shall believe Me through their word. That they all may be one;

as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in

us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory

which Thou gavest Me, I have given them; that they may be one, even

as we are one. I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made

perfect in one, and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me,

and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me. Father, I will that they

also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may

behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me, for Thou lovest Me before

the foundation of the world" (John 17:2, 6-14, 0-24).

Now observe, that in this most affecting prayer Christ says:

(1.) Verse 2. "As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He

should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him." We have

seen, that, in the 6th chapter of this book Christ expressly teaches,

that all are given to Him that come to Him by the Father.

(2.) He proceeds to affirm, that He had in the exercise of this power

kept in His Father's name all who had been given, and had come to

Him, and had lost none.

(3.) He asks the Father henceforth to keep them in His own name, as

He was about to leave them, as to His bodily presence. He says,

verse 15, "I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world,

but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil." Again, He says,

20-24: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall

believe on Me through their word. That they all may be one in us; that

the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which

Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we

are one. I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in

one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast

loved them as Thou hast loved Me. Father, I will that they also whom

Thou hast given Me be with Me where I am; that they may behold My

glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou lovest Me before the

foundation of the world."

Now, as surely as Christ's prayer is answered, all believers will be

saved; that is, at least all who ever have believed, or ever will believe,

subsequent to the offering of this prayer. But Christ's prayers are

always answered.

To this it is objected, that a part of this same prayer is not answered,

and of course never will be. It is said, for example, that in the 21st

verse He prays for the union of all believers, which has been far

enough from having been answered. The verse reads, "That they all

may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also

may be one in us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me."

Here He explains the sense in which He prays that all believers may

be one, not that they should be all of one denomination or creed, but

that they should possess one and the same spirit; that the same spirit

that united the Father and the Son, that is, the Holy Spirit, who is in the

Father and the Son, might also be in all Christians. This is plainly His

meaning; and that this is true of all real Christians, that they possess

the Holy Spirit, or the Spirit that dwells in the Father and the Son, no

one can doubt who understands and believes his Bible.

But it is objected again, that Christ prayed to be delivered from

crucifixion, and His prayer was not answered.

I reply, that He did not pray for this, if at all, unqualifiedly. He says, "If

it be possible, nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt" (Matt.

26:39). If it were the pains of the cross from which His soul shrunk in

the garden, and from which He desired, if possible, to be excused, it is

plain that He did not pray unqualifiedly to be delivered; but, on the

contrary, submitted the question to the will of His Father. But in the

prayer, in John 17, He made no such condition. He knew that in this

case it was His Father's will to grant His request. Of this He had

expressly informed His disciples, as we have seen; that is, that it was

His Father's will to keep and save all who were given to Christ, and

had been drawn by the Father to Christ. The spirit of this petition

accords precisely with His teaching upon the subject. He had taught

before that all believers would be kept and saved, and that this was

His Father's will; now, could He, either expressly or impliedly, in this

prayer, put in the condition that was in the prayer just referred to,

namely, "If it be Thy will?" But, although what has been said is a full

answer to the assertion that Christ's prayers were not always

answered, it may be, for some minds, important to say, that it is far

from being certain that Christ prayed to be delivered from crucifixion.

But be this as it may, we are to remember that Christ expressly

affirms, that His Father always hears, that is, answers His prayers.

"And I knew that Thou hearest Me always: but because of the people

which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me"

(John 11:42).

Again, Paul says of Christ, "Wherefore He is able also to save them to

the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to

make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:5).

Here he asserts, that Christ is able to save unto the uttermost all that

come unto God by Him, seeing He always lives to make intercession

for them. This, as plainly as possible, implies that His intercessions

are all prevailing. Indeed, as He is the mediator, they must be.

Now let us consider how far we have advanced in establishing the

perseverance and final salvation of all believers.

(1.) We have seen, that all the elect to salvation will be saved. (2.)

That all true believers are of this number. (3.) That God and Christ are

able to keep them from apostasy, and save them. (4.) That He is

willing or wills to do it. (5.) That Christ expressly prayed for the

perseverance and final salvation of

all believers. (6.) That He prayed in express accordance with the

revealed will of His Father;

and: (7.) That His prayers always prevail and are answered.

In Christ's prayer in John 17., He expressly affirms that He did not

pray for the world, that is, for all men. He prayed only for those whom

the Father had given Him. For these He prayed, not merely that God

would save them upon condition of their perseverance, but that God

would keep them from the evil that is in the world, and save them, and

make them one, in the sense, that one Spirit should be in them all. He

asked manifestly the same things for all that in future believe, that He

asked for those who had already believed.

Should I proceed no further the argument is complete, and the proof

conclusive. But since this doctrine is so abundantly taught, either

expressly or impliedly, in the Bible, I proceed to the consideration of a

number of other passages which will throw still further light on the

subject.

5. Christ expressly and designedly teaches this doctrine: "And this is

the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given

Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the

Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise

him up at the last day. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth

on Me hath everlasting life. I am the living bread which came down

from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and

the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the

world" (John 6:39, 40, 47, 51).

Here He expressly teaches, as we have before seen, that it is His

Father's will, that all believers, or all who at any time believe, (for this

is plainly His meaning), shall be saved; that He should lose none of

them, but as we have seen, John 17:2, should give them eternal life.

Then He claims ability to keep and save them agreeably to His

Father's will. This, remember, respects all believers, or all who are

given to Christ, who, we have learned, are the same persons.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I

give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall

any pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me, is

greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of My Father's

hand" (John 10:27-29).

The whole connection shows, that Christ intended to teach the

certainty of the salvation of all His sheep, or of all the elect, or, which is

the same, of all true believers. But, to this it is objected, that none are

sheep any longer than they remain obedient, and therefore the

assertion that He will save the sheep, does not secure those who at

any time sin. But I reply, that Christ recognizes all the elect as His

sheep, whether converted, or whether in a state of temporary

backsliding, or not. He represents His sheep as hearing His voice,

and as following Him, and those who are not of His sheep as not

hearing His voice, and as not following Him, "And other sheep I have

which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear

My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. But ye

believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you" (John

10:16, 26).

Again, "How think ye? If a man have a hundred sheep, and one of

them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth

into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so

be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep,

than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the

will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones

should perish" (Matt. 18:12-14).

The design of this parable is to teach the doctrine I am defending. If

not, what is its design? This is a full answer to the objection, that no

one is recognized as a sheep who has gone astray.

But again, it is said, that although no one else can pluck the sheep out

of the Father's hand, yet we can do it ourselves. I grant that we can

by natural possibility; but this objection is good for nothing, for Christ

expressly says, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they

follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never

perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which

gave them Me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out

of My Father's hand" (John 10:27-29).

