soul, who by faith should be adopted into Abraham's family, and so become a child of the promise, should fail of inheriting the blessing of the promise, which is eternctl life ; called so, Tit. i. 2 ; and all this because the promise is founded upon grace, that is, God's inmiutable good pleasure in Christ, and not xipon the variable and inconstant obedience of man, as the first covenant was. But if a saint may finally fall, then is the promise no more sure in this covenant than it was in that, and so God should not have the end he propounds.
Secondly, It reflects sadly on Christ's honour, both as he is intrusted with the saints' salvation, and also as he is interested in it. First, as he is intrusted with the saints' salvation. He tells us they are given him of his Father for this very end, that he should give them eternal life ; yea, that power which he hath over all flesh was given him, to render him every way able to effect this one business, John xvii. 2. He accepts the charge, owns them as his sheep, knows thean every one, and promiseth, ' he will give them eternal life ; they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand,' John x. 27,28. Now how well do they consult with Christ's honour, that say his sheep may die in a ditch of final apostasy, notwithstanding all this ! Secondly, As he is interested in the salvation of every saint. The life of his own glory is bound up in the eternal life of his saints. It is true, when Adam fell, God did save his stake ; but how can Christ who is so nearly united to every believing soul ? There was a league of friendship betwixt God and Adam ; but no such union as here, where Christ and his saints make but one Christ, for which his church is called Christ, 1 Cor. xii. 12 : 'As tlie body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so is Christ.' Christ and his members make one Christ : now is it possible a part of Christ can be found at last burning in hell ? Can Christ be a cripple Christ ? Can this member drop off", and that? It is as possible that all as that any should; and how can Christ part with his mystical members, and not with his glory ? Doth not every member add an ornament to the body, yea, an honour ? The church is called, ' The fulness of him,' Eph. i. 23.* O how dishonoiu'able is it to Christ, that we should think he shoidd want any of his fulness ! and how can the man be full and complete that wants a member ?
Thirdly, It wounds the saints' comfort to the heart, and lays their joy a bleeding. Paul saith he did not, 2 Cor. ii. 17; he did not dash the generous wine of God's word with the water of man's conceits ; no, he gave them pure gospel. Truly this principle of saints falling from grace gives a sad dash to the sweet wine of the promises ; the soid-reviving comfort that sparkles in them ariseth from the sure conveyance with which they are in Christ made over to the believers to have and to hold for ever : hence called 'the sure mercies of David,' Acts xiii. 34; mercies that shall never fail. This, this indeed is wine that makes glad the heart of a saint ; though he may be whipped in the house when he sins, yet he shall not be tm-ned out of doors. As God promised in the type to David's seed, Psa. Ixxxix. 33 : ' Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail ;' and, ver 36, ' His seed shall endure for ever.' CoiUd anything separate the believer from the love of God in Chi'ist, this would be as a hole at the bottom of his cup, to leak out allhis joy ; he might then fear every temptation or affliction he meets would slay him, and so the wicked's curse would be the saint's portion. His life would ever hang in doubt before him, and the fearful expectation of his final miscarriage, which he sees may befall him, would eat up the joy of his present hope. Now how contrary such a fi-ame of heart is to the spii'it of adoption, and full assurance of hope, which the grace of the new covenant gives, he that runs may read in the word.
Use 2. — This truth prepares a sovereign cordial to restore the fainting spirits of weak believers, who are surprised with many fears concerning their per- severing, and holding out to the end of their warfare. Be of good cheer, poor soul ; God hath given Christ the life of every soul within the ark of his cove- nant. Your eternal safety is provided for ; ' Whom he loves, he loves to the end,' John xiii. 1. Hath he made thee willing in the day of his power to march under his banner, and espouse his quarrel against sin and hell ? The same power that overcame thy rebellious h&art to himself, will overcome all thy enemies within and without for thee. Say not, thou art a bruised reed ; with
AND HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND. 191