Christian Classics
‹ A Body of Doctrinal Divinity
Contents
Chapter 1. Of the Being of GodChapter 2. Of the Holy Scriptures · Part 1Chapter 2. Of the Holy Scriptures · Part 2Chapter 2. Of the Holy Scriptures · Part 3Chapter 3. Of the Names of GodChapter 4. Of the Nature of GodChapter 5. Of The Attributes of God In General, and of his Immutability In ParticularChapter 6. Of The Infinity Of God, His Omnipresence And EternityChapter 7. Of The Life Of GodChapter 8. Of The Omnipotence Of GodChapter 9. Of The Omniscience Of GodChapter 10. Of The Wisdom Of GodChapter 11. Of The Will Of God, And The Sovereignty Of ItChapter 12. Of The Love Of GodChapter 13. Of The Grace Of GodChapter 14. Of The Mercy Of GodChapter 15. Of The Longsuffering Of GodChapter 16. Of The Goodness Of GodChapter 17. Of The Anger And Wrath Of GodChapter 18. Of The Hatred Of GodChapter 19. Of The Joy Of GodChapter 20. Of The Holiness Of GodChapter 21. Of The Justice Or Righteousness Of GodChapter 22. Of The Veracity Of GodChapter 23. Of The Faithfulness Of GodChapter 24. Of The Sufficiency And Perfection Of GodChapter 25. Of The Blessedness Of GodChapter 26. Of The Unity Of GodChapter 27. Of A Plurality In The Godhead; Or, A Trinity Of Persons In The Unity Of The Divine EssenceChapter 28. Of The Personal Relations; Or, Relative Properties Which Distinguish The Three Divine Persons In The Deity · Part 1Chapter 28. Of The Personal Relations; Or, Relative Properties Which Distinguish The Three Divine Persons In The Deity · Part 2Chapter 28. Of The Personal Relations; Or, Relative Properties Which Distinguish The Three Divine Persons In The Deity · Part 3Chapter 28. Of The Personal Relations; Or, Relative Properties Which Distinguish The Three Divine Persons In The Deity · Part 4Chapter 29. Of The Distinct Personality, And Deity Of The FatherChapter 30. Of The Distinct Personality, And Deity Of The SonChapter 31. Of The Distinct Personality, And Deity Of The Holy SpiritChapter 1. Of The Internal Acts And Works Of God; And Of His Decrees In GeneralChapter 2. Of The Special Decrees Of God, Relating To Rational Creatures, Angels, And Men; And Particularly Of Election · Part 1Chapter 2. Of The Special Decrees Of God, Relating To Rational Creatures, Angels, And Men; And Particularly Of Election · Part 2Chapter 2. Of The Special Decrees Of God, Relating To Rational Creatures, Angels, And Men; And Particularly Of Election · Part 3Chapter 3. Of The Decree Of Rejection, Of Some Angels, And Of Some MenChapter 4. Of The Eternal Union Of The Elect Of God Unto HimChapter 5. Of Other Eternal And Immanent Acts In God, Particularly Adoption And JustificationChapter 6. Of The Everlasting Council Between The Three Divine Persons, Concerning The Salvation Of MenChapter 7. Of The Everlasting Covenant Of Grace, Between The Father, And The Son, And The Holy SpiritChapter 8. Of The Part Which The Father Takes In The CovenantChapter 9. Of The Part The Son Of God, The Second Person, Has Taken In The CovenantChapter 10. Of Christ, As The Covenant Head Of The ElectChapter 11. Of Christ, The Mediator Of The CovenantChapter 12. Of Christ, The Surety Of The CovenantChapter 13. Of Christ, The Testator Of The CovenantChapter 14. Of The Concern The Spirit Of God Has In The Covenant Of GraceChapter 15. Of The Properties Of The Covenant Of GraceChapter 16. Of The Complacency And Delight God Had In Himself, And The Divine Persons In Each Other, Before Any Creature Was Brought Into BeingChapter 1. Of Creation In GeneralChapter 2. Of The Creation Of AngelsChapter 3. Of The Creation Of ManChapter 4. Of The Providence of God · Part 1Chapter 4. Of The Providence of God · Part 2Chapter 4. Of The Providence of God · Part 3Chapter 4. Of The Providence of God · Part 4Chapter 4. Of The Providence of God · Part 5Chapter 5. Of The Confirmation Of The Elect