Perseverance in the Covenant
‘“‘T wit make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me,” Jer. xxxii. 40.
The perseverance of the saints is founded on the election of God, and the immutability of his counsel; The foundation of the Lord standeth sure. “Whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he jus. tified, them he also glorified,” Rom. viii. 30. .This golden chain will hold, not a link of it shall be bro-Ken; on whomsoever the first link, election, hath taken hold, it will infallibly bring him up to the last, glory. God. is not a man, that he should repent. But not to wade further into the deep; our business lies in the promise of God.
There are two sorts. of promises concerning perseverance. There are promises to perseverance, and of perseverance. 1. The promise of eternal life is made to perseverance. Hold out to the end, and be saved. Overcomeandreign. ‘Be faithful to the death, and I will give thee a crown of life,” Rev. ii. 10. “¢ If thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever,” 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. ‘‘ If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him,” Heb. x. 38. Christians, beware of apostacy, beware of presumption; pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. Let it not be said of you, Ye did run well. He runs well, that gives not off, that sits not down on this side the goal. ‘So run that ye may obtain.” 2.° There are promises of perseverance. The covenant of God is an everlasting covenant. He hath commanded his covenant for ever, Psa. cxi. 9.
There are two things in the fore-mentioned scripture, Jer. xxxil. 40. secured to believers, which secure their perseverance.
I. God will not depart from them.
II. They shall not depart from him.
I, God will not depart from them. ‘I will not turn away from them.” God is with me, but I fear [ shall provoke him away: I shall weary him out by my sins, and drive him from me. No, saith the Lord, I will not turn away from them, to do them good. will never fail thee, nor forsake thee.
II. They shall not depart from him. It is true, the Lord will be with me, but it is only while I am with him; if I depart, he will depart; if I forsake him, he will cast me off for ever. Here is my great fear, that I shall turn away from him; there is m me an evil heart of unbelief, that is ever departing from the living God. Oh this false and fickle heart, I dare not trust it for an hour! I doubt it will be gone ere I am aware; my corruptions are strong, my temptations are many, every day brings its temptations; and [ am in great fear, that by one means or other, one day or other, I shall fall before them, and depart from the living God! No, says God, fear not, thou shalt not depart; ‘I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. They shall be kept by my Almighty power, through faith unto salvation.” My grace shall be with them, and my grace shall be sufficient for them, and shall, preserve them to my heavenly kingdom.:
And here is the saints’ security: the Lord God will not turn away from them, nor ever suffer them to run away from him. If the promise fail, then may their faith also fail. It is true there may be gradual declinings and departures of the saints from
Christ for a season, but total or final there shall not be. They shall not be of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Though they fall, they shall rise again; they may turn, but they shall return. As hypocrites will not stay with Christ always, so neither will saints always stay from him, And there is a like reason of both: sinners sometimes will step aside and salute religion, and take some turns with Christ, but, after a while, away they must again: and there is a double reason of it.
1. There is that within them that will fetch them back,
2. There is one without them that will fetch them back.
1. There is that within them that will fetch them back. Corrupt nature, the power of unmortified lust, this is it that bears the sway in their hearts; and however, for the time, the stream may be somewhat turned out of its course, or bayed up; however by the impetus of some external motives or arguments, or the impulses of an awakened conscience, or some sudden heat of affection, they are carried on after, and in some fair compliance with the Lord Jesus; yet when the bay is removed, when the external force is spent, conscience laid to sleep, the heat of affection allayed, which is often almost as soon out as in, their very natures will reduce, and bring them back to their old course, What is it that pulls a stone, or a lump of clay down again, that is thrown into the air? Why, when the power by which they were forced up is spent, their natures, their innate gravities, will bring them down to their place. Sinners need no other weights to pull them down to this earth than their earthly. hearts,
2, There is one without them that will fetch them off. Satan, the god of this world, whose they are, and whom they serve, who, though he indulge them with so much liberty for their religion, as is consistent with their captive state, and may possibly secure them the more under his dominion, (hypocrites are often the faster to Satan for being so near to Christ,) the very religion they have is but the devil’s snare, by which he holds them back from religion; yet, lest by venturing them too far, they should be lost to him at last, he that first. tempted them so near to Christ, (hypocrites are’ often beholden to. the devil for the religion they have,) will quickly tempt them back again.
And so on the other side, there are the like reasons why saints cannot always wander, or stay away from Christ.
(1.) There is that within them which will bring them back. The grace of God within them will bring them home. “The grace of God is now their nature. Sinners whilst walking with Christ, and saints whilst wandering from Christ, are both under a force, they are carried against the stream; when the winds are down that carried them on, they will return to their course. The grace of God is the seed of God, “He that is born of God sinneth not;” that 18, not unto death; ‘ the seed of God remaineth in him.” The seed of God is immortal seed; it may languish, and be ready to die, but it shall not die, it shall recover.
