234 London's lamentations on [Isa. XLII. 24, 25.
[1.] That tliou shalt never totally or finally lose thy God, Hosea ii. 19, 20.
[2.] Thou shalt never lose tliy interest in Christ. Whatever thy outward losses are, yet thy interest in Christ still holds good, Rom. viii. 33, scq.
[3. 1 Thou shalt never lose the Spirit of grace: John xiv. 16, ' And I will jn-ay the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.'
1 4. J Thou shalt never lose the seed of grace, the habits of grace: 1 John iii. 9, 'Whosoever is horn of God, doth not commit sin' — that is, doth not give himself over to a voluntary serving of sin ; he does not make a trade of sin ; he sins not totally, finally, maliciously, habitually, studiously, resolutely, wilfully, delightfully, deadly, ufiap- riav ov iroiel, he does not make it his work to sin, he cannot follow his lusts as a workman follows his trade, ' for his seed remaineth in him.' The seed of God, the seed of grace, is an abiding seed, 1 Cor i. 8 ; Luke xxii. 32.
[5.] Thou shalt never lose the forgiveness of thy sins, though thou mayest lose the sense and assurance of thy forgiveness : Jer. xxxi. 34, ' For I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more ; ' Micah vii. 19.
[6. J Thou shalt never lose thy interest in the covenant of grace, Ps. Ixxxix. 30, 35 ; Jer. xxxi. 31, 38 ; Isa. liv. 10. Once in covenant, and for ever in covenant.
[7.] Thou shalt never lose thy union wdth Christ, John xv. 1, 6. In John xvii., Christ prayed that we ' might be one, as he and his Father are one ; ' not essentially, nor personally, but spiritually, so as no other creature is united to God. There can be no divorce between Christ and the believing soul. Christ hates putting away, Mai. ii. 16. SSin may for a time seemingly separate between Christ and the be- liever, but it can never finally separate between Christ and the be- liever. Look, as it is impossible for the leaven that is in the dough to be separated from the dough after it is once mixed ; for it turneth the nature of the dough into itself : so it is impossible for the saints ever to be separated from Christ ; for Christ is in the saints, as nearly and as really as the leaven is in the very dough, [Luther.] Christ and believers are so incorporated as if Christ and they were one lump. Our nature is now joined to God by the indissolvable tie of the hypo- statical union in the second person ; and we in our persons are joined to God by the mystical indissolvable bond of the Spirit, the third person. Our union with the Lord is so near and so glorious, that it makes us one spirit with him. In this blessed union, the saints are not only joined to the graces and benefits which flow from Christ, but to the person of Christ, to Christ himself, who is first given for us and to us, and then with him we receive all other spiritual blessings and favours, 1 Cor. vi. 17 ; Rom. viii. 32 ; 1 Cor. iii. 21-23.
[8.] Thou shalt never lose thy inward peace, either totally or finally. It is true, by sin, and Satan, and the world, and divine with- drawings, thy peace may be somewhat interrupted, but it shall never be finally lost. The greatest storms in this life that beats upon a believer will in time blow over, and the Sun of righteousness, the
ISA. XLII. 24, 25.] THE LATE FIEET DISPENSATION. 235
Prince of peace,l will shine as gloriously upon him as ever : John xiv. 27, ' Peace I leave with you,' — it is bonum hcereditamentum, a good inheritance, — ' my peace I give unto you ; not as the world giveth, give I unto you.' ' My peace 1 give unto you ' — that is, that peace with God and peace with conscience that I have purchased with ray blood I give unto you. Men may wish me peace, but it is only Christ that can give me peace. The peace that Christ gives is bottomed upon his blood, upon his imputed righteousness, upon his intercession, and upon a covenant of peace ; and therefore it must needs be a lasting peace, an abiding peace. When a tyrant thus threatened a Christian, I will take away thy house, the Christian replied. Thou canst not take away my peace. When the tyrant threatened to break up his school, the Christian answered, I shall still keep whole my peace. When the tyrant threatened to confiscate all his goods, the Christian answered, Yet there is no premunire against my peace. When the tyrant threatened to banish him out of his own country, the Christian re- plied. Yet I shall carry my peace with me.
[9.] Thou shalt never lose thy title to heaven : Luke xii. 32, ' Fear not, little flock,' — fXLKpbv ttoi/jLulov — here are two diminutives in the original ; the word translated flock signifieth a little flock ; but that the exceeding littleness of it might appear, Christ adds another word, so that the words in the fountain ^ run thus, ' Fear not, little little-flock.' And indeed in all the ages of the world the flock of Christ have been but little in their own eyes, and little in the world's eyes, and little in their enemies' eyes, and but little in comparison of that world of wolves that has still surrounded them,' — ' for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.' You need neither fear the loss of earthly things or the want of earthly things, for you have a kind, a tender, a loving Father, whose pleasure it is to give you the kingdom — that is, the heavenly kingdom that is prepared and re- served for you.
[10. and lastly]. Thou shalt never lose thy crown of life, thy crown of glory, thy incorruptible crown, thy crown of righteousness, Kev. ii. 10 ; James i. 12 ; 1 Pet. v. 4 ; 1 Cor. ix. 25. 2 Tim. iv. 8, ' Hence- forth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day ; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearance.' A crown is the top of royalty. Here it notes that everlasting glory that is laid up for the saints. Now this crown is called a crown of righteousness : partly because it is purchased by the righteousness of Christ; and partly because he is righteous that hath promised it ; and partly because it is a just and righteous thing with God to crown them with glory at last, who have for his honour been crowned with shame and reproach in this world ; and partly because they come to this crown in the use of righteous ways and means. And this crown is said to be laid up, to note our sure and certain enjoyment of it, as the Greek word uTTOKelraL does import. And let thus much sufiice for answer to this second objection.
^ Ps. XXX. 5 ; Mai. iv. 2; Isa. ix. 6. Dl/li^, shalom; under this word the Jews com- prehend all peace, prosperity, and happy success. * ' Original.' — G.
236 London's lamentations on [Isa. XLII. 24, 25.