Angels, And The Fall Of The Non-ElectChapter 6. Of the Honour and Happiness of Man In a State of InnocencyChapter 7. Of the Law Given to Adam, and the Covenant Made with him in his State of Innocence; in which he was the Federal Head and Representative of his PosterityChapter 8. Of the Sin and Fall of our First ParentsChapter 9. Of the Nature, Aggravations, and Sad Effects Of the Sin of ManChapter 10. Of the Imputation of Adam’s Sin to All his PosterityChapter 11. Of The Of The Corruption Of Human NatureChapter 12. Of Actual Sins and TransgressionsChapter 13. Of the Punishment of SinChapter 1. Of the Manifestation and Administration of the Covenant of GraceChapter 2. Of the Exhibitions of the Covenant of Grace in the Patriarchal StateChapter 3. Of the Exhibitions of the Covenant of Grace Under the Mosaic DispensationChapter 4. Of the Covenant of Grace, as Exhibited in the Times of David, and the Succeeding Prophets, to the Coming of ChristChapter 5. Of the Abrogation of the Old Covenant, Or First Administration of it, And the Introduction of the New, Or Second Administration of it.Chapter 6. Of the Law of GodChapter 7. Of the GospelChapter 1. Of the Incarnation of ChristChapter 3. Of Christ’s State of HumiliationChapter 3. Of the Active Obedience of Christ in His State of HumiliationChapter 4. Of the Passive Obedience of Christ, or of His Sufferings and DeathChapter 5. Of the Burial of ChristChapter 6. Of the Resurrection of Christ from the DeadChapter 7. Of the Ascension of Christ to HeavenChapter 8. Of the Session of Christ at the Right Hand of GodChapter 9. Of the Prophetic Office of ChristChapter 10. Of the Priestly Office of ChristChapter 11. Of the Intercession of ChristChapter 12. Of Christ’s Blessing His People as a PriestChapter 13. Of the Kingly Office of ChristChapter 14. Of the Spiritual Reign of ChristChapter 1. Of Redemption by ChristChapter 2. Of the Causes of Redemption by ChristChapter 3. Of the Objects of Redemption by ChristChapter 4. Of those Texts of Scripture which seem to Favour Universal RedemptionChapter 5. Of The Satisfaction of ChristChapter 6. Of Propitiation, Atonement, and Reconciliation, as Ascribed to ChristChapter 7. Of The Pardon of SinChapter 8. Of Justification · Part 1Chapter 8. Of Justification · Part 2Chapter 8. Of Justification · Part 3Chapter 9. Of AdoptionChapter 10. Of the Liberty of the Sons of GodChapter 11. Of RegenerationChapter 12.Of Effectual CallingChapter 13. Of ConversionChapter 14. Of SanctificationChapter 15. Of the Perseverance of the Saints · Part 1Chapter 15. Of the Perseverance of the Saints · Part 2Chapter 15. Of the Perseverance of the Saints · Part 3Chapter 15. Of the Perseverance of the Saints · Part 4Chapter 1. Of the Death of the BodyChapter 2. Of the Immortality of the SoulChapter 3. Of the Separate State of the Soul until the Resurrection, and its Employment in that StateChapter 4. Of the Resurrection of the BodyChapter 5. Of the Second Coming of Christ, and His Personal AppearanceChapter 6. Of the Conflagration of the UniverseChapter 7. Of the New Heavens and Earth, and the Inhabitants of themChapter 8. Of the Millennium, or Personal Reign of Christ with the Saints on the New Earth a Thousand Years · Part 1Chapter 8. Of the Millennium, or Personal Reign of Christ with the Saints on the New Earth a Thousand Years · Part 2Chapter 8. Of the Millennium, or Personal Reign of Christ with the Saints on the New Earth a Thousand Years · Part 3Chapter 8. Of the Millennium, or Personal Reign of Christ with the Saints on the New Earth a Thousand Years · Part 4Chapter 8. Of the Millennium, or Personal Reign of Christ with the Saints on the New Earth a Thousand Years · Part 5Chapter 9. Of the Last and General JudgmentChapter 10. Of the Final State of the Wicked in HellChapter 11. Of the Final State of the Saints in Heaven