Not only is no one able to pluck them out of His Father's hand, but

Christ gives unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. This

implies, that while they might or are able to apostatize and be lost, yet,

as a matter of fact, they never will. What could be made out of all He

says of Himself as a shepherd in this passage, if, after all, He loses

some of His sheep? Let any one ponder the whole chapter and see.

6. Another argument, in support of the doctrine under consideration, I

deduce from the fact, that Paul, an inspired apostle, believed it.

"Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in

Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons;

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the

Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

(Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy),

For your fellowship in the gospel, from the first day until now. Being

confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in

you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:1-6).

Here the apostle represents himself as giving thanks for all the saints

at Philippi, upon the ground of his confidence that He who had begun

a good work in them would perform, or perfect it, until the day of

Christ. His confidence did not rest in them, but in the faithfulness of

Christ. He did not express a confidence, that they would of

themselves persevere, but that He who had begun a good work in

them, would carry it on: that is, that he would so work in them as to

keep them, and as to secure their perseverance to the end. This he

expected with respect to all the saints at Philippi. But if he believed this

of all the saints at that place, it is plainly and fairly inferable that he

believed it, simply because he expected this, as to all true saints. He

does not intimate, that he expected this because of any peculiarity in

their case, that is, not because they were better than other saints, or

that God would do more for them than for others. He seems plainly to

have expressed this confidence, upon the ground of his expectation,

that He who begins a good work in any saint, will carry it on and

perfect it until the day of Christ. Should it be said, that Paul intended

merely to express the conviction or opinion of a good man, that the

Philippian saints would be saved, but that he did not intend to utter this

as the voice of inspiration; I reply, that Paul plainly expresses a

confidence that they would all be saved, and that God would perfect

the work which He had begun. Now, how came he by this confidence?

He was an inspired man. If inspiration had taught him that real saints

do fall away and are lost, how could he consistently express so

thorough a persuasion, that all the saints at Philippi would be saved?

If Paul believed in the perseverance of the saints, it must be true, or he

was deceived in respect to this important doctrine. But is it not safe to

trust Paul's opinion of this doctrine? If any one is disposed to contend,

that we cannot with strict justice infer that Paul believed the same in

respect to God's perfecting the work in all saints, that he believed in

respecting the Philippians, I will not contend with him with respect to

this. It is, however, clear, that Paul no where in this epistle, nor

elsewhere, intimates that he had higher expectations in regard to the

salvation of the Philippians, than he had in respect to the salvation of

all true saints. In writing to the churches, the apostles appear to have

regarded and spoken of all true saints as the elect-children of God.

They seem to represent the salvation of all such persons as certain,

but always keeping in mind and holding forth, either expressly or by

way of implication, the nature of this certainty, that it was conditionated

upon the right and persevering use of their own agency. They

consequently constantly endeavor to guard the churches against

delusion, in regard to their being real saints, and admonish them to

prove themselves in this respect, and also warn them against the

supposition, that they can be saved, without actual perseverance in

faith and obedience to the end of life.

7. The apostles seemed to regard the conversion of sinners as an

evidence that God designed to save them, or that they were of the

elect:

"Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord

added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47).

"And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the

word of the Lord; and as many as were ordained to eternal life,

believed" (Acts 13:48).

In these passages as elsewhere, the conversion of sinners is spoken

of as settling the question of their salvation. But if true saints do fall

from grace and perish, why should the inspired writers so often

express themselves, as if they regarded the regeneration of a person

as an indication that he is one of the elect, and as securing his

salvation?

So common is it for Christ and the apostles to speak of regeneration

as settling the question of the salvation of those who are regenerated,

that great multitudes have overlooked the fact, that there was any

other condition of salvation insisted on in the Bible. When the jailor

demanded of Paul and Silas what he should do to be saved, Paul

replied to him, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be

saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).

Here, as is common in the Bible, faith is spoken of as if it were the sole

condition of salvation. Repentance, faith, regeneration, etc., are often,

as every student of the Bible knows, spoken of as if they were the only

conditions of salvation. Now, it seems to me, that this could not, and

ought not to be, if there is not a certain connection of some sort

between real conversion and eternal salvation. It is true, the necessity

of perseverance to the end is often mentioned and insisted upon in the

Bible as a condition of salvation, just as might be expected when we

consider the nature of the certainty in question. If there is not,

however, certain connection between true regeneration or faith, or

repentance and salvation, it seems to me incredible, that we should so

often find faith, and repentance, and conversion spoken of as if they

secured salvation.

Those who believe are represented as already having eternal life, as

not coming into condemnation, but as having passed from death unto

life. The following passages are specimens of the manner in which

the scriptures speak upon this subject.

"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the

sons of God, even to them that believe in His name; Which were born,

not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of

God" (John 1:12).

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that

believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth

on him. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten

Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have

everlasting life. He that believeth on Him is not condemned; but he

that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:36, 16, 18).

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never

thirst: but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water

springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth

on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into

condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

"All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh

to Me I will in no wise cast out. And this is the will of Him that sent Me,

That every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have

everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in

the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore

that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting

life" (John 6:37, 40, 45, 47).

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you

in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins; and ye shall

receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).

"And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the

gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be

saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15-16).

Now it seems to me, that this numerous class of passages strongly

imply that there is a certain connection of some sort between coming

to Christ, receiving Christ, etc., and eternal life. Observe, I do not

contend that perseverance in faith and obedience is not also a

condition of salvation, but on the contrary, that it actually is. Nor do I

contend that such like representations as the above, settle the

question that all who at any time repent, believe, or come to Christ, will

be saved. The thing which I here intend is, that this class of texts is

just what we might expect, if the fact of regeneration were certainly

connected with salvation, and just what it seems they ought not to be,

in case this were not true.

To this it is objected, that many who attended on Christ's ministry are

represented from time to time as believing, of whom it is almost

immediately said, that they turned back and walked no more with Him.

I answer, that the Bible manifestly recognizes different kinds of faith,

such as an intellectual faith, a faith of miracles, and the faith of the

heart. The following are specimens of the Bible treatment of this

subject:

"Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he

continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs

which were done. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy

heart is not right in the sight of God" (Acts 8:13, 21).

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also

believe and tremble" (James 2:19).

These and many other passages manifestly speak of an intellectual

faith, or of a simple conviction of the truth.

Matt. 7:22, 23; 1 Cor. 13:1, 2, are specimens of the manner in which

the faith of miracles is represented.

