Chapter 17 - Of the Perseverance of the Saints

Paragraph I

Those whom God has accepted in the beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, from which source he still begets and nourishes in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality; and though many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them, yet he is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraved upon the palm of his hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity.

Scripture References

  1. 1
    • John 10: 28-29

      28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

    • Philippians 1: 6

      6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

    • 2 Timothy 2: 19

      19 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.

    • 1 John 2: 19

      19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out , that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

  2. 2
    • Psalms 89: 31-32

      31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;

      32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
    • 1 Corinthians 11: 32

      32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

  3. 3
    • Malachi 3: 6

      6 For I am the LORD , I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Paragraph II

This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with him, the oath of God, the abiding of his Spirit, and the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.

Scripture References

  1. 4
    • Romans 8: 30

      30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

    • Romans 9: 11, 16
  2. 5
    • Romans 5: 9-10

      9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

    • John 14: 19

      19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

  3. 6
    • Hebrews 6: 17-18

      17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

  4. 7
    • 1 John 3: 9

      9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

  5. 8
    • Jeremiah 32: 40

      40 And I will 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.

Paragraph III

And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins, and for a time continue therein, whereby they incur God’s displeasure and grieve his Holy Spirit, come to have their graces and comforts impaired, have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded, hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves, yet shall they renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end.

Scripture References

  1. 9
    • Matthew 26: 70, 72, 74
  2. 10
    • Isaiah 64: 5, 9
    • Ephesians 4: 30

      30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

  3. 11
    • Psalms 51: 10, 12
  4. 12
    • Psalms 32: 3-4

      3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

      4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
  5. 13
    • 2 Samuel 12: 14

      14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
  6. 14
    • Luke 22: 32, 61-62