John Gill · 110 of 127

Chapter 15. Of the Perseverance of the Saints · Part 2

2a3. The power of God is greatly concerned in this affair. Such who are , according to the foreknowledge of God, and are by his , are “kept by his power to salvation”, so that they shall never perish, but be everlastingly saved. Not only salvation is appointed as walls and bulwarks to them, which is a sufficient security; but God himself is a wall of fire about them; and no enemy can possibly break through such walls, bulwarks, and fortifications, to destroy them. God is all powerful, his power is irresistible, nothing can withstand it, nor overcome it; nothing in earth and hell is a match for it. And this power of his can never be weakened, nor his hand shortened, that he cannot save; which must be the case, if any of those kept by his power perish.

2a4. The goodness, , and mercy of God, confirm this truth. “The mercy of God is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him”; which it would not be, should any of those that truly fear him perish; “His compassions fail not”; which they would, should any of his be consumed; but because of his tender mercies they are not consumed: nor can it be thought that that God, who is “gracious and merciful, abundant in goodness and truth”; who has, of his “abundant mercy, begotten again his ”; and because he is “rich in mercy”, and for his “great love” to them, has “” them when “dead in trespasses and sins”; will, after all this, suffer them to fall, so as to perish everlastingly; no, “the Lord will perfect that which concerneth” them, his work of upon them, and the whole salvation of them: the reason is, “Thy mercy, O Lord, endures for ever!” and then follows a prayer of faith; “Forsake not the work of thine own hands!” which God never will (Ps. 138:8).

2a5. The justice of God makes the of the necessary. God is righteous in all his ways and works, and so in the work of salvation. He is a just God, and a Saviour; his justice is, and must be glorified, in the salvation of men, as the other attributes of his and it is through Christ’s making satisfaction for sin, and bringing in everlasting . And can it be imagined, that God should accept of the of his Son, and express a well pleasedness in it, because by it his law is magnified and made honourable; that he should it to his people, and give them faith to receive it, and plead it as their ; and yet, after all, suffer them to perish? Nay, where could be his justice, to punish those for whose sins Christ has made satisfaction, and God himself has discharged upon it? It is not consistent with the justice of God to punish sin twice; once in the surety, and again in those he has ; which must be the case, if any for whom Christ suffered should perish eternally; for to perish eternally is the same as to be punished with everlasting destruction.

2a6. The faithfulness of God secures the final of the ; God is faithful to his counsels, to his , and to his promises concerning their salvation, and will never suffer his faithfulness to fail; which must fail if they perish. But God is faithful, who has called them by his , and will confirm them to the end; will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear; will establish them, and keep them from evil; and will preserve them blameless to the coming of Christ; faithful is he who has promised, who also will do it.

2b. Secondly, the final of the may be concluded from the purposes and decrees of God; which are infrustrable, and are always accomplished; “The Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it?” or make it void, and of no effect? and “his hand is stretched out”, to execute his purposes, “and who shall turn it back” from doing the thing he is resolved on? as he has “thought, so shall it come to pass”; and as he has “purposed, it shall stand” (Isa. 14:24, 27), though there may be a thousand devices in the hearts of men and devils, they can never counteract, nor undermine the decrees of God. His “counsel shall stand”, every purpose of his, and particularly his “purpose according to ”; which stands not upon the foot of “works”, but upon the will “of him that calls”, which is unalterable and irreversible. “The hath obtained”, or the , in all ages, have obtained , life, and salvation; it is not possible they should be deceived; nor can any charge be laid against them by law or justice, and therefore must be saved. is an ordination of men to eternal life, and therefore they shall never die the second death; it is an appointment of them to salvation, and therefore they shall be saved; they are chosen to obtain the glory of Christ, through of the Spirit, and belief of the truth; and accordingly they are by the Spirit, and do believe in Christ, who is the truth, and shall be glorified; for between their and , there is an inseparable connection; “Whom he did —them he also glorified” (Rom. 9:12, 13; 11:7; 8:30).