See Romans 10:9-11; Acts 8:37; Gal. 5:6 These and such like

passages speak of evangelical faith, or the faith of the heart. When

the multitude are spoken of as believing under Christ's instruction, or

in view of His miracles, and then as going back and walking no more

with Him, we are doubtless to understand those passages as teaching

simply, that they were at the time convinced of His Messiahship, and

that they intellectually believed that He was what He professed to be.

But their history seems to forbid the conclusion that they were truly

regenerated, or that they had the true faith of the gospel.

Again: John speaks of those who openly apostatized as if they had not

been true Christians: "They went out from us, but they were not of us;

for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us:

but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not

all of us" (1 John 2:19). Observe the force of the expressions, "They

went out from us, but they were not of us"; that is, were not truly

Christians. Why does he say so? He assigns the reason for this

assertion: "for if they had been of us, they would have continued with

us, but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were

not all of us." That is, a part of the professed disciples went out from

the rest and returned to the world, that it might be made manifest who

were and who were not Christians. I do not say, however, that this is

indubitably taught in this passage; but it cannot be denied, that this is

its most natural construction.

8. The inhabitants of heaven seem to believe that there is a certain

connection between repentance and salvation. "I say unto you, that

likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more

than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance"

(Luke 15:7). Now surely this joy is premature, unless they expect the

penitent to be saved. If, after all, there is an uncertainty about the

result, in their estimation, and if it may be, or there is a probability, that

the penitent will fall, and suffer a vastly more aggravated damnation

than if he had never been enlightened, one would think that they would

at least suspend their triumph until the result was known. To be sure

they might rejoice, if the sinner broke off temporarily from his sin, and

rejoice at the bare prospect of his salvation; but to me this passage

reads just as it might be expected to read, if they regarded repentance

as certainly connected with ultimate salvation.

Again: there are several parables that seem to take the perseverance

of the saints for granted, or to assume its truth. The one immediately

preceding the verse upon which I have just remarked is one of them.

"And He spake this parable unto them saying: What man of you,

having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the

ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until

he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders,

rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends

and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my

sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in

heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine

just persons which need no repentance" (Luke 15:3-7).

Now, why this joy at the return of a strayed or lost sheep, if there is no

certainty, or scarcely any probability, that he will not stray again, and

be finally lost with an aggravated destruction? Immediately following

this is another parable of the same import.

"Either what woman, having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece,

doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till

she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and

her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found that

which was lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence

of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:8-10).

Here again it may be asked, why this great joy at finding the sinner,

unless his conversion is to result in his salvation?

I do not quote these passages as proving the doctrine in question, but

only as specimens of the class of passages that seem to assume the

truth of the doctrine, and as being just what might be expected, if the

doctrine is true, and just what might not be expected if the doctrine is

not true.

To this it may be, and has been replied, that there are many passages

that are just what we could not expect, if the perseverance of the

saints were true. The following are relied upon as examples of this

class:

"Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on

unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from

dead works, and of faith toward God; Of the doctrine of baptisms, and

of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal

judgment. And this will we do if God permit. For it is impossible for

those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly

gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost; And have tasted of

the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; If they

shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they

crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open

shame" (Heb. 6:1-6).

"But when the righteous turneth away from righteousness, and

committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that

the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath

done shall not be mentioned; in his trespass that he hath trespassed,

and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die" (Ezek. 18:24).

"When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to

his own righteousness and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall

not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he

shall die for it" (Ezek. 33:13).

"And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake; but he that

endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matt. 10:22).

"If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered;

and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are

burned" (John 15:6).

"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1

Cor. 10:12).

"But Christ as a Son over His own house; whose house are we, if we

hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the

end. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of

unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another

daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the

deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold

the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Heb. 3:6,

12-14).

"Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His

rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Let us labor

therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same

example of unbelief" (Heb. 4:1, 11).

"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling

and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (2 Peter

1:10).

In reply to this objection I remark, that instead of these passages being

otherwise than might be expected if the doctrine in question were true,

and therefore implying that the doctrine is not true, they are precisely

what might be expected, if the doctrine as I have stated it, were true.

If the certainty be but a moral certainty, even when the fact of

conversion is settled beyond all doubt, or possibility of mistake, if the

final salvation of the truly regenerate be as really conditionated upon

perseverance as if there was no certainty about it; and if, moreover,

the fact of conversion is seldom settled in this life beyond the

possibility of mistake, then these passages, instead of implying any

real uncertainty in regard to the final salvation of the saints, are just as

and what might be expected, because they are just what is needed,

upon the supposition, that the doctrine in question is true. They do not

affirm that any true saints are, or will be, lost. They do imply the

natural possibility, and, humanly speaking, the danger of such an

event. They further imply, that without watchfulness and perseverance

salvation is impossible. They also imply, that caution, warning, and

threatening, are needed. They also imply, that some men, to say the

least, are not certain of their own salvation, and that they do not

certainly know that they are saints, beyond all possibility of mistake.

Now, these things that are fairly implied in this class of passages are

really true: hence these passages just meet the necessities of the

church, and are therefore just what might be expected when all the

facts in the case are considered. I do not intend that this class of

passages imply the truth of the doctrine under consideration, but that

they are consistent with it, and might be expected, if the doctrine, as I

have stated it, be true.

9. Regeneration is represented as securing perseverance in

obedience:

First, In those passages that make it the condition of salvation.

Secondly, In those passages that expressly affirm, that the truly

regenerated do not, and cannot, live in sin.

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed

remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1

John 3:9).

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one

that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God" (1 John 4:7).

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and

every one that loveth Him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten

of Him. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this

is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. We know that

whosoever is born of God sinneth not: but he that is begotten of God

keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (1 John 5:1, 4,

18).

These and similar passages expressly teach the persevering nature of

true religion, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: in other words,

they teach that the truly regenerate cannot sin, in the sense at least of

living in anything like habitual sin. They teach, that with all truly

regenerate souls, holiness is at least the rule, and sin only the

exception; that instead of its being true, that the regenerate souls live

a great majority of their days subsequent to regeneration in sin, it is

true that they so seldom sin, that in strong language it may be said in

truth, they do not sin. This language so strongly and expressly

teaches that perseverance is an unfailing attribute of Christian

character, that but for the fact that other passages constrain us to

understand these passages as strong language used in a qualified

sense, we should naturally understand them as affirming that no truly

regenerate soul does at any time sin. But since it is a sound rule of

interpreting the language of an author, that he is, if possible, to be

made consistent with himself; and since John, in other passages in

this same epistle and elsewhere, represents that Christians, or truly

regenerate persons, do sometimes sin; and since this is frequently

taught in the Bible, we must understand these passages just quoted

as only affirming a general and not a universal truth; that is, that truly

regenerate persons do not sin anything like habitually, but that

holiness is the rule with them, and sin only the exception. Certainly

these passages cannot be reasonably understood as affirming and

meaning less than this. I know that it has been said, that being born of

God is used by John in these cases in a higher sense, and as

meaning more than simple conversion or regeneration, as

representing a higher state than can be predicated of all true

Christians. But observe, he especially affirms that all who truly believe

are born of God.

