LECTURE 48



PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS PROVED



The following considerations, taken together, seem to me to establish

the truth of the doctrine in question beyond reasonable doubt.



1. God has from eternity resolved upon the salvation of all the elect. 

This we have seen. No one of this number will ever be lost. These

are given to Christ from eternity, as a seed to serve Him. The

conversion, perseverance, and final salvation of the elect, we have

seen to be secured. Their conversion, perseverance, and salvation,

are secured by means of the grace of God in Christ Jesus, prevailing

through the gospel so to influence their free will as to bring about this

result. The instructions, promises, threatenings, warnings,

expostulations of the Bible, with all the influences with which they are

surrounded, are the instrumentalities by means of which the Holy Spirit

converts, sanctifies, and saves them. At every step, as Fletcher

acknowledges, "grace is beforehand with free will." God first comes

to, and moves upon, the sinner; but the sinner does not come to and

move, or attempt to move, God. God first draws, and the sinner

yields. God calls and the sinner answers. The sinner would never

approach God, did not God draw him.



Again: God calls effectually, but not irresistibly, before the sinner

yields. He does not yield and answer to a slight call. Some indeed

wait to be drawn harder, and to be called louder and longer than

others; but no one, in fact, comes to God until effectually persuaded to

do so; that is, until he is effectually hunted from his refuges of lies, and

drawn with so great and powerful a drawing, as not to force, but to

overcome his reluctance or voluntary selfishness, and as to induce

him to turn to God and to believe in Christ. That the sinner is wholly

disinclined to obey, up to the very moment in which he is persuaded

and induced to yield, there can be no doubt. His turning, as we have

seen, is an act of his own, but he is induced to turn by the drawings of

the Holy Spirit.



Every person who was ever truly converted knows, that his conversion

is not to be ascribed to himself, in any other sense, than that he finally

consented, being drawn and persuaded by the Holy Spirit. The glory

belongs to God, for the sinner only yielded after, perhaps, protracted

resistance, and never until after he was so convinced as to have no

further excuse or apology for sin, nor until the Spirit, by means of truth,

and argument, and persuasion, fairly overcame him, and constrained,

not forced him to submit. This is a brief statement of the facts

connected with the conversion of every soul that was ever converted

to God. This is true of the conversion of all the elect of God; and if

others besides the elect are ever converted, this is a true account of

their conversion.



Again: the same is true of their perseverance in holiness, in every

instance, in every act. The saints persevere, not by virtue of a

constitutional change, but as a result of the abiding and indwelling

influence of the Holy Spirit. "Free grace is always beforehand with

free will"; that is, the will never obeys, in any instance, nor for one

moment, except as it is persuaded to do so as really as at the first. 

The work begun by the Holy Spirit is not carried on, except as the

same Spirit continues to work in the saints to will and to do of His good

pleasure. Saints do not begin in the Spirit, and then become perfect

through or by the flesh. There is no holy exercise that is not as really

to be ascribed to the grace and to the influence of the Holy Spirit, as is

conversion itself.



The saints convert not themselves, in the sense that they turn or yield,

until persuaded by the Holy Spirit. God converts them in the sense,

that He effectually draws or persuades them. They turn themselves, in

the sense that their turning is their own act. God turns them, in the

sense that He induces or produces their turning. The same is true of

their whole course of obedience in this life. The saints keep

themselves, in the sense, that all obedience is their own; all their piety

consists in their own voluntary obedience; but God keeps them, in the

sense, that in every instance, and at every moment of obedience, He

persuades, and enlightens, and draws them, insomuch, that He

secures their voluntary obedience; that is, He draws and they follow. 

He persuades, and they yield to His persuasions. He works in them to

will and to do, and they will and do. God always anticipates all their

holy exercises, and persuades the saints to put them forth. This is so

abundantly taught in the Bible, that to quote scripture to prove it were

but to waste your time. The saints are not only said to be converted,

but also sanctified, and kept by the power of God.



No saint then keeps himself, except in so far as he is kept by the

grace, and Spirit, and power of God. There is therefore no hope for

any saint, and no reason to calculate upon the salvation of any one,

unless God prevails to keep him from falling away and perishing. All

who ever are saved, or ever will be, are saved by and through free

grace, prevailing over free will, that is, by free grace securing the

voluntary concurrence of free will. This God does, and is sure to do,

with all the elect. It was upon condition of the foreseen fact, that God

could by the wisest administration of His government, secure this

result, they were elected to eternal salvation, through sanctification of

the Spirit, and belief of the truth. Now observe how the elect are

saved. All the threatenings, warnings, and teachings of the Bible are

addressed to them, as to all others. If there are any saints, at any

time, who are not of the elect, the Bible nowhere notices any such

persons, or speaks of them, as any less or more secure than the elect.



Again: the Bible nowhere represents or implies, that any but the elect

are converted. It does not represent any but the elect as at any time

coming in heart to Christ as at any time regenerated or born of God. 

The Bible nowhere acknowledges two classes of saints, elect and

non-elect. But, if there were two such classes, and the salvation of the

elect was certain, as it really is, and that of the non-elect not certain, it

is incredible that the Bible should not reveal this fact. Again: so far is

the Bible from recognizing or implying any such distinction, that it

everywhere implies the contrary. It divides mankind into two, and but

two classes, and these it sets one over against the other. These are

contrasted by the names, saint and sinner; people of God, and people

of this world; children of God, and children of this world, or children of

the devil; the elect and the reprobate, that is, the chosen and the

rejected; the sanctified and the unsanctified; the regenerated and the

unregenerate; the penitent and the impenitent. By whatever names

they are called, it is manifest that the same classes and none others

are meant. The elect of God is a common name for the saints or

people of God. I cannot find in the Bible any evidence, that any were

converted at any time, but the elect, or those whose salvation is sure. 

The elect are, or will be, every one of them certainly converted and

saved. If any one chooses to contend that any other are ever

converted, the burden of proof is upon him; let him prove it, if he can. 

But this he must prove, in order to establish the fact, that any truly

regenerated persons are ever lost, for sure it is, that no one of the

elect will ever be lost. But, since I am to take the affirmative, I must

take the burden of showing, that none but the elect are recognized in

the scriptures as saints; and as I am speaking only of the salvation of

the saints, I shall take it for granted, that all those who were from

eternity chosen to eternal salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit

and belief of the truth, will certainly be saved.



Now, if it can be shown, that some saints have been really lost, it will

follow, that some have been converted who were not of the elect. 

And, on the other hand, if it can be shown that no saint has been, or

will be, finally lost; but, on the contrary, that all the true saints are, and

will be, saved, it will follow that none but the elect are converted. For

all who are, or will be, saved, are saved by God, and saved by design,

and in accordance with an eternal design, and of course they were

elected to salvation from eternity.



I have already said, that it is incredible that the Bible should read as it

does, and that it should nowhere distinguish between elect and

non-elect saints, if there is any such distinction. It cannot be said with

justice, that the Bible purposely conceals from all saints the fact of

their election, lest it should be a stumbling-block to them. This we

have seen is not the fact, but on the contrary, that the elect, at least in

some instances, have known that they were elect.