2c. Thirdly, the argument in favour of the final , receives great strength from the promises of God, which are sure, and are all yea and amen in Christ, and are always fulfilled; not one of the good things God has promised has ever failed; and many are his promises, as has been observed, concerning the of his people; as that they shall hold on their way, and be stronger and stronger; that he will not turn away from them; and they shall never depart from him; with a multitude of others; and, in general, he has promised, he will never leave nor forsake them: and therefore it is impossible they should perish; for then his promises and his faithfulness in them would be of none effect; which ought not to be said.

2d. Fourthly, this truth may be further confirmed from the gracious acts of God, flowing from his everlasting and unchangeable love. The love of God to his people is an everlasting love, which it would not be should they perish; for none can perish and remain the objects of his love: but his love always remains, it is never taken away, nor does it ever depart, nor can there be any separation from it; and consequently those interested in it can never be finally and totally lost: and there are many acts of arising from this love, which show it; not to take notice of the act of before observed, which secures their salvation; nor the of , from the perpetuity of which this point has been argued; nor the act of putting the into Christ’s hands, from they can never be plucked; there are several others which ascertain the same thing; two or three of which I shall mention.

2d1. The of the children of God into his family; by which he takes them for his sons and daughters; which is a wonderful instance of his love (1 John 3:1), now to this they are according to the good pleasure of his will; and this and appointment of them to is his will to adopt them; and his will to adopt them is the of them; this is what is called a putting them among the children (Jer. 3:19), and whom God puts among the children, and accounts as such, it is not in the power of men or devils to put them out; nor can they put out themselves, should they even desire it, or express their contentment to be no longer sons but to be servants; it is impracticable and not to be admitted, as the case of the prodigal shows (Luke 15:19, 21), the blessing is bestowed in the of , and is irreversible; Christ by his as made way for the reception of it, which makes his a plenteous one, this with other blessings of , being included in it; and to them that receive him, and believe in him, he gives a power to become the sons of God; his Spirit witnesses to theirs that they are so, and by faith it becomes manifest. Now between sonship and heirship there is a close connection: “if a son, no more a servant of sin and Satan, and the world, but an heir of God through Christ; if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ” (Gal. 4:7; Rom. 8:17), and can a child of God become a child of the devil? shall an heir of heaven be seen in the flames of hell? or shall one that is a joint heir with Christ, come short of the incorruptible inheritance? no, that is reserved for them, and they are kept to that by the power of God.

2d2. is another act of God’s free , and the fruit of his ancient love (Rom. 3:24; 5:17), the sentence is pronounced in the mind of God by himself, and none can reverse it; it is God that , and who shall condemn? such as are by him can never come into condemnation and everlastingly perish; otherwise how could he be just, and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus; if, after all, notwithstanding his of the of his Son to them, and the of them by it, and their reception of it by faith, they should be condemned? or how would Christ’s be an everlasting and answer for his people in a time to come, should they be condemned with the world and excluded from the kingdom of heaven? or how would this of his be unto of life? or what would signify their being made heirs of eternal life through it? or of what avail would their title to it by it be unto them, if after all they perish eternally? But the connection between and is inseparable; “whom he them he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30), and most certain it is, that the righteous, who are by Christ’s shall go into everlasting life when the wicked will go into eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46).

2d3. Pardon of sin is another act of the riches of divine , and flows from unmerited and distinguishing love. Those whom God forgives for Christ’s sake, on account of his blood shed for the remission of their sins, and upon the foot of satisfaction made for them by him, he forgives all their ; not one sin is left unforgiven; and if so, how can they be destroyed or perish everlastingly? Is it possible that a man should go to hell with a full and free pardon of all his sins in his hands? Was ever any man executed, having received the king’s pardon? and especially can it be thought that any whom the King of kings has pardoned, whose acts can never be made void, should yet suffer everlasting punishment for sin? no, when “the of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none” to be laid to their charge, being cleared of all; and “the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found”, nor any bill on account of them be found against them, and that for this reason; “for I will pardon them whom I reserve”, that is, for himself; and if reserved for himself, being fully pardoned by his , they shall be preserved from everlasting destruction.