Again: Christ speaks as if He regarded those only as having truly

believed who persevere in obedience. "Then said Jesus to those

Jews which believed on Him, if ye continue in My word, then are ye My

disciples indeed" (John 8:31). The parable of the sower appears to

have been designed expressly to teach the persevering nature of true

religion. "A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some

fell by the way side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air

devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung

up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell

among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And

other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundred

fold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears

to hear, let him bear. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of

God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil,

and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe

and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear,

receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while

believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among

thorns are they, which when they have heard, go forth, and are choked

with cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to

perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which, in an honest

and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit

with patience" (Luke 8:5-8, 11-15).

If this parable was not designed to distinguish true religion from its

counterfeits, and to illustrate the persevering nature of true religion, I

do not know, and cannot conceive, what was its design. I need not

enlarge upon it. Let any one read and consider the parable for

himself.

Again: the parable of the leaven seems designed also to teach the

progressive and persevering nature of true religion.

"Another parable spake He unto them: the kingdom of heaven is like

unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal,

till the whole was leavened" (Matt. 13:33).

This parable I understand to represent or teach the aggressive nature

of true faith and piety, as it exhibits itself both in the hearts and lives of

individual Christians, and also as it progresses and extends itself in the

world. It is in its nature persevering and aggressive, and when it once

truly exists, it will through grace triumph. When I speak of the

persevering nature of true religion, I do not mean, that religion as it

exists in the hearts of the saints in this life would of itself, if

unsupported by the grace and indwelling Spirit of God, prevail and

triumph over its enemies; but the thing intended is, that through the

faithfulness of God, He that has begun or shall begin a good work in

any heart, will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. The persevering

character of true religion is owing to the indwelling Spirit of God.

This leads me to remark again, that repentance is made the condition

of receiving the Holy Spirit; and when this Spirit is received, it is with

the express promise and pledge that He shall abide in the heart for

ever.

"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried,

saying, If any man thirst let Him come unto Me and drink. He that

believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow

rivers of living water. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that

believe on Him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given;

because that Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:37, 39).

Here we learn that water represents the Holy Spirit. This is abundantly

taught in the Bible. Now let us hear what Christ said to the woman of

Samaria.

"Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water

shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give

him, shall never thirst: but the water that I shall give him shall be in him

a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:13-14).

The prominent truth taught in this text is, that whosoever shall drink of

this water shall never thirst. In this particular respect the Savior

contrasts it with the water of Jacob's well, and says, 13, 14: "Jesus

answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall

thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him,

shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a

well of water springing up into everlasting life." This Christ plainly

states as a fact.

That is, he shall never perish for lack of this Spirit or water, but it shall

abide in him, and spring up into eternal life. The Spirit shall remain in

him, and secure him against falling and perishing. The fact that the

Spirit shall abide with and in all who ever receive Him, and shall prevail

to secure their salvation, seems to be plainly taught in this passage.

Again, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the

Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of

Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead

because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if

the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He

that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal

bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:9-11).

Here it is expressly declared, that none are Christians who have not

the Holy Spirit, or Spirit of Christ, and that they who are Christ's do not

walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit; that they who are Christ's have

crucified, that is killed, the lusts of the flesh. This is the real character

of all true saints. Such like passages, observe, are designed to

distinguish true religion from its counterfeits, and to teach that

perseverance in true obedience is a characteristic of all real saints.

10. Christ represents it as impossible to deceive the elect: (Matt.

24:24). We have seen that the elect unto salvation include all true

Christians; that is, that all Christians are the elect children of God.

They have come to Christ. Observe, the Savior Himself teaches, as

we have seen:

(1.) That no one can come to, or believe in Him, unless the Father

draw Him.

(2.) That the Father draws those, and only those to Christ, whom He

has given to Him.

(3.) That all whom the Father has given to Him shall come to Him, and

of those that come to Him He will lose none, but will raise them up at

the last day.

"No man can come to Me except the Father which hath sent Me, draw

him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets,

And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath

heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me. All that the

Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in

no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do Mine own

will, but the will of Him that sent Me. And this is the father's will which

hath sent Me, that of all which he hath given Me I should lose nothing,

but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him

that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on

Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day"

(John 6:44, 45, 39, 38, 37, 40).

False theories are represented as permitted to test the piety of true

and false professors. "For there must be also heresies among you,

that they which are approved may be made manifest among you" (1

Cor. 11:19). Those that are of the elect, or are true children of God,

will not follow heresies. Christ says, "And when He putteth forth His

own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him; for they

know His voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from

him: for they know not the voice of strangers. My sheep hear My

voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them

eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them

out of My hand" (John 10:4, 6, 9, 27, 28).

But those who are not true believers will not, and do not hear and

know His voice, and follow Him. "But ye believe not, because ye are

not of My sheep, as I said unto you" (John 10:26).

11. The eighth chapter of Romans seems to settle the question, or

rather is of itself a clear proof of the doctrine we are examining. We

need to read and ponder prayerfully the whole chapter, to apprehend

distinctly the scope of the apostle's teaching upon this subject. He had

in the seventh chapter been dwelling upon and portraying a legal

experience. He begins this eighth chapter by asserting, "There is

therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,

who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the

Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and

death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the

flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for

sin, condemned sin in the flesh; That the righteousness of the law

might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but

they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally

minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to

the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the

flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if

so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now, if any man have not the

Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is

dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,

He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal

bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are

debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the

flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of

the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,

they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of

bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption,

whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with

our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs;

heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ: if so be that we suffer

with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon, that the

sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the

glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:1-18).

Here he describes the character of true believers as distinguished

from mere legalists, of whom he had been speaking. True believers,

he here asserts, are justified; they are in Christ Jesus; they walk not

after the flesh, but after the Spirit; the righteousness of the law is

fulfilled in them, that is, the law is written in their hearts; they have the

Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of adoption; the Spirit witnesses with their

spirit that they are the adopted children of God: "If children, then heirs,

heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ"; the sufferings of this present

time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed

in them. He says: "For we are saved by hope; but hope that is seen, is

not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" (Romans

8:24).