But it is said, that Peter exhorts the saints to "give all diligence to make

their calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10); from which it is inferred,

that they did not know that they were elect; and furthermore, that it

might be that, although they were real saints, nevertheless they were

not, at least all of them, of the elect. The words here referred to stand

in the following connection:



"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that

have obtained like precious faith with us, through the righteousness of

God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied

unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord;

According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain

unto life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called

us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and

precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine

nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to

virtue, knowledge; And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance,

patience; and to patience, Godliness; And to Godliness, brotherly

kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in

you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor

unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that

lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath

forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather,

brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye

do these things, ye shall never fall" (2 Peter 1-10). Upon this passage,

I remark:



That Peter addressed this epistle to all who had faith, that is, to all true

Christians, as appears from the first verse. He addressed no one by

name, but left it for every one to be sure that he had faith. He then

proceeds to exhort them to grow in grace, assuring them that, if any

one did not do so, he had forgotten that he was purged from his

former sins; that is, if any one lacked that which he enjoined, it would

prove that he had not true faith, or that he had backslidden. Then he

adds, as in the 10th verse: "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give

diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these

things, ye shall never fall." The apostle plainly assumes:



(1.) That the called and elected will be saved; to make their calling and

election sure, was to make their salvation sure: and, 



(2.) That none others are saved but the called and elected, for if others

are saved, it were of no consequence whether they were of the called

and elected or not, provided they were saved;



(3.) That he regarded none as Christians, or as at any time having true

faith, but the called and elected; for he was not exhorting supposed

impenitent sinners to become Christians, but supposed Christians to

be sure of their calling and election. This shows that he regarded all

Christians as of the called and elected. To be sure of their calling and

election was to be sure of their salvation. The apostle did not certainly

mean to exhort them to become of the number of the elect, for this

number we have seen was settled from eternity; but by diligence and

growth in grace to secure their salvation, or thus to prove or

demonstrate their calling and election. He meant also to admonish

them that, although called and elected, still their ultimate salvation was

conditionated upon their diligent growth in grace, and perseverance in

holiness to the end of life. He therefore exhorts them to make their

calling and election sure, which is the same as to secure their

salvation. He speaks of calling and election as indissolubly connected. 

Effectual calling either results from election, or election from calling. 

We have seen that election is eternal; therefore election cannot result

from calling, but calling must result from election.



Again: Christians and saints, and the children and people of God, the

disciples of Christ, and the elect, are to all appearance regarded

throughout the Bible as the same class.



Again: Christ says, "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me;

and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. And this is the

Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I

should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day" (John

6:37, 39).



Here Jesus says, that all who are given to Him by the Father shall

come to Him, and that of those that come to Him, it is His Father's will

that He should lose none, but that He should raise them up, (that is, to

eternal life), at the last day. He does not say here, that none do come

to Him who are not given to Him by the Father, but this is plainly

implied, for He says, "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me;

and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." What He means

by not casting them out, is plain from the 39th verse: "It is the Father's

will that of all that shall come to Me I should lose nothing." By not

casting them out, then, He intended that He should surely save them,

that is, all that came to Him. But if He saves them, they must have

been given to Christ and have been elected, or they were not. If they

were not elected, or given to Christ by the Father, they will never be

saved, unless some are saved without God's designing or choosing to

save them. If any are saved, God saves them, through or by Christ. If

He saves them, He does it designedly, and not without design. But if

He ever does, or will design it, He has from eternity designed it. So

then, it appears, that all who come to Christ were given to Him of the

Father; and that He will lose none of them, but will raise them up at the

last day. My object at present, however, is not to insist that no one

that comes to Christ will be lost, but only that all who come to Christ

are of the number that were given to Him of the Father, or are of the

elect.



Again, compare: "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, and

Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. And this is the

Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I

should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. No

man can come to Me except the Father which hath sent Me, draw him,

and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets, And

they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard,

and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me" (John 6:37, 39, 44,

45).



Here it appears that no one can come to Christ except he be drawn of

the Father. Every one who is drawn by the Father with an effectual

drawing, or every one who hears and learns of the Father comes to

Christ, and no other. The Father draws none to Christ, but those

whom He has given to Christ; for these, and these only, are the

children of God. "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and

great shall be the peace of thy children" (Isaiah 54:13). From these

passages it appears that none come to Christ but those who are

drawn by the Father, and that none are drawn by the Father but those

whom He has given to His Son, or the elect; and that of those who are

thus drawn to Christ, it is the Father's will that He should lose none,

but that He should raise them up at the last day; that is, that He should

save them. But observe, it is my particular object just now to establish

the fact, that none come to Christ but those who are of the number

that are given to Christ, and also that every one who is given to Him

shall come to Him. These, and these only are effectually called or

drawn of the Father. All are called in the sense of being earnestly and

honestly invited, and all the divine persuasion is addressed to them

that can wisely be addressed to them. But others, besides those given

to the Son, are not, as a matter of fact, persuaded and effectually

drawn, in a sense that secures the "concurrence of free will with free

grace."



The same truth is strongly implied in many other passages in the

teachings of Christ. For example, He says:



"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the

sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a

robber. But He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the

sheep. To Him the porter openeth: and the sheep hear His voice; and

He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when

He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep

follow Him: for they know His voice. And a stranger will they not

follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what

things they were which He spake unto them" (John 10:1-6).



He then proceeds to expound the parable. He is the good shepherd

having the care of His Father's sheep. He says:



"Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am

the door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and

robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; by Me if any

man enter in, he shall be saved, and go in and out, and find pasture. 

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am

come that they might have life, and that they might have it more

abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His

life for the sheep. But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd,

whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, leaveth the

sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the

sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for

the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am

known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father:

and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which

are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My

voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth

My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it

again" (John 10:7-17).



He had other sheep which were not yet called they were not of this

fold that is, they were not Jews, but Gentiles; these He must bring. To

the unbelieving and cavilling Jews He said:



"But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto

you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither

shall any pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me,

is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of My Father's

hand" (John 10:26-29).



Here it is plainly implied, that all those were sheep who were given to

Him by the Father, and that all such would surely hear and know His

voice and follow Him, but those that were not of His sheep, or were not

given Him by the Father, would not believe. He says, verse 26: But ye

believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you. What

He here says amounts to this: all those are sheep who are given to Me

of My Father. All My sheep thus given, shall and will hear My voice,

and follow Me, and none others will. I do not notice in this place what

He says of the certainty of their salvation, because my present object

is only to show that those and those only come to Christ who are given

to Him of the Father, or are of the elect.



This same truth is either expressly taught, or strongly implied in a

great many passages, and indeed it seems to me to be the doctrine of

the whole Bible. "And we know that all things work together for good

to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His

purpose" (Romans 8:28). Here they that love God are represented as

identical with those "who are the called according to His purpose." In

other words, they who love God are the called according to, or in

consequence of their election. All that love God do so because they

have been effectually called, according to the purpose or election of

God. This passage seems to settle the question, especially when

viewed in its connection, that all who ever love God are of the elect,

and that they are prevailed upon to love God in conformity with their

election.



We shall have occasion, by and by, to examine the connection in

which this passage is found, for the purpose of showing that all who at

any time truly come to love God, will be saved. I have only quoted this

twenty-eighth verse here for the purpose of showing, not directly, that

all that love God at any time will be saved, but that they are of the

number of the elect, from which fact their ultimate salvation must be

inferred.



It is plain that the apostles regarded regeneration as conclusive

evidence of election. The manner in which they address Christians

seems to me to put this beyond a doubt. Paul, in writing to the

Thessalonians, says, "But we are bound to give thanks always to God

for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the

beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit,

and belief of the truth" (2 Thess. 2:13). Here the apostle speaks of all

the brethren at Thessalonica as beloved of the Lord, and as being

from eternity chosen to salvation. He felt called upon to give thanks to

God for this reason, that God had chosen them to salvation from

eternity. This he represents as true of the whole church: that is,

doubtless, of all true Christians in the church. Indeed, the apostles

everywhere speak as if they regarded all true saints as of the elect,

and their saintship as evidence of their election. Peter, in writing to the

Christians in his first letter, says:



"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered

throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through

sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of

Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be

the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to His

abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the

resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance

incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in

heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto

salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time: Wherein ye greatly

rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness

through manifold temptations; That the trial of your faith, being much

more precious than that of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with

fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the

appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen ye love; in whom,

though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy

unspeakable, and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even

the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:1-9).



