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Show Vpm ~hat the Saint1 15. He tells th em he wodd be as a Vine,and they as thebra>~chu: Bllt 1 tha!l uot cnlarsc upon thts Head: b<caule L ~ ve m·God rs manitci\ cd by his a tis of Grace, to whtch I 01all tn the next place fpeak. Secondly We fay thfir Prrfoverallcr is founded 11po11 an immutJble de:ree, ( that of Election we .mean ): The Foundatim of God {landetb fore (faith the Apollle, 2 'Jim, 2. ! 9·) 'Ihe Lord k,.no;,eth who are his, God hath ordaintd fame t• tverlafting life: This the Scripture fpeaketh fulliciently, AEls '3· 48. and in many other places : now this being a Counfel and purpofe of God, the quel\ion is, whether it be immutable o~ no ~ A~d certainly faber Perfons may eafily fatisli.e themfelves tn th<S, tf they would but confider, upon what th~ mt~tability a~d changeablene!S of our purpofes depends, which can be nothmg elf~ but our rgnoran~•· We !hould never alter any purpofe we make rf we had a certam knowkdg, and forefight of things which ":ould afterward come to pafs. But God did certainly know all tht_ngs tha! !hould come 1 o pafs, nothing could fo come to pafs, wuhout hrs tfficmtcy or permiffion: now confidering this fulncfs .ofknowl~dg in God, what reafon can we imagin for ,the uncertamty of hts purpofe, unlefs we could imagiR God as incerrain as fome foollfh man, that never knoweth his own mind. The Union betwixt Chrill and them mull abide for ever becaufe God by an unchangeable purpofe hath ordai>ud them to ev'erlafting life : yea and ordained them unto go•d fllork.f a/fo, ·tbattbty jhoultJ wal~ in them as the means ht order to this end. Thirdly, We fay tbeir Per(everance, and the certainty of ,their abiding fpiritual ftate , is founded upon an unalterable Coven4nt. A Covenant there is, 1. between God and Cbrift a5 their hc.ad and furety; and 2. between God ant!. them, both of them certam, and inalterable : we believe an eternalllipulation between the Eternal Father and his S011; wherein Chrill both Covenanted with his Father for himfelf, aJ the bead of the elelJ, that he wouf.d d.o whatfoever the will of God was as to the means of purchafe m order to the fatisfaction of divine Jullice for the fins of the elect. And ·for them as he was the forety of the e,lel1: That. they through his Grace, ;ind in his llrcngth, fhould repent, believe, and do what the eternal Father required of them. And the Father Covenanted with his Son that he would accept of what he fhould do and fuifer, The plt~/IITt of the Lord fhou/tl pr.jper in hit band, be fhould foe PerfeveraHct it fo11nded. • fie oft be 1r~vel of his Soul and be Jiltirjied: And the eled: bellev. ing in him !hould be fa ved: It were eafie enough to make out this Covenant to you from variety of Scriptures, (and· I have heretofore done it): my prefent bufinefs, is only to aver the cert4inty of this Covenant: Armlnians make a !\range Covenant, and fuch • •ne IH noHewould tak!. They would' make the Covenant to be no more, than that 'Rihofoever believpb fhaU be filved. This indeed is what we are bound to Preach, we know not whom God hath · chofen, but fulfill the command ofChritl in holding out the Gofpel to all: but can any imagin, that the Omnifcient God fhould make fuch a Covenant with his Son, who from all eternity, both knew who would, and who would not believe. The reafon of our i;certain, and condition all Covenants, and purpofcs, is our ignorance; but the alknowing God could have no reafon for fuch a Covenant. The Covenant was doubtlefs ·certain, both as to Perfons and Things, and inalterable; therefore called an <verlafting Covenant, Hcb. 13·"·ao. Ezech. 37· 26. Ifoi.61. 8. not only from all eternity, but fuch as fhalllall, and abide to eternity: An e!lablilhed Covenant as the Scripture calls it. Fourthly, we fay, this abiding of their ft411 is founded. in a fuU and <ertain Redemption. I fay a full redemption, wherem all was li.nifhed and actually paid into the hands ofDivine Ju(lzcr. For all the fins of the elect, fo that a pard•n mull upon their exercifes of Faith iffire out unto them, upon their renewing fins; Chrill paid a full price for their fins, for all their fins: yea _and it was a cert~in Redemption • .Arminian1 fancy fuch a Redempnon, as was confillenr; though not one Perfon had been fined; they. tell us that Chrill laid down his -life upon thefe terms, That af men would believe k fhould be applied ~o them~ but w~ether they would or. no, was at all moos choice. Accordmg to thts Dochme Chrills.hlood might have been fhed in vain as to all the world, we bclievc1hat Chrill hat! a 'certain numbcr·of· !heep that he knew by namej' and.!Jad.,heir ·natt1es wr!tten•in the book of Life; ~~at for thcfe he laid down his life, to purchafe not a meet pof!ibrhty but a aert~inty. of Salvation for •them : Which being fo, it is necelfary they lhould perfcvere-, or._atl the fruit ~f Chrills blo?d had been loll J> J forbtar Scriptures in thefe fo ordrnary and plarn fubjeds, bdieving you ab)e eno?gh to turn •Ill ~ripture~ to prove thefe things. I laydo.,.,ll my life for the Jhetp, fatth Chratt, Jo. 1q. 15· v. a7. I k,."o•.them, tbeyfoUow'mt ;•nd It,ive unt.,bem eternal fi, ~nd they fhaU never perijh. 1· We . |