He then proceeds to notice the ground of this hope: "Likewise the

Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray

for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with

groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts

knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh

intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans

8:26-27). This, observe, he affirms to be true of all who are Christ's, or

who are true believers. Of this Spirit He affirms the following things:

(1.) That all Christians possess this Spirit (2.) That this Spirit bears

witness with the spirits of Christians that they are the children of God.

(3.) That He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of

God; that is, that He prays in them or excites them to pray, and to pray

aright, for those things which it is the will of God to grant to them. He

then says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them

that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose"

(Romans 8:28). Here he represents those who love God, and those

who are the called according to His purpose, as the same persons;

and affirms, that we know that all things shall work together for their

good. This he notices as a second ground of hope. He next proceeds

to state, how we know that all things work together for the good of

those that love God: or, which he regards as the same thing, to those

who are the elect, called according to the election or purpose of God.

He says, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be

conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren" (Romans 8:29), that is, we know it, because

they are predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. Not if

they will be, but to be, and therefore, all things must directly or

indirectly contribute to this result. He then says, "Moreover, whom He

did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He

also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified" (Romans

8:30). That is, furthermore, we know this, and have good ground of

hope from the fact, that whom he did predestinate to be conformed to

the image of His Son, them, that is the same persons, He also called;

and whom, that is, the same persons whom He had predestinated to

be conformed to the image of His Son and had called, them He also

justified; and whom He predestinated, and called, and justified, them,

that is, the same persons, He also glorified.

Here then, he concludes, is a firm foundation for the hope of which he

had spoken, the grounds of which he had been pointing out. He

accordingly proceeds to say in a spirit of triumph:

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be

against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for

us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who

shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Who is He that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is

risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh

intercession for us" (Romans 8:31-34).

Here he says, "if God be for us, who can be against us?" and then

proceeds to point out several other considerations that enter into this

ground of confidence. All who love God are His elect. God justifies

them, and who is he that condemns them? God is for them, and who

shall be against them? God freely gave His Son for all of them, how

much more shall He freely give them all things? If He did not withhold

His Son, surely He would withhold nothing else from them that was

necessary to secure their salvation. Furthermore, it was Christ that

died, and still more and rather, that had risen again, and maketh

intercession for them. If these things are so, we may well inquire:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or

distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

(As it is written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are

accounted as sheep for the slaughter.)" (Romans 8:35-36).

He then triumphantly affirms, "Nay, in all these things we are more

than conquerors, through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that

neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor

things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any

other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39).

If Paul in the eighth of Romans does not settle the question, that all

the saints will be saved, how could it be settled? Let us in few words

sum up the argument, as he here presents it:

We are saved already in anticipation, or in hope; and only by hope, for

as yet we have not received our crown. The grounds of this hope are,

that we are in Christ Jesus, have the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of

adoption. We walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. This Spirit

witnesses that we are children and heirs of God. He makes

intercession for us according to the will of God. We also know, that all

things work together for good to them who love God, for they are the

called according to His purpose. They who are called, that is,

effectually called, are called in conformity with their predestination to

be conformed to the image of God. Hence those who are thus

predestinated are called, and justified, and glorified. Therefore, no

one can lay anything to the charge of God's elect. God justifies, and

who shall condemn them? Christ died for them, yea rather, has risen

and makes intercession for them. God withheld not His Son, and of

course will withhold from Christians nothing that is essential to secure

their salvation. Wherefore he concludes, that nothing shall be able to

separate us from the love of God.

I know that to this it has been replied, that although nothing else can

separate us from the love of God, yet we may separate ourselves from

His love. To this I answer, true; we may, or can do so; but the

question is, shall we, or will any of the elected and called do so? No,

indeed; for this is the thing which the apostle intended to affirm,

namely, the certainty of the salvation of all true saints. The apostle

manifestly in this passage assumes, or affirms, that all who ever truly

loved God are elect, or are chosen to be conformed to the image of

His Son; and are called, and sanctified, and justified, in conformity with

such predestination. If this is not his meaning, what is? If this is not

his meaning, what ground of hope do we, after all, find in what he

says? The apostle seems to have had the same thought in his mind in

writing to the Hebrews.

"Wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of

promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that

by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we

might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold

upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the

soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the

veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a

high-priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek" (Heb. 6:17-20).

There are a great many other passages of scripture, of the same

import as those I have quoted in support of this doctrine, as every one

knows who has taken the trouble to examine for himself. But I have

pursued this investigation far enough. If what has been said fails to

satisfy any mind, it is presumed that nothing which might be added

would produce conviction. I will therefore, after replying to some

further objections, conclude the discussion of this subject.

LECTURE 50 PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

Objections answered.

1. It is said that the natural tendency of this doctrine condemns it; that

it tends to beget and foster a carnal presumption in a life of sin, on the

part of those who think themselves saints. There is, I reply, a broad

and obvious distinction between the abuse of a good thing or doctrine,

and its natural tendency. The legitimate tendency of a thing or

doctrine may be good, and yet it may be abused and perverted. This

is true of the atonement, and the offer of pardon through Christ.

These doctrines have been, and are, greatly objected to by

Universalists and Unitarians, as having a tendency to encourage the

hope of impunity in sin. It is said by them, that to hold out the idea that

Christ has made an atonement for sin, and that the oldest and vilest

sinners may be forgiven and saved, tends directly to immorality, and to

encourage the hope of ultimate impunity in a life of sin the hope that,

after a sinful life, the sinner may at last repent and be saved.

Now, there is so much plausibility in this objection to the doctrine of

pardon and atonement, that many sensible men have rejected those

doctrines because of this objection. They have regarded the objection

as unanswerable. But a close examination will show, that the

objection against those doctrines is entirely without foundation; and

not only so, but that the real natural tendency of those doctrines

affords a strong presumptive argument in their favor. The telling of a

convinced and self-condemned sinner, that Christ has died for his

sins, and offers freely and at once to forgive all the past, has no

natural tendency to beget a spirit of perseverance in rebellion; but is

on the contrary the readiest, and safest, and I may add, the only

effectual method of subduing him, and bringing him to immediate

repentance. But suppose, on the other hand, you tell him there is no

forgiveness, that he must be punished for his sins at all events, what

tendency has this to bring him to immediate and genuine repentance;

to beget within him the love required by the law of God? Assuring him

of punishment for all his sins, might serve to restrain outward

manifestations of a sinful heart, but certainly it tends not to subdue

selfishness, and to cleanse the heart; whereas the offer of mercy

through the death of Christ, has a most sin subduing tendency. It is

such a manifestation to the sinner of God's great love to him, His real

pity for him, and readiness to overlook and blot out the past, as tends

to break down the stubborn heart into genuine repentance, and to

beget the sincerest love to God and Christ, together with the deepest

self-loathing and self-abasement on account of sin. Thus the

doctrines of the atonement and pardon through a crucified Redeemer,

instead of being condemned by their legitimate tendency, are greatly

confirmed thereby. These doctrines are no doubt liable to abuse, and

so is every good thing; but is this a good reason for rejecting them?