2e. Fifthly, The final in to glory, and security from ruin and destruction, may be concluded from the love of Christ to them, his interest in them, and theirs in him. Christ’s love to them was from everlasting, his delights were with those sons of men before the world was, and from it nothing can separate them: “having loved his own, which were in the world, he loves them to the end” (John 13:1), to the end of their lives, and to all eternity; and therefore they can never perish. And they are not only the objects of his love, dear unto him, but they are his care and charge, who are committed to him to be kept by him; and he has undertook the care of them, has eternal life to give them, and does give it to them, and they shall never perish, but have it; yea, they have it already, a right unto it and earnest of it; and as they are his Father’s “gift” to him, to be preserved by him, so they are the “purchase” of his blood, the flock he has purchased with it, and he will not lose one of them; should he, so far his blood would be shed for nought, and his death be in vain. They are “members” of his body, and can never be separated from it; should they, even the least member of them, his body, the church, would not be “the fulness of him that filleth all in all”; if anyone member in a natural body should be wanting, even the least, it would not be a complete body; and this would be the case of Christ’s mystical body, should any member in it perish; but as sure as Christ the head lives, so sure shall every member of his body live also, and never die. They are his “children”, his spiritual seed and offspring, to whom he stands in the relation of an “everlasting Father”; these are a “seed” that it is promised he shall see and enjoy for ever, and that they shall “endure for ever”; nor shall anyone of them be missing at the great day; but Christ will present them to his Father complete and safe, who gave them to him, saying, “Lo, I, and the children thou hast given me!” They are his “spouse” and bride, whom he has betrothed to himself in lovingkindness, and that for ever, to whom he stands in the relation of an “husband”; and between whom there is a conjugal and indissoluble union; whom he has so loved as to give himself for, to and cleanse, and make them spotless and glorious in his sight; and after all the cost and pains he has been at to make her so, can it be thought he will suffer this choice one, and beloved spouse of his, or any of them that make up this spiritual body, to perish eternally? They are his “portion, and the lot of his inheritance”, his Father has given him, and he is well pleased with; they are his “jewels”, and he will never lose any of them; they are a crown of glory, and a royal diadem in his hand; his Hephzibah, in whom he delights; his Beulah, to whom he is married, and he will employ all his power in the preservation and security of them. They are on him the “foundation” laid in Zion, which is sure and everlasting; on which all those who are laid are safe, and from they can never be removed by all the winds and waves, storms and tempests, raised by sin, Satan, and the world; they are built upon a rock immovable, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. They are interested in the of Christ, which is always prevalent; for he is always heard; and he ever lives to make for them; not only for all the necessary supplies of , for to help them in time of need; but for their eternal (John 17:24). Lastly, Christ is making “preparations” in heaven for them; he is gone beforehand, and entered into heaven as their forerunner, and in their name to take possession for them; he is gone to prepare a place, and fit up mansions of glory for them; and has promised to come and take them to himself, that where he is they may be also (John 14:2, 3). And are these mansions preparing in vain? and shall these seats and dwelling places be empty of those for whom they are designed, or any of them? this would be the case should any perish for whom Christ is gone to prepare a place.

