they had been of us, they would no doubt have 'continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifeft, that they were not all of us.' Chap. iii. 9. 'Whofoever is born ' of God, doth not commit fin; for his feed re'maineth in him and he cannot fin, because he ' is born of God.' They may lofe the Evidence, and much of the Measure and Exercise of their Grace: I. 1. 10. Who is among you that feareth 'the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his fervant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him truft in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.' Rev. ii. 4. 5. I have fomewhat against thee, because thou haft left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.' Cant. v. 2. 3. 'I fleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my 'beloved that knocketh, faying, Open to me, my fifter, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I have put off my coat, how fhall I put it on? I have washed my feet, 'how fhall I defile them?' But they can never fall away from Grace finally, fo as never to recover it: Pet. i. 5. forecited. John vi. 39.

And this is the Father's will which hath fent "me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lofe nothing, but fhould raife it up again at the laft day. Chap. viii. 35. The fervant abideth 'not in the houfe for ever; but the Son abideth ' ever. Nor can they fall away from it totally, fo as to lofe it altogether for fhorter or longer time, 1 John iii. 9. above cited. Jer. xxxii. 40. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them

good;

&

good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they fhall not depart from me.' Thofe then who fall away totally and finally, from the Faith or Holinefs of the Gospel they fometimes feemed to have, are fuch as never had true Grace, 1 John ii. 19. forecited. This Perfeverance of the Saints doth not arife from the Nature of Grace itself implanted in them; for of itfelf it would wither away and die out, if it were not fed: . xxvii. 3. I the Lord do keep it, I 'will water it every moment; left any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. John xv. 5. 6. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is caft forth as a branch, and is withered.' But it arifeth from their infeparable Union with Chrift, the perpetual Indwelling of his Spirit in them, the continual Interceffion of Chrift for them, and the Nature of the Covenant of Grace, and Decree of Election: 1 Cor. i. 8. 9. Who fhall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jefus Chrift. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jefus Christ our Lord.' Compared with John xiv. 19. Because I live, ye fhall live alfo.' And verf. 16, I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another Comforter, that he may, abide with you for ever. Compared with Chap. xvi. 15. All things that the Father hath, are mine; therefore. faid I, that he shall take of mine, and shall fhew it unto you.' Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft, that come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make interceffion

1

D

<interceffion for them. Compared with Luke xxii. 32. I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. Jer. xxxii. 40. forecited. 2 Tim. ii. 19. The foundation of God ftandeth fure, having this fcal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.' The Ground in Law on which this Privilege of Perfeve rance is thus fecured to them, is, that Chrift the Second Adam hath perfectly fulfilled the Condition of the Covenant: Gal. iii. 12. And the law is not of faith; but, The man that doth them, fhall live in them. Compared with Heb. x. 38. 39. 'Now the juft fhall live by faith but if any man draw back, my foul fhall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe, to the faving of the foul,' And Rom. x. 4. For Chrift is the <end of the law for righteousness to every one that < believeth.'

Queft. 37. What Benefits do Believers receive from Chrift. at Death?

Anf The Souls of Believers are, at their Death, made, perfect in Holiness, and do immediately pafs into Glory; and their Bodies, being ftill united to Chrift, do reft in their Graves till the Refurrection.

EXPLICATION.

Death came into the World by Sin: Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by one man fin entered into

the

the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned.' They who, being out of Chrift, die in their Sins, die in virtue of the Curfe of the broken Law or Covenant of Works: Gen. ii. 17. 'But of the tree of 'the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest there' of, thou fhalt furely die.' Compared with Rom. iii. 19. Now we know that what things foever the law faith, it faith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." Chap. vi. 23. The wages of fin is death.' Compared with 1 Cor. xv. 56. The fting of death is

:

fin; and the strength of fin is the law.' And the State their Souls are in, from Death until the Refurrection, is, that being caft into Hell, they remain there in Torments and utter Darkness : Luke xvi. 23. 24. And in hell he [the rich man] lift up his eyes being in torments, and feeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bolom. And he cried, and faid, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and fend Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. Jude 6. 7. And the angels which kept not their firft eftate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknefs, unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like manner, giving themfélves over to fornication, and go⚫ing after ftrange flesh, are fet forth for an example, fuffering the vengeance of eternal fire.' The State their Bodies are in, in the Grave, is, that they are kept there as in their Prifon, Jude 6. 7. forecited.

They

They that are effectually called into Union and Communion with Chrift, do not die in virtue of the Curse of the broken Law or Covenant of Works: Rom. vii. 4. Wherefore, my brethren, ye alfo are become dead to the law by the body of Chrift; that ye fhould be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.' Gal. iii. 13. 'Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for. us.' Compared with Rev. xiv. 13. And I heard a voice from heaven, 'faying unto me, Write, Bleffed are the dead

which die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, 'faith the Spirit, that they may reft from their la'bours; and their works do follow them.' And John viii. 51. 'Verily verily I fay unto you, If a man keep my faying, he fhall never fee death.' But they die in Conformity to Chrift their Head, that as Death came in by Sin, Sin may go out by Death: Rom. viii. 29. For whom he did fore< know, he also did predeftinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the 'first-born among many brethren.' Compared with Col. i. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firft-born from the dead; that in all things he might have 'the pre-eminence.' And I Cor. xv. 20. Now 'is Chrift rifen from the dead, and become the firft-fruits of them that flept.' verf. 23. But every man in his own order: Chrift the first. fruits, afterward they that are Chrift's, at his coming.' Rom. viii. 10. And if Chrift be in you, 'the body is dead, because of fin; but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness.'. Death then doth