Our necessary food and drink may be abused, and often are, and o

are all the most essential blessings of life. Should we reject them on

this account?

It is admitted that the doctrines of atonement and forgiveness through

Christ, are greatly abused by careless sinners and hypocrites; but is

this a good reason for denying and withholding them from the

convicted sinner, who is earnestly inquiring what he shall do to be

saved? Who indeed?

It is also admitted, that the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is

liable to abuse, and often is abused by the carnal and deceived

professor; but is this a good reason for rejecting it, and for withholding

its consolations from the tempted, tempest-tossed saint? By no

means. Such are the circumstances of temptation from within and

without, in which the saints are placed in this life, that when they are

made really acquainted with themselves, and are brought to a proper

appreciation of the circumstances in which they are, they have but little

rational ground of hope, except what is found in this doctrine. The

natural tendency and inevitable consequence of a thorough revelation

of themselves to themselves, would be to beget despair, but for the

covenanted grace and faithfulness of God. What saint who has ever

been revealed to himself by the Holy Spirit, has not seen what Paul

saw when he said, "In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good

thing?" (Romans 7:18) Who that has been made acquainted with

himself, does not know that he never did, and never will take one step

towards heaven, except as he is anticipated and drawn by the grace of

God in Christ Jesus? Who that knows himself does not understand

that he never would have been converted, but for the grace of God

anticipating and exciting the first motions of his mind in a right

direction? And what true saint does not know, that such are his former

habitudes, and such the circumstances of trial under which he is

placed, and such the downward tendency of his own soul that

although converted, he shall not persevere for an hour, except the

indwelling grace and Spirit of God shall hold him up, and quicken him

in the path of holiness?

Where, I would ask, is the ground of hope for the saints as they exist

in this world? Not in the fact that they have been physically

regenerated, so that to fall is naturally impossible. Not in the fact that

they have passed through any such change of nature as to secure

their perseverance for an hour, if left to themselves. Not in the fact

that they can or will sustain themselves for a day or a moment by their

resolutions. Where then is their hope? There is not even a ground of

probability, that any one of them will ever be saved, unless the

doctrine in question be true, that is, unless the promised grace and

faithfulness of God in Christ Jesus goes before, and from step to step

secures their perseverance. But if this grace is promised to any saint,

as his only ground of confidence, or even hope that he shall be saved,

it is equally, and upon the same conditions, promised to all the saints.

No one more than another can place the least reasonable dependence

on anything, except the grace equally promised and vouchsafed to all.

What does a man know of himself who hopes to be saved, and who

yet does not depend wholly on promises of grace in Christ Jesus?

The natural tendency of true and thorough conviction of sin, and of

such a knowledge of ourselves, as is essential to salvation, is to beget

and foster despondency and despair; and, as I said, the soul in this

condition has absolutely little or no ground of hope of ultimate

salvation, except that which this doctrine, when rightly understood,

affords. However far he may have progressed in the way of life, he

sees, when he thoroughly knows the truth, that he has progressed not

a step, except as he has been drawn and inclined by the indwelling

grace and Spirit of Christ; and that he shall absolutely go no further in

the way to heaven, unless the same gracious influence is continued, in

such a sense, and to such an extent, as to overcome all the

temptations with which he is beset. His only hope is in the fact, that

God has promised to keep and preserve him. Nothing but God's

faithfulness to His Son procured the conversion of any saint. Nothing

but this same faithfulness has procured his perseverance for a day,

and nothing else can render the salvation of any soul at all probable.

What can a man be thinking about, or what can he know of himself,

who does not know this? Unless the same grace that secures the

conversion of the saints, secures their perseverance to the end, there

is no hope for them. It is true, that the promises to sinners and to

saints are conditionated upon their faith, and upon the right exercise of

their own agency; and it is also true, that grace secures the fulfillment

of the conditions of the promises, in every instance in which they are

fulfilled, or they never would be fulfilled.

We have seen that the promises of the Father to the Son secure the

bestowment upon the saints of all grace to ensure their final salvation.

It shocks and distresses me to hear professed Christians talk of being

saved at all, except upon the ground of the anticipating, and

persevering, and sin-overcoming, and hell-subduing grace of God in

Christ Jesus. Why, I should as soon expect the devil to be saved, as

that any saint on earth will be, if left, with all the promises of God in his

hands, to stand and persevere without the drawings, and inward

teachings, and over-persuading influences of the Holy Spirit. Shame

on a theology that suspends the ultimate salvation of the saints upon

the broken reed of their own resolutions in their best estate! Their

firmest resolutions are nothing unless they are formed and supported

by the influence of the Spirit of grace, going before, and exciting, and

persuading to their formation and their continuance. This is

everywhere taught in the Bible; and who that has considered the

matter does not know, that this is the experience of every saint?

Where, then, is the ground of hope, if the doctrine in question be

denied? "If the foundation be destroyed, what shall the righteous do?"

Where, then, is the evil tendency of this doctrine? It has naturally no

evil tendency. Can the assurance of eternal salvation through the

blood, and love, and grace of Christ, have a natural tendency to

harden the heart of a child of God against his Father and his Saviour?

Can the revealed fact, that he shall be more than a conqueror through

Christ, beget in him a disposition to sin against Christ? Impossible!

This doctrine, though liable to abuse by hypocrites, is nevertheless the

sheet anchor of the saints in hours of conflict. And shall the children

be deprived of the bread of life, because sinners will pervert the use of

it to their own destruction? This doctrine is absolutely needful to

prevent despair, when conviction is deep, and conflicts with temptation

are sharp. Its natural tendency is to slay and keep down selfishness,

to forestall selfish efforts and resolutions, and to sustain the

confidence of the soul at all times. It tends to subdue sin, to humble

the soul under a sense of the great love and faithfulness of God in

Christ Jesus; to influence the soul to live upon Christ, and to renounce

entirely and for ever all confidence in the flesh. Indeed, its tendency is

the direct opposite of that asserted in the objection. It is the abuse,

and not the natural tendency of this doctrine, against which this

objection is urged. But the abuse of a doctrine is no reason why it

should be rejected.