(2.) There is one above them who will bring them back, though he suffer them for a time to wander from the way. ‘* Of those whom thou hast given me I have lost none.” He hath lost none, and he will lose none. He sends a word of commandment after them. “Return O backsliding children, for I am married to you,” Jer. 1.14. Whither are you running? Whom are you following after? Come back from your lovers, return to your husband. I am married to you, and we may not part. After the word of command, he sends a word of promise; “I will heal your backslidings,” Jer. iii. 22. Return from your backslidings, and I will heal them. I will forgive your backslidings, and I will cure you of your backsliding heart. All the breaches they have made shall be made up; I will pass by all that you have done, and be reconciled to you. If you will turn, return and I will receive you. And this word of promise is a word of power. I will bring you to Zion: “then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband,” Hos. ii. 7. “Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God,” Jer, iii. 22. He that will not leave his Israel after the flesh, with their idols, much less will he leave his Israel after the Spirit. ‘“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ,” Phil. i. 6.
A good work may be said to be begun in a double sense. [1.] When there is some good thing doing: or when something is done towards it. When the Lord hath been ploughing upon the fallow ground, making his batteries against the strong hold, shaking secure hearts, breaking false hopes, awakening consciences, convincing sinners, spreading sin, and death, and hell before them, entering upon a treaty with them, and persuading them over to Christ, to make an escape: there may be hopes in this; the pains of travail give hopes of a birth. But this may go back, and after the highest hopes prove an abortion. Sinners, awakened sinners, beware you make. not a stand at the threshold; beware that your ploughed ground be not left to lie fallow. Beware that the womb prove not the grave of all your hopes. Mistake not conviction for conversion; make on, let not your God, nor your souls, lose the things which have been wrought.
[2.] When there is some good thing done. When the rubbish is removed, and the first stone is laid; when the plough hath been going, and the good seed is sown; when the new creature hath passed the birth; when Christ is formed, and the light of life is newly sprung up in the soul. If there be but a grain of mustard-seed, the least and lowest degree of saving grace broken forth in the heart, the question is not whether it be much or little; if it be grace, there is the immortal seed,-there is the good work begun, which shall be carried on till the day of Jesus Christ. Grace is a security for glory. Yet beware, christians, let not this security make you secure; though there be a harvest in the seed, yet the seed must be cherished, watched, and well looked to, that it may grow up to the harvest. He that lets it die for want of looking to, proves that it was dead whilst alive. Let not your falling short of glory prove that your grace was not grace.
Christians, lay hold on the promise, and lift up your heads, you are under fears; however it be with you for, the present, you are in doubt how it may be; your way is long and dangerous, yet your hearts are deceitful and unstable; you are going on at present, but doubt how you shall hold out: I may meet with lions in the way, which may fright me back; I may lose my way, and never recover; I may be ta ee a i ee i
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weary, and faint in the way, and lie down and give off. My Lord and my soul have been often upon the parting point; I have been almost gone, and tremble to think what may yet become of me. Yet remember who it is that hath said, “I will not turn from you to do you good; I will put my fear in your hearts, and you shall not depart from me.” Rise soul, take care for to-day, and take no thought for to-morrow. Mind the present duty, go on thy way, though weeping and trembling, and hard bestead: go on thy way, and then commit thy way and thyself to him, by whose mighty power thou shalt be kept through faith unto salvation. Faithful is he that hath called you, and will do it.
And now you have all. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. God hath made a covenant with his people, hath given himself for their portion, his Son for their price, his Spirit for their guide in the way, his earth for their accommodation by the way, his angels for their guard, the powers of darkness and death for their spoils, everlasting glory for their crown. And because their way is difficult and their work is contrary to them, he hath given them all that grace which is necessary to bring them to glory. In general, a new heart, in all things suited to their way, and thoroughly furnished for every good work. In particular, knowledge to guide; oneness to fix and intend; tenderness to submit to. and yield; love to constrain and bring on; fear to fence and hold in; obedience to perform and bring forth; and perseverance to go through, and hold out to the end; and there grace and glory meet. This is the covenant of grace; this is the word which, by the gospel, is preached unto you.
It will be said — But if God hath undertaken all this for us, what is there then left us to do? Here is a doctrine according to sinners’ hearts; if this be gospel, then soul take thine ease, take thy liberty, cast away care, make much of thy body, God will take care of the rest.
But is there nothing required of us? Let the scriptures speak. ‘ Yet for all this will I be inquired of,” or sought unto, ‘* by the house of Israel,” Ezek. xxxvi. 37. otherwise let them look for no such things. He that will not ask in faith, “let not that man think he shall receive any thing of the Lord,” Jam. i. 7. And can he think to receive anything who neither believes nor prays? who neither prays in faith, nor prays at all? ‘“It is God works in you both to will and to do,” Phil. ii. 12, 13. What then? Therefore sit you still and do nothing? No such matter; therefore “‘ work out sour salvation with fear and trembling,” saith the apostle. The promise of God was never intended to make the command of God of none effect. God, in promising grace, promises a power for duty; and as he doth not give, so we must not receive that power or grace of God, in vain. Whilst he gives what he requires, he still requires what he gives. That promise of God, “‘ Ye shall be my people,” though he undertake to make it good, yet it is also the matter of our stipulation. And in this promise, wherein the Lord assures us what we shall be, is included a precept, wherein we may understand what we ought to be.
