ter,

he spake in another connexion: "He that eateth "of this bread shall live for ever." This is explained when he says, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting "life." "He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never "thirst."2 As he had said in the foregoing chapVerily, 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."3 Thus again, in the chapter before quoted, "This is the Father's will who "hath sent me, that of all whom 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 who seeth the "Son and believeth on him should have everlast"ing life, and I will raise him up at the last 'day." And still more expressly in another place: "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; (ὲ μὴ ἀπόλωνται εις τον αιώνα) “ neither shall any one (ou Tis) pluck them out of my hand. My Father "who gave me them is greater than all; and no

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one (dudes) is able to pluck them out of my "Father's hand: I and my Father are one.' "5 What are we to suppose these energetical words to mean, if, after all, they who really do follow Christ, of whom exclusively he speaks, should be so tempted and overcome as finally and eternally 'John vi. 51, 58. 2 John vi. 35, 47. John vi. 37-40. 5. John x.

3 John v. 24.

27-30.

to perish? Would an act of grace, or deed of gift, worded in such precise, absolute, and unqualified language, admit of being explained away, by limitations and exceptions, not so much as intimated in it? Would the parties concerned think that the trustees or administrators of such a grant or deed dealt fairly with them, if they thus excluded them from the benefit of it?

In entire harmony with this, our Lord, when encouraging his disconsolate disciples, says, " I "will give you another Comforter, who shall "abide with you for ever: I will not leave you

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comfortless, I will come unto you."""Because "I live, ye shall live also." With these promises, let the reader compare attentively the argument of the apostle: "If when we were enemies we 66 were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, "much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."2 And again, "There is no con"demnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, "who walk not after the flesh but after the Spi"rit." "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ "that died, yea, rather is risen again, who is even "at the right hand of God; who also maketh in"tercession for us."3 Let him also well consider the apostle's words to the Colossians, "Your life "is hid with Christ in God; when Christ, who is "our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear "with him in glory."4 All this accords with our Lord's words to Peter, "I have prayed for thee, "that thy faith fail not:"5 and with the same apostle's words to his Christian brethren; " Of 2 Rom. v. 10. 3 Rom. viii. 1, 34. 5 Luke xxii. 32.

' John xiv. 1619.

* Col. iii. 3, 4.

"his abundant mercy he hath begotten us again "to 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 sal"vation."1

What again are we to understand by the words of St. Paul, when he speaks of Christians as "sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest "of our inheritance until the redemption of the "purchased possession? as sealed unto the day of "redemption?" 2 What, when he says of the Philippians, "Being confident of this very thing, "that he who hath begun a good work in you "will perform it until the day of Christ? "3 What, when he says to the Thessalonians, "God hath "not appointed you to wrath, but to obtain sal❝vation by our Lord Jesus Christ?"4 What, when he says in the second epistle, "He hath "called you by our gospel to the obtaining of "the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ?"5 Or of his words to Timothy, after having stated that Hymeneus and Philetus had "overthrown the "faith of some :" "Nevertheless, the foundation "of God standeth sure, having this seal, The "Lord knoweth them that are his; and, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart "from iniquity?'

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From these, and many other sure testimonies, promises, and covenant engagements of God our Saviour, we are led, while "fighting the good fight 11 Pet. i. 3-5.

2 Eph. i. 13, 14. iv. 30.

' 1 Thess. v. 9, 23, 24. 2 Thess. ii. 14.

Phil. i. 6.

2 Tim. i. 19.

"of faith," but looking forward to future and perhaps far severer, conflicts, to adopt the apostle's words, "Who shall separate us from the love "of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or "persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written, For thy sake we "are killed all the day long; we are accounted "as sheep for the slaughter. 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."1

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The words of our Article shew at least that the venerable compilers were by no means disposed to exclude, or oppose, this part of that system which was well known to them, and which is now called Calvinism: They who be endued with so excellent a benefit be called, according to God's purpose, by his Spirit working in due season; they through grace obey the calling; they be justified freely; they be made the sons of God by adop'tion; they be made like the image of his onlybegotten Son Jesus Christ; they walk religiously ' in good works; and at length by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.2 Not one of them, by any means whatever, is supposed to come short of it.

How the great champion of our church, the judicious Hooker, understood these scriptures, and

'Rom. vii. 28-39.

2 Art. xvii.

this Article, let his own words testify: "" I know ' in whom I have believed:" I am not ignorant 'whose precious blood hath been shed for me: I ́ have a shepherd full of kindness, full of care, and 'full of power; unto him I commit myself. His only finger hath engraven this sentence in the ' tablet of my heart: "Satan hath desired to winnow thee as wheat, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not." Therefore, the assurance of 'my hope I will labour to keep as a jewel unto the end, and by labour, through the gracious 'mediation of his prayer, I shall keep it.' 2

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If any solid and satisfactory explanation can be given of these scriptures above considered, which excludes this doctrine, let it be fairly attempted. Yet the more candid, even of our opponents, must, I think, allow that we have plausible grounds for our sentiments: we ourselves think them unanswerable. It may also be observed that, when apostates are spoken of in the New Testament, almost always some intimation is given unfavourable to their previous character. "These have no "root in themselves." The foolish virgins had "no oil in their vessels." The branches of the vine which" are broken off" were "unfruitful." "They went out from us, because they were not "of us; for, if they had been of us, they would "no doubt have continued with us." "There must "be heresies, that they who are approved may be "made manifest."

It appears also to us, that the Christian soldier, when fighting valiantly "the good fight of faith," Sermon On the Certainty and Perpe

1 2 Tim. i. 12.

tuity of Faith in the Elect.