2f. Sixthly, A further proof of this doctrine may be taken from the work of , and the nature of it; and from the Spirit’s concern in it, as the author of it, in those in whom it is wrought. is an incorruptible seed, that never dies; it always remains, and is the reason why those in whom it is shall not sin unto death, or so sin as to die eternally: it is a well of living water, springing up unto eternal life: and glory are inseparably connected; to whom God gives the one, he assuredly gives the other. The several particular graces of which the work consists, are ones, as faith, hope, and love (1 Cor. 13:13). Faith ever remains; it is more precious than gold that perisheth; and for that reason, among others, because it perishes not, when gold does; Christ, who is the author, is the finisher of it; though it may sometimes seem as if it would fill, it shall not fail, through his powerful and prevalent mediation; he that truly believes in Christ, shall be most certainly saved by him, if there is any truth in the gospel of Christ. “Hope”, though a lowly , is a lively one; however, is always a living one, and is an anchor sure and stedfast; and is of great use to the under all his trials and afflictions in life, and will continue with him till death; “For the righteous hath hope in his death”; nor will it ever make ashamed, because it never disappoints, nor is disappointed. Love, though it sometimes waxes cold, and the first love may be left, though not lost; it is of such a nature, that all the floods of afflictions, persecution, and temptations, can never quench. The church in darkness, and without the presence of Christ, and sight of him, could even then describe him as the Person whom her soul loved. Peter, though he fell so grievously, through the temptations of Satan, yet did not lose his love to Christ; but upon first meeting with him, when asked the question, and that repeated again and again, declared he did love him; yea, he appeals to him, as the omniscient God, that he knew he loved him. The Spirit of God is the author of this work of ; it is he who begins it, and will perform it, till the day of Christ, and finish what he has begun. He has his residence in the hearts of the Lord’s people, and dwells in them, as in his temple; nor does he ever utterly depart from them; he is given to with them, and he does. Yea he is given as the earnest and pledge of their glorious inheritance; and having such an earnest, can they doubt, or have any reason to doubt, of their full enjoyment of it, since by him, they are sealed unto the day of ? In a word, the glory of the three divine Persons is concerned in the final of the ; for should they, or any of them perish, where would be the glory of the Father in choosing them to salvation? and the glory of the Son in them? and the glory of the Spirit in the of them? respecting them, their glory would be lost, should they come short of heaven and happiness; but since the doctrine of the final is bound together with this threefold cord, which cannot be broken, the certainty of it may be depended upon. I proceed,

3a. To answer to, and remove the objections made, to this doctrine.

3a. First, from some passages of scripture which may seem to be contrary unto it; or, however, are brought to disprove it.

3a1. The first passage of scripture, and which is usually set in the front of those that are brought against the final , is Ezekiel 18:24. “But when the righteous turneth away front his ”, &c. from it is concluded, that a man may be truly just and good, and yet become a very wicked man, and die in his sins, and perish everlastingly.

3a1a. The scope of the chapter should be attended to; which is to vindicate the justice of God in the dispensations of his towards the people of Israel: they had a proverb much in use among them, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”: the meaning of which was, their fathers had sinned, and they their children were punished for their sins; upon which they charged the ways of God with inequality and injustice. In answer to which, the Lord says, that whereas all souls were his, as the soul of the father, so the soul of the son, it was the soul that sinned that should die, or be punished with one temporal calamity or another; that if a man was a just man, and behaved well, he should live comfortably and happily in the land; if not, he should die, as to civil enjoyment in it, and be removed from it; for,

3a1b. This chapter, and the context of it, only relate to the land of Israel, and to the house of Israel, the inhabitants of it; who, when first put into the possession of it, had a law given them; and according to their obedience, or disobedience to it, they were to live in the land, or be driven out of it; for they held their tenure by their obedience; if they were willing to serve the Lord, and keep his statutes, and be obedient to them, then they should eat the good of the land and enjoy the benefits of it (Isa. 1:19), but if they were disobedient, they were to be exiled from it, and be captives in another land; which was now their case, and of which they complained. And,

3a1c. By the “righteous man” in the text is not meant one truly righteous; no man is truly righteous by the works of the law in the sight of God, these being imperfect; but he that is made righteous, by the perfect obedience and of Christ to him, anti received by faith. But there is not a word in the text, nor context, of the obedience and of Christ, which is an “everlasting ”; from which no man that has it can turn, so as to die and perish eternally; for then it would not be everlasting: nor can a man that has true faith in this , or that lives by faith upon it, “commit ”; that is, live a sinful course of life, make a trade of sinning, addict himself wholly to it; for such a man is a servant of sin, a slave to it, and of the devil; which can never be said of a truly just and good man; for though there is not a just man that doth good and sinneth not, yet he doth not sin at such a rate as this; the “seed” of remains in him, and he cannot sin, as to do “all the abominations” the wicked man does. Nor can he die spiritually and eternally; the just man lives by faith upon that by which he becomes just; he lives by the faith of the Son of God; and he that lives and believes in Christ shall never die spiritually; and the of Christ is upon him, “unto of life”, and entitles him to eternal life; and therefore he shall never be hurt by the second death; he shall never come into condemnation; but being righteous, shall be “righteous still”, and evermore so. But this is to be understood of one that only seemed to be a righteous man, was so in the sight of others, and in his own account, but not really so; one that reckoned himself righteous by his “own ”, and “trusted in” that; (Ezek. 33:13) a that consisted of a few external, moral performances; as appears from Ezekiel 33:5-9 and from such a , or course of living, a man may turn, and give up himself to all manner of wickedness; and become like the dog and the swine in the proverb; when it would have been better if such a man had not known the way of , than after to have turned from the holy commandment delivered to him.