2. But it is said that real saints do sometimes fall into at least

temporary backsliding, in which cases the belief of this doctrine tends

to lull them into carnal security, and to prolong their backsliding, if not

to embolden them to apostatize.

To this I reply that if real Christians do backslide, they lose for the time

being their evidence of acceptance with God; and withal they know

that in their present state they cannot be saved. This objection is

leveled rather against that view of perseverance that says "once in

grace, always in grace"; that teaches the doctrine of perpetual

justification upon condition of one act of faith. The doctrine as stated

in these lectures, holds out no ground of hope to a backslider, except

upon condition of return and perseverance to the end. Moreover, the

doctrine as here taught is, that perseverance in holiness, in the sense,

that, subsequent to regeneration holiness is at least the rule, and sin

only the exception, is an attribute of Christian character. Every

moment, therefore, a backslider remains in sin, he must have less

evidence that he is a child of God.

But as I said, he loses confidence in his own Christianity, and in this

state of backsliding he does not believe the doctrine of perseverance,

as a doctrine of revelation. It is absurd to say, that while backslidden

from God he still has faith in His word, and believes this doctrine as a

Christian doctrine, and upon the strength of the testimony of God. He

does not in this state really believe the doctrine, and therefore it is not

the tendency of the doctrine when believed that harms him, but a

gross abuse and perversion of it. But the perversion of a doctrine is

no objection to it. The real tendency of the doctrine is to break the

heart of the backslider, to exhibit to him the great love, and

faithfulness, and grace of God which tend naturally to subdue

selfishness, and to humble the heart. When backsliders are

emboldened by this doctrine and rendered presumptuous, it is never

by any other than a gross perversion and abuse of it.

Those who persist in such objections should reflect upon their own

inconsistency, in making a manifest perversion and abuse of this

doctrine an objection to it, when they hold other doctrines, equally

liable to abuse and equally abused, in spite of such abuse. Let such

persons see, that they are practically adopting a principle, and

insisting upon its application in this case, which, if carried out, would

set aside the whole gospel.

3. It is objected, that the Bible speaks of the saints as if there were real

danger of their being lost. It requires them to spend the time of their

sojourning here in fear, and abounds with cautions, and warnings, and

threatenings, that are certainly out of place, and not at all to be

regarded, if the salvation of the saints is a revealed certainty. How, it

is inquired, can we fear, if God has revealed the certainty of our

salvation? Is not fear in such a case a result of unbelief? Can God

reveal to us the fact, that we shall certainly be saved, and then call on

us or exhort us to fear that we shall not be saved? Can He require us

to doubt His word and His oath? If God has revealed the certainty of

the salvation of all true saints, can any saint fear that he shall not be

saved without downright unbelief? And can God approve and even

enjoin such fears? If a person is conscious of possessing the

character ascribed to the true saints in the Bible, is he not bound upon

the supposition that this doctrine is true, to have and to entertain the

most unwavering assurance that he shall be saved? Has he any right

to doubt it, or to fear that he shall not be saved?

I answer, that no true saint who has an evidence or an earnest of his

acceptance with God, such as the true saint may have, has a right to

doubt for a moment that he shall be saved, nor has he a right to fear,

that he shall not be saved. I also add, that the Bible nowhere

encourages, or calls upon the saints to fear, that they shall not be

saved, or that they shall be lost. It calls on them to fear something

else, to fear to sin or apostatize, lest they should be lost, but not that

they shall sin and be lost. The following are specimens of the

exhortations and warnings given to the saints:

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is

willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matt. 26:41).

"Take ye heed, watch and pray; for ye know not when the time is. For

the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house,

and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and

commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore; for ye know not

when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at

cock-crowing, or in the morning; Lest, coming suddenly, he find you

sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch" (Mark

13:33-37).

"Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall

find watching; verily I say unto you, That He shall gird Himself, and

make them to sit down to eat, and will come forth and serve them"

(Luke 12:37).

"Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1

Cor. 5:12).

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong" (1 Cor.

19:13).

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15, 16).

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His

might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand

against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:10-11).

"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ; that

whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your

affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together

for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries;

which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation,

and that of God" (Phil. 1:27, 28).

"Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be

sober" (1 Thess. 5:6).

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, where unto thou

art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many

witnesses" (1 Tim. 6:12).

"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2

Tim. 2:3).

"But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an

evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry" (2 Tim. 4:5).

"But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch

unto prayer" (1 Peter 4:7).

"And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake; but he that

endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matt. 10:22).

"If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered;

and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are

burned" (John 15:6).

"Who will render to every man according to his deeds; To them who,

by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, and honor, and

immortality, eternal life" (Romans 2:6-7).

"But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any

means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a

castaway" (1 Cor. 9:27).

"We, then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye

receive not the grace of God in vain" (2 Cor. 6:1).

"If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved

away from the hope of the gospel, which we have heard, and which

was preached to every creature which is under heaven: whereof I Paul

am made a minister" (Col. 1:23).

"But Christ as a Son over His own house; whose house are we, if we

hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the

end. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of

unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another

daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the

deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold

the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Heb. 3:6,

12-14).

"Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His

rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Let us labor

therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same

example of unbelief" (Heb. 4:1, 11).

"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling

and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (2 Peter

1:10).

"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold, the devil

shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall

have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give

thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit

saith unto the churches; he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the

second death. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith

unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the

hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new

name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. And

he that overcometh, and keepeth My words unto the end, to him will I

give power over the nations" (Rev. 2:10, 11, 17, 26).

"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and

he shall be My son" (Rev. 21:7).

"And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth

according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here

in fear" (1 Peter 1:17).

I find no instance in the Bible in which the saints are enjoined or

exhorted to fear that they shall actually be lost; but, on the contrary,

this kind of fear is everywhere, in the word of God, discountenanced

and rebuked, and the saints are exhorted to the utmost assurance that

Christ will keep and preserve them to the end, and finally bestow on

them eternal life. They are warned against sin and apostasy, and are

informed that if they do apostatize they shall be lost. They are

expressly informed, that their salvation is conditionated upon their

perseverance in holiness to the end. They are also called upon to

watch against sin and apostasy; to fear both, lest they should be lost.

"Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His

rest, any of you should seem to come short of it" (Heb. 9:1).

"Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on

unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from

dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptism, and of

laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal

judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for

those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly

gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost; And have tasted the

good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall

fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to

themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame"

(Heb. 6:1-6).

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of

unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another

daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the

deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold

the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Heb.

3:12-14).

