8. Again, this certainty of our standing in grace doth not exclude prayer : Luke xxii. 46, ' Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temp- tation.' Perseverance is God's gift, and it must be sought out in God's way, by Christ's intercession, to preserve the majesty of God, and by our prayer, that we constantly profess our dependence upon God, and renew our acquaintance with him. Besides, by asking blessings in prayer we are the more warned of our duty ; it is a means to keep us gracious and holy. As those that speak often to kings had need be decently clad, and go neat in their apparel, so he that speaketh often to God is bound to be more holy, that he may be acceptable to him.
9. Once more, and I have done with the state of the question. It is not a discontinued, but a constant perseverance that we plead for. Not as if a child of God could be quite driven out of the state of grace ;
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though he be saved at length, ho cannot fall totus, a ioto, in totum, from all grace and godliness, in the whole man, with full consent; he may sin, but not fliU totally, no more than finally. There is some- thing remaiueth ; a seed : 1 John iii. 9, ' Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him;' an unction: 1 John ii. 27, ' But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you.' There is a root in a dry ground, that will bud and scent again.
AVell, then, this we hold, that true grace shall never utterly be lost, though it be much weakened, but by the use of means shall constantly be preserved to eternal life.
Secondly, Having stated the point, let me now confirm it. The grounds of perseverance are these: —
1. On the Father's part, there is an everlasting love and all-suffi- cient power. His everlasting love ; God doth not love for a fit, but for ever : Ps. ciii. 17, ' The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them tliat fear him ; ' before the world was, and when the world is no more. There can be no change in God's counsels, because they are accompanied with infinite wisdom and power, God never repented in time of what he purposed to do before time : Rom. xi. 29, ' The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.' By (jifts are meant gifts proper to the elect, remission of sins, grace and glory , and by calling is meant effectual calling, such as is Kara TrpoOaetv, ' according to his purpose,' Rom. viii. 28. God never repented of it ; he is never ashamed of nor sorry for his choice ; though men be unworthy, it is the reason why he brought them under the grace of the covenant. His all-sufficient power and almightiness is engaged in the preservation of grace : John x. 29, ' My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hands.' As long as God hath power we are safe ; and this power is engaged by his love and will.
2. Then on Christ's part there is his everlasting merit and constant intercession.
[1.] For his merit : Heb. ix. 12, ' By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.' Legal expiations did but last from year to year, but Christ's is for ever and ever. The Levitical priest, once every year entered into the holy place, but Christ is once gotten into heaven, his redemption is eternal ; not only as it is of use for all ages of the church, 1)ut in respect of every particular saint. Those who are once redeemed by Christ, they are eternally redeemed ; not for a time, to fall away again, but to be saved for ever. So Heb. x. 14, ' By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.' He hath not only purchased a possi- bility of salvation, but hath perfected them, hath made purchase of all that we need to our full perfection ; it is not for a certain time, as if afterwards they could be taken out of his hands, and so perish, but for ever ; and this for all those that are sanctified, separated by God's pur- pose and decree, and afterwards renewed and sanctified in time, set apart to be vessels of honour to God.
[2.] Then for his constant intercession, a copy of which we have in this place. It is said, Heb. vii. 25, ' Wherefore he is able to save unto
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the uttermost all that come unto God through him, seeing lie liveth for ever to make intercession for us.' He is interceding with God, that the merit of his death may be applied to us, and that is salvation to the uttermost. The heirs of salvation need not to fear miscarrying ; Jesus Christ, who is the testator, who by will and testament made over the heritage to them, he liveth for ever to see his own will exe- cuted. Though he died once to make the testament, yet he liveth for ever to see it made good. Christ is risen from the dead, and dieth no more, and therefore a believer cannot miscarry.