Here it is plain that Peter regarded all who had been born again to a

lively hope, or who were regenerated, as elected, or as chosen to

salvation. I might pursue this argument to an indefinite length, but I

must attend to other considerations in support of the doctrine in

question.



I will for the present close what I have to say under this particular

branch of the argument, by reminding you that Christ has expressly

asserted that no man can or does come to Him except the Father draw

Him, and that the Father draws to Him those and by fair inference

those only whom He has given to Christ; and further, that it is the

Father's will, that of those whom the Father had given to Christ, and

drawn to Him, Christ should lose none, but should raise them up at the

last day. It is, I think, evident, that when Christ asserts it to be His

Father's will, that of those whom the Father had given Him He should

lose none, but should raise them up at the last day, He intended to

say, that His Father not merely desired and willed this, but that such

was His design. That the Father designed to secure their salvation. 

This we shall more fully see in its proper place.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

LECTURE 49 PERSEVERANCE PROVED 



2. I remark, that God is able to preserve and keep the true saints from

apostasy, in consistency with their liberty: "For the which cause I also

suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed; for I know whom

I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I

have committed unto Him against that day" (2 Tim. 1:12). Here the

apostle expresses the fullest confidence in the ability of Christ to keep

him: and indeed, as has been said, it is most manifest that the

apostles expected to persevere and be saved only because they

believed in the ability and willingness of God to keep them from falling. 

Again, "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant; to his own

master he standeth or falleth; yea, he shall be holden up, for God is

able to make him stand" (Romans 14:4). Again, "Who shall change

our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body,

according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things

unto Himself" (Phil. 3:21). Again, "Now unto Him that is able to do

exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the

power that worketh in us" (Eph. 3:20). Again, "Now unto Him that is

able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the

presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). Again, "And God

is able to make all grace abound towards you; that ye, always having

all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2 Cor.

9:8). "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that we may

know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory

of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness

of His power to us ward who believe, according to the working of His

mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from

the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places"

(Eph. 1:18-20). Again, "Wherefore He is able to save them to the

uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make

intercession for them" (Heb. 7:5). These and many other passages

prove beyond a doubt that God is able to preserve His saints.



3. God is not only able to keep all that come to Christ or all true

Christians, but He is also willing. But Christ has settled this question,

as we have seen.



"All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, and him that cometh

to Me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to

do My own will, but the will of Him that sent Me; And this is the

Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I

should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And

this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son,

and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise Him up

at the last day" (John 6:37-40).



Here, then, we have just seen these two points settled, namely, that

God is able to save all saints, or all who at any time truly believe and

come to Christ; and, that He is willing, or wills to do it. Now if He is

both able and willing to keep and save all the saints, He certainly will

do it.



But here I know it will be objected, that by this course of argument, the

doctrine of universal salvation may be established. The Bible, it is

said, represents God as both able and willing to save all men, and if

His being both able and willing to save the saints, proves that they will

all be saved, it follows that His being able and willing to save all men

proves that all men will be saved. But the cases are not parallel; for

God nowhere professes ability to save all men, but on the contrary,

disclaims such ability, and professes to be unable to save all men; that

is, He cannot, under the circumstances, wisely save them, nor can He

wisely do any more for saints or sinners than He does. No passage

can be found in the Bible, in which God asserts His ability to save all

men. The passages that affirm that "God can do all things" (Deut.

3:24), and that "nothing is too hard for the Lord" (Jerem. 32:17), and

the like, cannot be understood as affirming God's ability to save all

men. They do imply, that He has power to do whatever is an object of

physical omnipotence; but to save sinners is not an object of physical

power. Their salvation, if accomplished at all, must be brought about

by a moral and persuasive influence, and not by the exercise of

physical omnipotence. In the sense in which we can justly apply the

terms ability and inability to this subject, God is really unable to do

what it is unwise for Him to do. He has an end in view. This end is the

highest good and blessedness of universal being. This end can be

accomplished only by the appropriate means, or upon certain

conditions. These conditions include the perfect holiness of moral

agents. If God cannot wisely use such means as will secure the

conversion and sanctification of sinners, He cannot save them. That

is, He is unable to save them. This He repeatedly professes to be

unable to do.



"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord

God; and not that he should return from his ways, and live? For I have

no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God;

wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye" (Ezek. 18:23, 32).



"Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the

death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live:

turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of

Israel?" (Ezek. 33:11).



"What could have been done more to My vineyard that I have not done

in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes,

brought it forth wild grapes?" (Isaiah 5:4). "How shall I give thee up,

Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as

Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within

Me, My repentings are kindled together" (Hosea 11:8).



These are only specimens of the manner in which God speaks of His

ability to save sinners, and to do more for the church or the world than

He does. From such professions on the part of God, we are to

understand Him, as disclaiming ability to do more or otherwise than He

does, in consistency with the highest good of being in general. Since

the highest good of being in general is the end which He is aiming to

secure, He "may justly be said to be unable to do whatever He cannot

do in consistency with the use of those means that will secure this

end." God, therefore, does not affirm His ability to save all men, but

fully disclaims any such ability, and professes to do, and to be doing,

all that He can to save them. He professes to be perfectly benevolent

and infinitely wise, and to be doing all that infinite wisdom and

benevolence can do for sinners and for all men, and complains, that all

He can do does not save, and will not save many of them.



But with respect to the saints, He does expressly affirm His ability to

keep them, in a sense that will secure their salvation. This we have

seen. He does for them all that He wisely can, and does enough, as

He expressly affirms, to secure their salvation. No one can attentively

read and consider the passages relating to God's ability to save all

men, and His ability to save His people, without perceiving, that the

two cases are not parallel, but that in fact they are contrasts. He

expressly affirms His ability to keep, to sanctify, and to save His elect

children, whilst He repeatedly, either expressly, or by implication,

disclaims ability to save all men.



Again: the Bible nowhere represents God as willing the salvation of all

men, in the same sense in which it represents Him as willing the

salvation of Christians, or of His elect. Such passages as the following

are specimens of God's professions of willingness to save all men.



"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge

of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4).



"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that

whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting

life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world;

but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16-17).



"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count

slackness; but is long-suffering to us ward, not willing that any should

perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).



These and similar passages teach that God wills the salvation of all

men, only in the sense of desiring it. This we know from the fact, that

He nowhere intimates a willingness, in the sense of a design or

intention, to save all men; but on the contrary, plainly reveals an

opposite purpose or design; that is, He reveals the fact, that He

cannot, shall not, and of course, does not, expect or design to save all

men. By the profession of a willingness to save all men, we can

therefore justly understand Him to mean, only that He desires the

salvation of all men, and that He would secure their salvation if He

wisely could. This is all that we can understand Him as affirming,

unless we would accuse Him of self-contradiction.



But He professes a willingness to save His elect, or in other words, all

regenerate persons, or all believers in Christ, and all whoever will truly

believe in Him, in the sense of purposing or designing to save them. 

This is most manifest from the scriptures we have already examined,

and this will still further appear from the passages to be examined.



We have seen that the Father has given a certain number to Christ,

with express design to secure their salvation; that He has committed to

Him all the requisite power and influences to save them, and that they

will actually be saved. Nothing like this can be found in the Bible,

respecting any other class of men whatever. This objection, then, is

without foundation, and the argument from the ability and willingness

of God to save His saints, remains in full force and conclusiveness.