They are required to fear to sin, but not to fear that they shall sin in

any sense that implies any expectation of sinning. They are to fear to

apostatize, but not to expect, or fear that they shall apostatize. They

are to fear to be lost, but not that they shall be lost. To fear to sin lest

we should be lost, is a very different thing from fearing that we shall

sin and shall be lost. There is just as much need of our fearing to sin,

and of fearing to be lost, as there would be if there were no certainty of

our salvation. When we consider the nature of the certainty of the

salvation of the saints, that it is only a moral and conditional certainty,

we can see the propriety and the necessity of the warnings and

threatenings which we find addressed to them in the Bible. The

language of the Bible is just what it might be expected to be, in case

the salvation of the saints were certain, with a moral and conditional

certainty.

But again: this objection is based upon a gross error in respect to the

philosophy of moral government. Moral law exists with its sanctions as

really in heaven as on earth, and its sanctions have in heaven the very

influence that they ought to have on earth. It is as true in heaven as

on earth, that the soul that sinneth shall die. Now, can the sanctions

of law exert no influence in heaven? I suppose no reasonable person

will doubt the certainty, and the known certainty of the perseverance of

all saints there. But if they are certain that they shall not sin and fall,

can they not be the subjects of fear in any sense? I answer, yes.

They are naturally able to sin, and may be sometimes placed under

circumstances where they are tempted to selfishness. Indeed, the

very nature of mind renders it certain, that the saints will always have

need of watchfulness against temptation and sin.

Now, it is the design of the sanctions of law in all worlds to produce

hope on the one hand, and fear on the other; in holy beings the hope

of reward, and the fear to sin lest they should perish. This hope and

fear in a being duly influenced by them, is not selfishness. It is

madness and desperate wickedness not to be influenced by them.

Our reason affirms that we ought to be influenced by them, that our

own salvation is of infinite value, and that our damnation were an

infinite evil. It therefore affirms that we ought to secure the one and to

avoid the other. This is law both on earth and in heaven. This we are

not to do selfishly, that is, to seek our own salvation, or to avoid our

own damnation, exclusively or only, but to seek to save as many as

possible; to love our neighbor as ourselves, and ourselves as our

neighbor. In all worlds the sanctions of law ought to have their

influence, and with holy beings they have. Holy beings are really

subjects of fear to sin, and to be lost, and are the only beings who

have the kind of fear which God requires, and which it is the design of

the sanctions of law and of the gospel to inspire. What! Are we to be

told that a certainty of safety is wholly inconsistent with every kind and

degree of fear? What, then, is the use of law in heaven? Must a man

on earth or in heaven doubt whether he shall have eternal life, in order

to leave room for the influence of moral law, and of hope, and of fear,

or in order to leave play for the motives of moral government? There

is room for the same fear in heaven that ought to be on earth. No one

has a right to expect to violate the precept, and thereby incur the

penalty of law. But every one is bound to fear to do so. The penalty

was never designed on earth, any more than it is in heaven, to beget a

slavish fear, or a fear that we shall sin and be damned; but only a fear

to sin and be damned. A fear to sin and to be lost, will, to all eternity,

no doubt, be a means of confirming holy beings in heaven. The law

will be the same there as here. Free agency will be the same there as

here. Perseverance in holiness will be a condition of continued

salvation there as really as here. There may, and doubtless will, be

temptations there as well as here. They will, therefore, need there

substantially the same motives to keep them that they need and have

here. There will there be laws and conditions of continued bliss as

here. There will be the same place, and in kind, if not in degree, the

same occasion for fear there that there is here. I say again, that the

objection we are considering, overlooks both the true philosophy of

mind, and of the influence of the sanctions of moral law.

The objection we are considering is based upon the assumption that

warnings, exhortation to fear, etc., are inconsistent with the revealed

certainty of the salvation of the saints. But does not the Bible furnish

abundant instances of warning in cases where the result is revealed

as certain? The case of Paul's shipwreck is in point. This case has

been once alluded to, but I recur to it for the sake of illustration in this

place. God, by Paul, revealed the fact, that no life on board the ship

should be lost. This he declared as a fact, without any revealed

qualification or condition. But when the sailors, who alone knew how

to manage the ship, were about to abandon her, Paul informs them

that their abiding in the ship was a condition of their salvation from

death. The means were really as certain as the end; yet the end was

conditionated upon the means, and if the means failed, the end would

fail. Therefore, Paul appealed to their fears of death to secure them

against neglecting the means of safety. He did not intend to excite in

them a distrust of the promise of God, but only to apprise them of the

conditional nature of the certainty of their safety which had been

revealed to them, and thus cause them at once to fear to neglect the

means, and to confide in the certainty of safety in the diligent use of

them. But this is a case, be it understood, directly in point, and by

itself affords a full answer to the objection under consideration. It is a

case where a revealed certainty of the event was entirely consistent

with warning and threatening. Nay, it is a case where the certainty,

though real, was dependent upon the warning and threatening, and

the consequent fear to neglect the means. This case is a full

illustration of the revealed certainty of the ultimate salvation of the

saints; and were there no other case in the Bible where warning and

threatening are addressed to those whose safety is revealed, this case

would be a full answer to the assertion, that warnings and threatenings

are inconsistent with revealed certainty. Paul feared to have the

means of safety neglected, but he did not fear that they really would

be, because he knew that they would not.

To the pertinency of this case as an illustration, it is objected, that the

prophet pronounced the destruction of Nineveh in forty days to be

certain, as really as Paul in this case revealed the certainty of the

safety of all on board the ship; therefore, it is contended that Paul did

not intend to reveal the result as certain, because when a revelation

was made respecting the destruction of Nineveh, in just as unqualified

terms, the event showed that it was not certain. To this I reply, that in

the case of Jonah, it is manifest from the whole narrative that neither

Jonah nor the Ninevites understood the event as unconditionally

certain. Jonah expressly assigned to God his knowledge of the

uncertainty of the event, as an excuse for not delivering his message.

So the people themselves understood, that the event might not be

certain, as their conduct abundantly shows. The difference in the two

cases is just this: one was a real and a revealed certainty, and the

other was neither. Why then should this case be adduced as setting

aside that of the shipwreck? But it is said, that no condition was

revealed in the one case more than in the other. Now so far as the

history is recorded, no mention is made in the case of Nineveh, that

Jonah intimated that there was any condition upon which the

destruction of the city could be avoided: yet it is plain, that both Jonah

and the Ninevites understood the threatening to be conditional, in the

sense of the event's being uncertain. Jonah himself did not expect it

with much certainty. But in the case of Paul, he expressly affirms, that

he believed God that it should be as he had declared, that there

should be the loss of no man's life, and he encouraged them to believe

the same thing. Paul unders