In undertaking to give us a new heart, a tender and obedient, a persevering heart, the Lord doth promise, both to make us what we should be, and to help us in what we are bound to do, and give us at
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once a clear hint, both of our mercy and duty. This 7 is the sense and sum of that promise, The Lord will work all that in us, and will help and cause us to
’ perform all that which is required unto salvation;
and so the promise on God’s part, doth not make void, but establish the obligation on ours. Do we then make void the law through faith? Nay, we establish the law.
Though it be certain as to the event, that all which is necessary to salvation shall be accomplished in us — God hath undertaken that, yet it is altogether as certain, that God hath made our loving him, fearing him, obeying his whole will, and our sincerity and perseverance herein, so necessary that we cannot otherwise be saved.
Christians, mistake not, nor abuse the grace of the gospel. The Lord never meant your mercy should make void your obligation to duty. Redemption from sin was never intended as a toleration of sin. He gives not his Spirit in favour of the flesh. What he undertakes to work for you was never with a mind to maintain you in idleness. The grace of God that bringeth salvation teacheth us, “that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world,” Tit. ti. 11, 12.
Though you are saved by grace; yet you are still, in a sense, debtors to the whole law. Perfect obedience to the whole law, even to the utmost iota, is still due from you; and if it be not in your hearts to pay all that you owe, that is, if there be any duty commanded in the whole book of God, that you dispense with, that you will not set your hearts to observe and obey, if there be any one sin that you must be excused in, and will not part with; if there be any, the highest pitch of holy care, activity, industry, zeal for God and holiness, that you will not be persuaded to press hard after ; — this is an evidence of such an unsound heart, as hath no part in the gospel, or the salvation thereof. Perfection is still due, though sincerity will be accepted. Sincerity shall be accepted, but what is sincerity less than a hearty willingness to be perfect, attested by a striving and pressing on to that mark which is set before us. -
O admire and bless the Lord, the Lord for grace! but do not turn the grace of God into licentiousness, Shall we continue in sin, because grace hath abounded? Will ye thus requite the Lord? Will ye thus deceive yourselves, O foolish people and un. wise? Will you slight him, because he hath loved you? kick at him, because he hath cared for you? shake off his yoke, because he hath secured you the crown? Will you serve his enemies, because he hath saved you from them? Will you nourish your diseases, because he hath said he will cure you? Will you live and not eat? reap and not plough? Will you not eat, because he hath given you meat? Will you not run, because he hath given you legs? nor work because he hath given you hands? nor watch because he hath given you eyes? Or will you tempt the Lord, and call it your trust in him? Awake from such madness.
Christians, say not, If God will, I shall; whether I take care or not, believe or not, repent or not, be Obedient or rebellious, whether I awake or sleep, work or be idle; my unbelief, my disobedience, my negligence shall not make the faith of God of none effect. But rather, since God hath said, You shall, let thine heart answer, I will walk in his statutes; arise, O my soul, up and be doing; work out. thy salvation, because it is God that worketh in thee to will and to do. Shake off thy sloth, set to thy work, run out thy race, since God hath said, Thou shalt not run, nor labour in vain. And look to it, for however thy idleness, or greatest unfaithfulness, will not make void the covenant of God; yet will it make manifest, that thou hast no part nor lot in it. But to all these glorious things that have been spoken, possibly some will reply; O, if all this be so, then happy saints indeed! ‘ Happy are the people that are in such a case; yea, blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.” But will the Lord indeed do all these things for mortals? Will he take notice of worms? Shall such dry bones live? Will he set such vile dust as the apple of his eye? Is not this too good to be true? too great to be believed? Are we not all this while but ina dream, or a fool’s paradise? O that I were sure the one half were as it hath been told.me! Too great to be believed! As if it must be questioned whether the sun be light because it dazzles our eyes. But what certainty would you have? Is all this too great fur the great and Almighty God to do, who hath said, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts,” Isa. lv. 9. Can he not do it, who can do all things? Will he not do it, when he hath said he will? Will the Lord mock? Can God deceive? Shall his word, yea, and his oath too, those two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, can these fail? If you should hear the Lord himself speaking to you from heaven with audible voice, My covenant I make with thee, and it is my intent and purpose to perform every word that is written in it, according to the plain import ’
and meaning thereof; there shall not a tittle fail, neither will I alter the thing that is gone forth of my lips. Heaven and earth shall fail, but my word’ shall not fail; trust to it, trust everlasting truth, trust to everlasting strength. Fear not, for there shall not fail one word of all that I have spoken by all my servants the prophets.
If you should hear the Lord speaking thus to you from heaven, what would you say Would not this satisfy you? Why search the scriptures, that ‘‘ more sure word of prophecy,” 2 Pet.i. 19. Read them diligently, understand what thou readest, and then say, if thou dost not there find the Lord speaking fully to thee the following words.