4. Again: Christ expressly prayed for all believers, and in a manner

that secures their being kept and saved:



"As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give

eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. I have manifested Thy

name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they

were, and Thou gavest them Me; and they have kept Thy word. Now

they have known that all things whatsoever Thou hast given Me are of

Thee; For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me;

and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out

from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me. I pray for

them; I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me,

for they are Thine. And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I

am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these

are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine

own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as

we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name:

those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but

the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now

come I to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might

have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Thy word; and

the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as

I am not of the world. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also

which shall believe Me through their word. That they all may be one;

as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in

us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory

which Thou gavest Me, I have given them; that they may be one, even

as we are one. I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made

perfect in one, and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me,

and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me. Father, I will that they

also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may

behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me, for Thou lovest Me before

the foundation of the world" (John 17:2, 6-14, 0-24).



Now observe, that in this most affecting prayer Christ says:



(1.) Verse 2. "As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He

should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him." We have

seen, that, in the 6th chapter of this book Christ expressly teaches,

that all are given to Him that come to Him by the Father.



(2.) He proceeds to affirm, that He had in the exercise of this power

kept in His Father's name all who had been given, and had come to

Him, and had lost none.



(3.) He asks the Father henceforth to keep them in His own name, as

He was about to leave them, as to His bodily presence. He says,

verse 15, "I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world,

but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil." Again, He says,

20-24: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall

believe on Me through their word. That they all may be one in us; that

the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which

Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we

are one. I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in

one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast

loved them as Thou hast loved Me. Father, I will that they also whom

Thou hast given Me be with Me where I am; that they may behold My

glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou lovest Me before the

foundation of the world."



Now, as surely as Christ's prayer is answered, all believers will be

saved; that is, at least all who ever have believed, or ever will believe,

subsequent to the offering of this prayer. But Christ's prayers are

always answered.



To this it is objected, that a part of this same prayer is not answered,

and of course never will be. It is said, for example, that in the 21st

verse He prays for the union of all believers, which has been far

enough from having been answered. The verse reads, "That they all

may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also

may be one in us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me." 

Here He explains the sense in which He prays that all believers may

be one, not that they should be all of one denomination or creed, but

that they should possess one and the same spirit; that the same spirit

that united the Father and the Son, that is, the Holy Spirit, who is in the

Father and the Son, might also be in all Christians. This is plainly His

meaning; and that this is true of all real Christians, that they possess

the Holy Spirit, or the Spirit that dwells in the Father and the Son, no

one can doubt who understands and believes his Bible.



But it is objected again, that Christ prayed to be delivered from

crucifixion, and His prayer was not answered.



I reply, that He did not pray for this, if at all, unqualifiedly. He says, "If

it be possible, nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt" (Matt.

26:39). If it were the pains of the cross from which His soul shrunk in

the garden, and from which He desired, if possible, to be excused, it is

plain that He did not pray unqualifiedly to be delivered; but, on the

contrary, submitted the question to the will of His Father. But in the

prayer, in John 17, He made no such condition. He knew that in this

case it was His Father's will to grant His request. Of this He had

expressly informed His disciples, as we have seen; that is, that it was

His Father's will to keep and save all who were given to Christ, and

had been drawn by the Father to Christ. The spirit of this petition

accords precisely with His teaching upon the subject. He had taught

before that all believers would be kept and saved, and that this was

His Father's will; now, could He, either expressly or impliedly, in this

prayer, put in the condition that was in the prayer just referred to,

namely, "If it be Thy will?" But, although what has been said is a full

answer to the assertion that Christ's prayers were not always

answered, it may be, for some minds, important to say, that it is far

from being certain that Christ prayed to be delivered from crucifixion.



But be this as it may, we are to remember that Christ expressly

affirms, that His Father always hears, that is, answers His prayers.



"And I knew that Thou hearest Me always: but because of the people

which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me"

(John 11:42).



Again, Paul says of Christ, "Wherefore He is able also to save them to

the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to

make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:5).



Here he asserts, that Christ is able to save unto the uttermost all that

come unto God by Him, seeing He always lives to make intercession

for them. This, as plainly as possible, implies that His intercessions

are all prevailing. Indeed, as He is the mediator, they must be.



Now let us consider how far we have advanced in establishing the

perseverance and final salvation of all believers.



(1.) We have seen, that all the elect to salvation will be saved. (2.)

That all true believers are of this number. (3.) That God and Christ are

able to keep them from apostasy, and save them. (4.) That He is

willing or wills to do it. (5.) That Christ expressly prayed for the

perseverance and final salvation of



 all believers. (6.) That He prayed in express accordance with the

revealed will of His Father;



 and: (7.) That His prayers always prevail and are answered.



In Christ's prayer in John 17., He expressly affirms that He did not

pray for the world, that is, for all men. He prayed only for those whom

the Father had given Him. For these He prayed, not merely that God

would save them upon condition of their perseverance, but that God

would keep them from the evil that is in the world, and save them, and

make them one, in the sense, that one Spirit should be in them all. He

asked manifestly the same things for all that in future believe, that He

asked for those who had already believed.



Should I proceed no further the argument is complete, and the proof

conclusive. But since this doctrine is so abundantly taught, either

expressly or impliedly, in the Bible, I proceed to the consideration of a

number of other passages which will throw still further light on the

subject.



5. Christ expressly and designedly teaches this doctrine: "And this is

the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given

Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 

And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the

Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise

him up at the last day. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth

on Me hath everlasting life. I am the living bread which came down

from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and

the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the

world" (John 6:39, 40, 47, 51).



Here He expressly teaches, as we have before seen, that it is His

Father's will, that all believers, or all who at any time believe, (for this

is plainly His meaning), shall be saved; that He should lose none of

them, but as we have seen, John 17:2, should give them eternal life. 

Then He claims ability to keep and save them agreeably to His

Father's will. This, remember, respects all believers, or all who are

given to Christ, who, we have learned, are the same persons.



"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I

give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall

any pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me, is

greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of My Father's

hand" (John 10:27-29).



The whole connection shows, that Christ intended to teach the

certainty of the salvation of all His sheep, or of all the elect, or, which is

the same, of all true believers. But, to this it is objected, that none are

sheep any longer than they remain obedient, and therefore the

assertion that He will save the sheep, does not secure those who at

any time sin. But I reply, that Christ recognizes all the elect as His

sheep, whether converted, or whether in a state of temporary

backsliding, or not. He represents His sheep as hearing His voice,

and as following Him, and those who are not of His sheep as not

hearing His voice, and as not following Him, "And other sheep I have

which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear

My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. But ye

believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you" (John

10:16, 26).



Again, "How think ye? If a man have a hundred sheep, and one of

them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth

into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so

be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep,

than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the

will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones

should perish" (Matt. 18:12-14).



The design of this parable is to teach the doctrine I am defending. If

not, what is its design? This is a full answer to the objection, that no

one is recognized as a sheep who has gone astray.



But again, it is said, that although no one else can pluck the sheep out

of the Father's hand, yet we can do it ourselves. I grant that we can

by natural possibility; but this objection is good for nothing, for Christ

expressly says, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they

follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never

perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which

gave them Me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out

of My Father's hand" (John 10:27-29).



Not only is no one able to pluck them out of His Father's hand, but

Christ gives unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. This

implies, that while they might or are able to apostatize and be lost, yet,

as a matter of fact, they never will. What could be made out of all He

says of Himself as a shepherd in this passage, if, after all, He loses

some of His sheep? Let any one ponder the whole chapter and see.



6. Another argument, in support of the doctrine under consideration, I

deduce from the fact, that Paul, an inspired apostle, believed it.



"Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in

Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons;

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the

Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

(Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy),

For your fellowship in the gospel, from the first day until now. 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" (Phil. 1:1-6).



Here the apostle represents himself as giving thanks for all the saints

at Philippi, upon the ground of his confidence that He who had begun

a good work in them would perform, or perfect it, until the day of

Christ. His confidence did not rest in them, but in the faithfulness of

Christ. He did not express a confidence, that they would of

themselves persevere, but that He who had begun a good work in

them, would carry it on: that is, that he would so work in them as to

keep them, and as to secure their perseverance to the end. This he

expected with respect to all the saints at Philippi. But if he believed this

of all the saints at that place, it is plainly and fairly inferable that he

believed it, simply because he expected this, as to all true saints. He

does not intimate, that he expected this because of any peculiarity in

their case, that is, not because they were better than other saints, or

that God would do more for them than for others. He seems plainly to

have expressed this confidence, upon the ground of his expectation,

that He who begins a good work in any saint, will carry it on and

perfect it until the day of Christ. Should it be said, that Paul intended

merely to express the conviction or opinion of a good man, that the

Philippian saints would be saved, but that he did not intend to utter this

as the voice of inspiration; I reply, that Paul plainly expresses a

confidence that they would all be saved, and that God would perfect

the work which He had begun. Now, how came he by this confidence? 

He was an inspired man. If inspiration had taught him that real saints

do fall away and are lost, how could he consistently express so

thorough a persuasion, that all the saints at Philippi would be saved? 

If Paul believed in the perseverance of the saints, it must be true, or he

was deceived in respect to this important doctrine. But is it not safe to

trust Paul's opinion of this doctrine? If any one is disposed to contend,

that we cannot with strict justice infer that Paul believed the same in

respect to God's perfecting the work in all saints, that he believed in

respecting the Philippians, I will not contend with him with respect to

this. It is, however, clear, that Paul no where in this epistle, nor

elsewhere, intimates that he had higher expectations in regard to the

salvation of the Philippians, than he had in respect to the salvation of

all true saints. In writing to the churches, the apostles appear to have

regarded and spoken of all true saints as the elect-children of God. 

They seem to represent the salvation of all such persons as certain,

but always keeping in mind and holding forth, either expressly or by

way of implication, the nature of this certainty, that it was conditionated

upon the right and persevering use of their own agency. They

consequently constantly endeavor to guard the churches against

delusion, in regard to their being real saints, and admonish them to

prove themselves in this respect, and also warn them against the

supposition, that they can be saved, without actual perseverance in

faith and obedience to the end of life.



7. The apostles seemed to regard the conversion of sinners as an

evidence that God designed to save them, or that they were of the

elect:



"Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord

added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47).



"And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the

word of the Lord; and as many as were ordained to eternal life,

believed" (Acts 13:48).



In these passages as elsewhere, the conversion of sinners is spoken

of as settling the question of their salvation. But if true saints do fall

from grace and perish, why should the inspired writers so often

express themselves, as if they regarded the regeneration of a person

as an indication that he is one of the elect, and as securing his

salvation?



So common is it for Christ and the apostles to speak of regeneration

as settling the question of the salvation of those who are regenerated,

that great multitudes have overlooked the fact, that there was any

other condition of salvation insisted on in the Bible. When the jailor

demanded of Paul and Silas what he should do to be saved, Paul

replied to him, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be

saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).



Here, as is common in the Bible, faith is spoken of as if it were the sole

condition of salvation. Repentance, faith, regeneration, etc., are often,

as every student of the Bible knows, spoken of as if they were the only

conditions of salvation. Now, it seems to me, that this could not, and

ought not to be, if there is not a certain connection of some sort

between real conversion and eternal salvation. It is true, the necessity

of perseverance to the end is often mentioned and insisted upon in the

Bible as a condition of salvation, just as might be expected when we

consider the nature of the certainty in question. If there is not,

however, certain connection between true regeneration or faith, or

repentance and salvation, it seems to me incredible, that we should so

often find faith, and repentance, and conversion spoken of as if they

secured salvation.



Those who believe are represented as already having eternal life, as

not coming into condemnation, but as having passed from death unto

life. The following passages are specimens of the manner in which

the scriptures speak upon this subject.



"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the

sons of God, even to them that believe in His name; Which were born,

not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of

God" (John 1:12).



"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that

believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth

on him. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten

Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have

everlasting life. He that believeth on Him is not condemned; but he

that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:36, 16, 18).



"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never

thirst: but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water

springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).



"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth

on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into

condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).



"All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh

to Me I will in no wise cast out. And this is the will of Him that sent Me,

That every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have

everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in

the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore

that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me. 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting

life" (John 6:37, 40, 45, 47).



"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you

in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins; and ye shall

receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).



"And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the

gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be

saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15-16).



Now it seems to me, that this numerous class of passages strongly

imply that there is a certain connection of some sort between coming

to Christ, receiving Christ, etc., and eternal life. Observe, I do not

contend that perseverance in faith and obedience is not also a

condition of salvation, but on the contrary, that it actually is. Nor do I

contend that such like representations as the above, settle the

question that all who at any time repent, believe, or come to Christ, will

be saved. The thing which I here intend is, that this class of texts is

just what we might expect, if the fact of regeneration were certainly

connected with salvation, and just what it seems they ought not to be,

in case this were not true.



To this it is objected, that many who attended on Christ's ministry are

represented from time to time as believing, of whom it is almost

immediately said, that they turned back and walked no more with Him.



I answer, that the Bible manifestly recognizes different kinds of faith,

such as an intellectual faith, a faith of miracles, and the faith of the

heart. The following are specimens of the Bible treatment of this

subject:



"Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he

continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs

which were done. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy

heart is not right in the sight of God" (Acts 8:13, 21).



"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also

believe and tremble" (James 2:19).



These and many other passages manifestly speak of an intellectual

faith, or of a simple conviction of the truth.



Matt. 7:22, 23; 1 Cor. 13:1, 2, are specimens of the manner in which

the faith of miracles is represented.



See Romans 10:9-11; Acts 8:37; Gal. 5:6 These and such like

passages speak of evangelical faith, or the faith of the heart. When

the multitude are spoken of as believing under Christ's instruction, or

in view of His miracles, and then as going back and walking no more

with Him, we are doubtless to understand those passages as teaching

simply, that they were at the time convinced of His Messiahship, and

that they intellectually believed that He was what He professed to be. 

But their history seems to forbid the conclusion that they were truly

regenerated, or that they had the true faith of the gospel.



Again: John speaks of those who openly apostatized as if they had not

been true Christians: "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" (1 John 2:19). Observe the force of the expressions, "They

went out from us, but they were not of us"; that is, were not truly

Christians. Why does he say so? He assigns the reason for this

assertion: "for if they had been of us, they would have continued with

us, but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were

not all of us." That is, a part of the professed disciples went out from

the rest and returned to the world, that it might be made manifest who

were and who were not Christians. I do not say, however, that this is

indubitably taught in this passage; but it cannot be denied, that this is

its most natural construction.



8. The inhabitants of heaven seem to believe that there is a certain

connection between repentance and salvation. "I say unto you, that

likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more

than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance"

(Luke 15:7). Now surely this joy is premature, unless they expect the

penitent to be saved. If, after all, there is an uncertainty about the

result, in their estimation, and if it may be, or there is a probability, that

the penitent will fall, and suffer a vastly more aggravated damnation

than if he had never been enlightened, one would think that they would

at least suspend their triumph until the result was known. To be sure

they might rejoice, if the sinner broke off temporarily from his sin, and

rejoice at the bare prospect of his salvation; but to me this passage

reads just as it might be expected to read, if they regarded repentance

as certainly connected with ultimate salvation.