3a1d. The death here spoken of, and in other passages in this chapter; as in Ezekiel 33:23, 31, 32 is not an eternal death, or the death of the soul and body in hell; for this was now upon them, of which they were complaining, imagining it was for their fathers sins; but of some severe judgment, or sore calamity, or some great affliction, which is called a “death”; as in Exodus 10:17; 2 Cor. 1:10; 11:23 so here the exile of the Jews from their native country, and captivity in a foreign land, which was a civil death, is here so called; no argument cast be formed from hence to prove the perishing eternally. And,

3a1e. After all the words are only a supposition; “When”, or “if, a righteous man, turn from his ”; and a supposition puts nothing in being, proves nothing, is no instance of matter of fact; and all that can be concluded from the whole is, that a just man may sin, and be afflicted for sin, which he may, and yet be everlastingly saved.

3a2. Another passage of scripture brought against the final , and to prove their falling from , is the case of the stony ground hearer; who is said to “hear the word, and with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended” (Matthew 13:20, 21). Or as in Luke 8:13. “Which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away”. But it should be observed,

3a2a. That those persons thus described, were not truly good and gracious persons; for though the seed, or word, fell upon them, they were a rock, stony ground still; they were yet in a state of nature, no change or alteration in them; their hearts were as hard as an adamant stone; the stony heart was not taken away from them, nor an heart of flesh given them; otherwise the word would have had a place in them, took root in them, would have sprung up, and brought forth fruit.

3a2b. And though they received the word with “joy”, this is what a wicked man, a very wicked man, may do; and Herod did, who heard John “gladly”, though he afterwards took off his head; such a man may receive the word with a flash of natural affection, and be pleased with it; being so far enlightened, as to see the truth, the harmony of it, and some interesting things in it; he may flatter himself he shall share in; so that this joy arises only from a principle of self-love: such do not receive it as the Thessalonians did, “in much affliction, with joy of the ”; having been either in great distress of soul, on account of sin, when the gospel of peace and pardon coming to them, was joyfully received as good news and glad tidings; or though they were reproached and persecuted for hearing, receiving, and professing the gospel, they rejoiced at it, and abode by it: but so did not these stony ground hearers; for when tribulation or persecution arose because of the word, they were offended and gone; their joy was the joy of the hypocrite, which is but for a moment.

3a2c. The faith they had was but “for a while”, as it is expressed (Luke 8:13), it was a temporary faith, like that of Simon Magus, who, though he professed to believe, was in the gall of bitterness, and bond of ; their faith was not the faith of God’s ; for that stands sure, upon the same footing as electing itself does, from it springs; it was not that faith which is the gift of God; for his gifts of are without , and are never revoked, but always : not that faith which is the operation of God; for that is maintained and performed with power: not that faith of which Christ is the author; for of that he is the finisher; and though it is sometimes low and languid, he prays for it that it fail not.

3a2d. Those persons had no root in themselves, and therefore withered; they had not “the root of the matter” in them, as Job calls it, the truth of ; they were not rooted in the love of God, nor in Christ, and had not the of God rooted in them; otherwise they would have been fruitful and established; for “the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit”, and is “not moved” (Prov. 12:3, 12).

3a2e. Those persons are manifestly distinguished from the “good ground”, into which the seed was received (Matthew 13:23), and from an “honest and good heart”, in which they that heard the word kept it (Luke 8:15), and so were not truly good and gracious persons, on whom the good work of was begun; were not trees made good, and so they brought forth no good fruit: the withering and falling away of those are no proofs and instances of the so falling as to perish everlastingly.