Scho. That is true, unless God being comfort to the greatness of sorrow. But to the godly there remaineth yet one other part of repentance, which is called renewing of the spirit, or quickening of the new man. That is, when faith cometh, and refresheth and lifteth up the mind so troubled, assuageth sorrow, and comforteth the person, and doth revoke and raise him up again from desperation, to hope of obtaining pardon of God through Christ, and from the gate of death, yea, from hell itself, unto life. And this is it that we profess that we believe the forgiveness of Jesus.

Mast. Is man able in this fear and these hard distresses to deliver himself by his own strength. Scho. Nothing less. For it is only God which strengtheneth man, despairing of his own estate, raiseth him up in affliction, restoreth him in utter misery, and by whose guiding the sinner conceiveth this hope, mind, and will that I spake of.

CHAPTER XI.

Of Perseverance.

SECTION I.

By Perseverance is to be understood that continuance in a state of grace, or salvation, which is only to be secured by continuance in the faith, and in well doing; by a regular performance of the will of God, and a timely repentance of every departure from that will.

§ 2. Stedfastness in faith and good works, is ab. solutely required of every Christian: it is not a tem- / porary belief, or a temporary obedience, which will entitle him to the promised blessings of the Gospel. The promises on which his hopes are founded, are made only to those who endure unto the end. Threats of condemnation are pronounced against apostacy and impenitence; exhortations to constancy, and cautions against falling away, are addressed to all believers without exception: and these encouragements and warnings were immediately delivered in the Apostolical writings, as well to those who had given the most convincing proofs of a lively and un

shaken faith, by enduring deprivation and suffering for the name of Christ, as to those who, being more wavering and unstable, were more liable, concerning faith, to make shipwreck. Faith and obedience may continue for a while, according to the nature of the soil in which the seed of the word is sown, but they may also cease before the termination of our trial, and preparation for eternity,they may not be persisted in unto our life's end; and then will the promises of the Gospel be forfeited, and its threatenings only be applicable to our case. To all, therefore, who are admitted into the Christian Church, Perseverance in the right use and assiduous preservation of the benefits imparted to them, is absolutely necessary, for their attainment of final justification, and of the inheritance that fadeth not away.

§3. Perseverance may be interrupted, and yet be final, else would there be no benefit from repentance: so may it endure nearly unto the end, and yet eventually be lost, else would there be no occasion for "fear and trembling" with regard to the

event,

A sincere Christian, one who knows and prizes the blessings of regeneration, justification, and adoption, may through the weakness of his nature, and the force of temptation, fall into transgression, and forfeit for a time the privileges he enjoyed as a member of Christ, and a child of God; but if he truly repent, remission of sins is still open to him through the intercession of the High Priest of our profession Jesus Christ; he may be restored by the divine mercy to his former state of grace; and he

may then persevere in it, and ultimately obtain the inheritance to which his title is renewed. It is also possible that absolute infidelity and obdurate impenitence may degrade the last portion of a life, the greater part of which has been spent in the fear and love of God; and thus, for want of perseverance, the good which has been done may have been done in vain, and the reward of it be missed.

§ 4. Essential, then, as perseverance is to the Christian course, it is happy for us that we depend not wholly on ourselves for strength. Perseverance is as much the gift of God, and in the same sense, as the beginnings of faith and sanctification; and, as a gift originating in God, is to be attributed to his free goodness and the influence of the Holy Spirit aiding and assisting the earnest and willing Christian with larger and larger supplies of grace, in proportion as those which are already granted are well improved. Unable of ourselves to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, there is no enemy from within or without, which, with the protection and assistance of the Spirit, we may not overcome; and which having once subdued, we may not again repel. Clothed with the armour of God we may stand stedfast in the hope of our calling, we may fight the good fight of faith, until it shall please the Lord, the righteous Judge to bestow upon us the reward of constancy-the never-fading crown of glory.

§ 5. Having the earnest of the Spirit in his heart, assured by his own desire and endeavour to grow in grace, and to improve in holiness, the true Christian

has the best Assurance, the infallible promise of Almighty God-that if he persevere in the course in which he now proceeds he shall arrive at future blessedness. He knows that God will not fail him if he be not wanting to himself; and as the time of trial diminishes, and he draws nearer to his release from the burthen of the flesh, his trust increases; and on his death-bed he speaks with full confidence of that which can only be certain at the very conclusion of his pilgrimage on earth.

§6. Assurance depends upon Perseverance; and can only be so certain in this life as the probability and hope of being supported to the end are strong and well established. No absolute certainty of salvation can be attained in the present world, because no one can affirm, that he may not, before his death,—even at his last hour,-be carried away by the violence of temptation or of unsubdued corruption; and having been so, that he shall find opportunity or inclination for repentance; without which, dying in his sins, he can entertain no hopes of salvation from the Covenant that secures grace, pardon, and final acceptance only to the true penitent.

§ 7. Perseverance is the last of those qualifications which are to be acquired on this side the gate of death, in the Church militant on earth, in order to fit the Christian combatant for his entrance into the Church triumphant in heaven,—for the possession of that everlasting Felicity to which at length, by God's mercy, he attains. It is that one evangelical virtue which renders all others conducive to salvation, and without which