Again: there are several parables that seem to take the perseverance

of the saints for granted, or to assume its truth. The one immediately

preceding the verse upon which I have just remarked is one of them.



"And He spake this parable unto them saying: What man of you,

having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the

ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until

he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders,

rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends

and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my

sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in

heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine

just persons which need no repentance" (Luke 15:3-7).



Now, why this joy at the return of a strayed or lost sheep, if there is no

certainty, or scarcely any probability, that he will not stray again, and

be finally lost with an aggravated destruction? Immediately following

this is another parable of the same import.



"Either what woman, having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece,

doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till

she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and

her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found that

which was lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence

of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:8-10).



Here again it may be asked, why this great joy at finding the sinner,

unless his conversion is to result in his salvation?

I do not quote these passages as proving the doctrine in question, but

only as specimens of the class of passages that seem to assume the

truth of the doctrine, and as being just what might be expected, if the

doctrine is true, and just what might not be expected if the doctrine is

not true.



To this it may be, and has been replied, that there are many passages

that are just what we could not expect, if the perseverance of the

saints were true. The following are relied upon as examples of this

class:



"Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on

unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from

dead works, and of faith toward God; Of the doctrine of baptisms, and

of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal

judgment. And this will we do if God permit. For it is impossible for

those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly

gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost; And have tasted of

the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; If they

shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they

crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open

shame" (Heb. 6:1-6).



"But when the righteous turneth away from righteousness, and

committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that

the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath

done shall not be mentioned; in his trespass that he hath trespassed,

and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die" (Ezek. 18:24).



"When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to

his own righteousness and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall

not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he

shall die for it" (Ezek. 33:13).



"And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake; but he that

endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matt. 10:22).



"If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered;

and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are

burned" (John 15:6).



"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1

Cor. 10:12).



"But Christ as a Son over His own house; whose house are we, if we

hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the

end. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of

unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another

daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the

deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold

the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Heb. 3:6,

12-14).



"Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His

rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Let us labor

therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same

example of unbelief" (Heb. 4:1, 11).



"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling

and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (2 Peter

1:10).



In reply to this objection I remark, that instead of these passages being

otherwise than might be expected if the doctrine in question were true,

and therefore implying that the doctrine is not true, they are precisely

what might be expected, if the doctrine as I have stated it, were true. 

If the certainty be but a moral certainty, even when the fact of

conversion is settled beyond all doubt, or possibility of mistake, if the

final salvation of the truly regenerate be as really conditionated upon

perseverance as if there was no certainty about it; and if, moreover,

the fact of conversion is seldom settled in this life beyond the

possibility of mistake, then these passages, instead of implying any

real uncertainty in regard to the final salvation of the saints, are just as

and what might be expected, because they are just what is needed,

upon the supposition, that the doctrine in question is true. They do not

affirm that any true saints are, or will be, lost. They do imply the

natural possibility, and, humanly speaking, the danger of such an

event. They further imply, that without watchfulness and perseverance

salvation is impossible. They also imply, that caution, warning, and

threatening, are needed. They also imply, that some men, to say the

least, are not certain of their own salvation, and that they do not

certainly know that they are saints, beyond all possibility of mistake.



Now, these things that are fairly implied in this class of passages are

really true: hence these passages just meet the necessities of the

church, and are therefore just what might be expected when all the

facts in the case are considered. I do not intend that this class of

passages imply the truth of the doctrine under consideration, but that

they are consistent with it, and might be expected, if the doctrine, as I

have stated it, be true.



9. Regeneration is represented as securing perseverance in

obedience:



First, In those passages that make it the condition of salvation.



Secondly, In those passages that expressly affirm, that the truly

regenerated do not, and cannot, live in sin.



"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" (1

John 3:9).



"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one

that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God" (1 John 4:7).



"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and

every one that loveth Him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten

of Him. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this

is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. We know that

whosoever is born of God sinneth not: but he that is begotten of God

keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (1 John 5:1, 4,

18).



These and similar passages expressly teach the persevering nature of

true religion, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: in other words,

they teach that the truly regenerate cannot sin, in the sense at least of

living in anything like habitual sin. They teach, that with all truly

regenerate souls, holiness is at least the rule, and sin only the

exception; that instead of its being true, that the regenerate souls live

a great majority of their days subsequent to regeneration in sin, it is

true that they so seldom sin, that in strong language it may be said in

truth, they do not sin. This language so strongly and expressly

teaches that perseverance is an unfailing attribute of Christian

character, that but for the fact that other passages constrain us to

understand these passages as strong language used in a qualified

sense, we should naturally understand them as affirming that no truly

regenerate soul does at any time sin. But since it is a sound rule of

interpreting the language of an author, that he is, if possible, to be

made consistent with himself; and since John, in other passages in

this same epistle and elsewhere, represents that Christians, or truly

regenerate persons, do sometimes sin; and since this is frequently

taught in the Bible, we must understand these passages just quoted

as only affirming a general and not a universal truth; that is, that truly

regenerate persons do not sin anything like habitually, but that

holiness is the rule with them, and sin only the exception. Certainly

these passages cannot be reasonably understood as affirming and

meaning less than this. I know that it has been said, that being born of

God is used by John in these cases in a higher sense, and as

meaning more than simple conversion or regeneration, as

representing a higher state than can be predicated of all true

Christians. But observe, he especially affirms that all who truly believe

are born of God.



Again: Christ speaks as if He regarded those only as having truly

believed who persevere in obedience. "Then said Jesus to those

Jews which believed on Him, if ye continue in My word, then are ye My

disciples indeed" (John 8:31). The parable of the sower appears to

have been designed expressly to teach the persevering nature of true

religion. "A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some

fell by the way side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air

devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung

up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell

among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And

other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundred

fold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears

to hear, let him bear. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of

God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil,

and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe

and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear,

receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while

believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among

thorns are they, which when they have heard, go forth, and are choked

with cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to

perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which, in an honest

and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit

with patience" (Luke 8:5-8, 11-15).



If this parable was not designed to distinguish true religion from its

counterfeits, and to illustrate the persevering nature of true religion, I

do not know, and cannot conceive, what was its design. I need not

enlarge upon it. Let any one read and consider the parable for

himself.



Again: the parable of the leaven seems designed also to teach the

progressive and persevering nature of true religion.



"Another parable spake He unto them: the kingdom of heaven is like

unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal,

till the whole was leavened" (Matt. 13:33).



This parable I understand to represent or teach the aggressive nature

of true faith and piety, as it exhibits itself both in the hearts and lives of

individual Christians, and also as it progresses and extends itself in the

world. It is in its nature persevering and aggressive, and when it once

truly exists, it will through grace triumph. When I speak of the

persevering nature of true religion, I do not mean, that religion as it

exists in the hearts of the saints in this life would of itself, if

unsupported by the grace and indwelling Spirit of God, prevail and

triumph over its enemies; but the thing intended is, that through the

faithfulness of God, He that has begun or shall begin a good work in

any heart, will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. The persevering

character of true religion is owing to the indwelling Spirit of God.



This leads me to remark again, that repentance is made the condition

of receiving the Holy Spirit; and when this Spirit is received, it is with

the express promise and pledge that He shall abide in the heart for

ever.



"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried,

saying, If any man thirst let Him come unto Me and drink. He that

believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow

rivers of living water. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that

believe on Him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given;

because that Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:37, 39).



Here we learn that water represents the Holy Spirit. This is abundantly

taught in the Bible. Now let us hear what Christ said to the woman of

Samaria.



"Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water

shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give

him, shall never thirst: but the water that I shall give him shall be in him

a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:13-14).



The prominent truth taught in this text is, that whosoever shall drink of

this water shall never thirst. In this particular respect the Savior

contrasts it with the water of Jacob's well, and says, 13, 14: "Jesus

answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall

thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him,

shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a

well of water springing up into everlasting life." This Christ plainly

states as a fact.



That is, he shall never perish for lack of this Spirit or water, but it shall

abide in him, and spring up into eternal life. The Spirit shall remain in

him, and secure him against falling and perishing. The fact that the

Spirit shall abide with and in all who ever receive Him, and shall prevail

to secure their salvation, seems to be plainly taught in this passage.



Again, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the

Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of

Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead

because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if

the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He

that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal

bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:9-11).



Here it is expressly declared, that none are Christians who have not

the Holy Spirit, or Spirit of Christ, and that they who are Christ's do not

walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit; that they who are Christ's have

crucified, that is killed, the lusts of the flesh. This is the real character

of all true saints. Such like passages, observe, are designed to

distinguish true religion from its counterfeits, and to teach that

perseverance in true obedience is a characteristic of all real saints.



10. Christ represents it as impossible to deceive the elect: (Matt.

24:24). We have seen that the elect unto salvation include all true

Christians; that is, that all Christians are the elect children of God. 

They have come to Christ. Observe, the Savior Himself teaches, as

we have seen:



(1.) That no one can come to, or believe in Him, unless the Father

draw Him.



(2.) That the Father draws those, and only those to Christ, whom He

has given to Him.



(3.) That all whom the Father has given to Him shall come to Him, and

of those that come to Him He will lose none, but will raise them up at

the last day.



"No man can come to Me except the Father which hath sent Me, draw

him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets,

And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath

heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me. All that the

Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in

no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do Mine own

will, but the will of Him that sent Me. And this is the father's will which

hath sent Me, that of all which he hath given Me I should lose nothing,

but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him

that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on

Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day"

(John 6:44, 45, 39, 38, 37, 40).



False theories are represented as permitted to test the piety of true

and false professors. "For there must be also heresies among you,

that they which are approved may be made manifest among you" (1

Cor. 11:19). Those that are of the elect, or are true children of God,

will not follow heresies. Christ says, "And when He putteth forth His

own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him; for they

know His voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from

him: for they know not the voice of strangers. My sheep hear My

voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them

eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them

out of My hand" (John 10:4, 6, 9, 27, 28).



But those who are not true believers will not, and do not hear and

know His voice, and follow Him. "But ye believe not, because ye are

not of My sheep, as I said unto you" (John 10:26).



11. The eighth chapter of Romans seems to settle the question, or

rather is of itself a clear proof of the doctrine we are examining. We

need to read and ponder prayerfully the whole chapter, to apprehend

distinctly the scope of the apostle's teaching upon this subject. He had

in the seventh chapter been dwelling upon and portraying a legal

experience. He begins this eighth chapter by asserting, "There is

therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,

who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the

Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and

death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the

flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for

sin, condemned sin in the flesh; That the righteousness of the law

might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. 

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but

they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally

minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to

the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the

flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if

so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now, if any man have not the

Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is

dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness. 

But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,

He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal

bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are

debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the

flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of

the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,

they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of

bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption,

whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with

our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs;

heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ: if so be that we suffer

with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon, that the

sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the

glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:1-18).



Here he describes the character of true believers as distinguished

from mere legalists, of whom he had been speaking. True believers,

he here asserts, are justified; they are in Christ Jesus; they walk not

after the flesh, but after the Spirit; the righteousness of the law is

fulfilled in them, that is, the law is written in their hearts; they have the

Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of adoption; the Spirit witnesses with their

spirit that they are the adopted children of God: "If children, then heirs,

heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ"; the sufferings of this present

time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed

in them. He says: "For we are saved by hope; but hope that is seen, is

not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" (Romans

8:24).



He then proceeds to notice the ground of this hope: "Likewise the

Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray

for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with

groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts

knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh

intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans

8:26-27). This, observe, he affirms to be true of all who are Christ's, or

who are true believers. Of this Spirit He affirms the following things:

(1.) That all Christians possess this Spirit (2.) That this Spirit bears

witness with the spirits of Christians that they are the children of God. 

(3.) That He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of

God; that is, that He prays in them or excites them to pray, and to pray

aright, for those things which it is the will of God to grant to them. He

then says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them

that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose"

(Romans 8:28). Here he represents those who love God, and those

who are the called according to His purpose, as the same persons;

and affirms, that we know that all things shall work together for their

good. This he notices as a second ground of hope. He next proceeds

to state, how we know that all things work together for the good of

those that love God: or, which he regards as the same thing, to those

who are the elect, called according to the election or purpose of God. 

He says, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be

conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren" (Romans 8:29), that is, we know it, because

they are predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. Not if

they will be, but to be, and therefore, all things must directly or

indirectly contribute to this result. He then says, "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

8:30). That is, furthermore, we know this, and have good ground of

hope from the fact, that whom he did predestinate to be conformed to

the image of His Son, them, that is the same persons, He also called;

and whom, that is, the same persons whom He had predestinated to

be conformed to the image of His Son and had called, them He also

justified; and whom He predestinated, and called, and justified, them,

that is, the same persons, He also glorified.



Here then, he concludes, is a firm foundation for the hope of which he

had spoken, the grounds of which he had been pointing out. He

accordingly proceeds to say in a spirit of triumph:



"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be

against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for

us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who

shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 

Who is He that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is

risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh

intercession for us" (Romans 8:31-34).



Here he says, "if God be for us, who can be against us?" and then

proceeds to point out several other considerations that enter into this

ground of confidence. All who love God are His elect. God justifies

them, and who is he that condemns them? God is for them, and who

shall be against them? God freely gave His Son for all of them, how

much more shall He freely give them all things? If He did not withhold

His Son, surely He would withhold nothing else from them that was

necessary to secure their salvation. Furthermore, it was Christ that

died, and still more and rather, that had risen again, and maketh

intercession for them. If these things are so, we may well inquire:



"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or

distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

(As it is written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are

accounted as sheep for the slaughter.)" (Romans 8:35-36).



He then triumphantly affirms, "Nay, in all these things we are more

than conquerors, through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that

neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor

things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any

other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39).



If Paul in the eighth of Romans does not settle the question, that all

the saints will be saved, how could it be settled? Let us in few words

sum up the argument, as he here presents it:



We are saved already in anticipation, or in hope; and only by hope, for

as yet we have not received our crown. The grounds of this hope are,

that we are in Christ Jesus, have the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of

adoption. We walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. This Spirit

witnesses that we are children and heirs of God. He makes

intercession for us according to the will of God. We also know, that all

things work together for good to them who love God, for they are the

called according to His purpose. They who are called, that is,

effectually called, are called in conformity with their predestination to

be conformed to the image of God. Hence those who are thus

predestinated are called, and justified, and glorified. Therefore, no

one can lay anything to the charge of God's elect. God justifies, and

who shall condemn them? Christ died for them, yea rather, has risen

and makes intercession for them. God withheld not His Son, and of

course will withhold from Christians nothing that is essential to secure

their salvation. Wherefore he concludes, that nothing shall be able to

separate us from the love of God.



I know that to this it has been replied, that although nothing else can

separate us from the love of God, yet we may separate ourselves from

His love. To this I answer, true; we may, or can do so; but the

question is, shall we, or will any of the elected and called do so? No,

indeed; for this is the thing which the apostle intended to affirm,

namely, the certainty of the salvation of all true saints. The apostle

manifestly in this passage assumes, or affirms, that all who ever truly

loved God are elect, or are chosen to be conformed to the image of

His Son; and are called, and sanctified, and justified, in conformity with

such predestination. If this is not his meaning, what is? If this is not

his meaning, what ground of hope do we, after all, find in what he

says? The apostle seems to have had the same thought in his mind in

writing to the Hebrews.



"Wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of

promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath; 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; which hope we have as an anchor of the

soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the

veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a

high-priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek" (Heb. 6:17-20).



There are a great many other passages of scripture, of the same

import as those I have quoted in support of this doctrine, as every one

knows who has taken the trouble to examine for himself. But I have

pursued this investigation far enough. If what has been said fails to

satisfy any mind, it is presumed that nothing which might be added

would produce conviction. I will therefore, after replying to some

further objections, conclude the discussion of this subject.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

LECTURE 50 PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS 



Objections answered.



1. It is said that the natural tendency of this doctrine condemns it; that

it tends to beget and foster a carnal presumption in a life of sin, on the

part of those who think themselves saints. There is, I reply, a broad

and obvious distinction between the abuse of a good thing or doctrine,

and its natural tendency. The legitimate tendency of a thing or

doctrine may be good, and yet it may be abused and perverted. This

is true of the atonement, and the offer of pardon through Christ. 

These doctrines have been, and are, greatly objected to by

Universalists and Unitarians, as having a tendency to encourage the

hope of impunity in sin. It is said by them, that to hold out the idea that

Christ has made an atonement for sin, and that the oldest and vilest

sinners may be forgiven and saved, tends directly to immorality, and to

encourage the hope of ultimate impunity in a life of sin the hope that,

after a sinful life, the sinner may at last repent and be saved.



Now, there is so much plausibility in this objection to the doctrine of

pardon and atonement, that many sensible men have rejected those

doctrines because of this objection. They have regarded the objection

as unanswerable. But a close examination will show, that the

objection against those doctrines is entirely without foundation; and

not only so, but that the real natural tendency of those doctrines

affords a strong presumptive argument in their favor. The telling of a

convinced and self-condemned sinner, that Christ has died for his

sins, and offers freely and at once to forgive all the past, has no

natural tendency to beget a spirit of perseverance in rebellion; but is

on the contrary the readiest, and safest, and I may add, the only

effectual method of subduing him, and bringing him to immediate

repentance. But suppose, on the other hand, you tell him there is no

forgiveness, that he must be punished for his sins at all events, what

tendency has this to bring him to immediate and genuine repentance;

to beget within him the love required by the law of God? Assuring him

of punishment for all his sins, might serve to restrain outward

manifestations of a sinful heart, but certainly it tends not to subdue

selfishness, and to cleanse the heart; whereas the offer of mercy

through the death of Christ, has a most sin subduing tendency. It is

such a manifestation to the sinner of God's great love to him, His real

pity for him, and readiness to overlook and blot out the past, as tends

to break down the stubborn heart into genuine repentance, and to

beget the sincerest love to God and Christ, together with the deepest

self-loathing and self-abasement on account of sin. Thus the

doctrines of the atonement and pardon through a crucified Redeemer,

instead of being condemned by their legitimate tendency, are greatly

confirmed thereby. These doctrines are no doubt liable to abuse, and

so is every good thing; but is this a good reason for rejecting them? 

Our necessary food and drink may be abused, and often are, and o

are all the most essential blessings of life. Should we reject them on

this account?



It is admitted that the doctrines of atonement and forgiveness through

Christ, are greatly abused by careless sinners and hypocrites; but is

this a good reason for denying and withholding them from the

convicted sinner, who is earnestly inquiring what he shall do to be

saved? Who indeed?



It is also admitted, that the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is

liable to abuse, and often is abused by the carnal and deceived

professor; but is this a good reason for rejecting it, and for withholding

its consolations from the tempted, tempest-tossed saint? By no

means. Such are the circumstances of temptation from within and

without, in which the saints are placed in this life, that when they are

made really acquainted with themselves, and are brought to a proper

appreciation of the circumstances in which they are, they have but little

rational ground of hope, except what is found in this doctrine. The

natural tendency and inevitable consequence of a thorough revelation

of themselves to themselves, would be to beget despair, but for the

covenanted grace and faithfulness of God. What saint who has ever

been revealed to himself by the Holy Spirit, has not seen what Paul

saw when he said, "In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good

thing?" (Romans 7:18) Who that has been made acquainted with

himself, does not know that he never did, and never will take one step

towards heaven, except as he is anticipated and drawn by the grace of

God in Christ Jesus? Who that knows himself does not understand

that he never would have been converted, but for the grace of God

anticipating and exciting the first motions of his mind in a right

direction? And what true saint does not know, that such are his former

habitudes, and such the circumstances of trial under which he is

placed, and such the downward tendency of his own soul that

although converted, he shall not persevere for an hour, except the

indwelling grace and Spirit of God shall hold him up, and quicken him

in the path of holiness?



Where, I would ask, is the ground of hope for the saints as they exist

in this world? Not in the fact that they have been physically

regenerated, so that to fall is naturally impossible. Not in the fact that

they have passed through any such change of nature as to secure

their perseverance for an hour, if left to themselves. Not in the fact

that they can or will sustain themselves for a day or a moment by their

resolutions. Where then is their hope? There is not even a ground of

probability, that any one of them will ever be saved, unless the

doctrine in question be true, that is, unless the promised grace and

faithfulness of God in Christ Jesus goes before, and from step to step

secures their perseverance. But if this grace is promised to any saint,

as his only ground of confidence, or even hope that he shall be saved,

it is equally, and upon the same conditions, promised to all the saints. 

No one more than another can place the least reasonable dependence

on anything, except the grace equally promised and vouchsafed to all. 

What does a man know of himself who hopes to be saved, and who

yet does not depend wholly on promises of grace in Christ Jesus?



The natural tendency of true and thorough conviction of sin, and of

such a knowledge of ourselves, as is essential to salvation, is to beget

and foster despondency and despair; and, as I said, the soul in this

condition has absolutely little or no ground of hope of ultimate

salvation, except that which this doctrine, when rightly understood,

affords. However far he may have progressed in the way of life, he

sees, when he thoroughly knows the truth, that he has progressed not

a step, except as he has been drawn and inclined by the indwelling

grace and Spirit of Christ; and that he shall absolutely go no further in

the way to heaven, unless the same gracious influence is continued, in

such a sense, and to such an extent, as to overcome all the

temptations with which he is beset. His only hope is in the fact, that

God has promised to keep and preserve him. Nothing but God's

faithfulness to His Son procured the conversion of any saint. Nothing

but this same faithfulness has procured his perseverance for a day,

and nothing else can render the salvation of any soul at all probable. 

What can a man be thinking about, or what can he know of himself,

who does not know this? Unless the same grace that secures the

conversion of the saints, secures their perseverance to the end, there

is no hope for them. It is true, that the promises to sinners and to

saints are conditionated upon their faith, and upon the right exercise of

their own agency; and it is also true, that grace secures the fulfillment

of the conditions of the promises, in every instance in which they are

fulfilled, or they never would be fulfilled.



We have seen that the promises of the Father to the Son secure the

bestowment upon the saints of all grace to ensure their final salvation. 

It shocks and distresses me to hear professed Christians talk of being

saved at all, except upon the ground of the anticipating, and

persevering, and sin-overcoming, and hell-subduing grace of God in

Christ Jesus. Why, I should as soon expect the devil to be saved, as

that any saint on earth will be, if left, with all the promises of God in his

hands, to stand and persevere without the drawings, and inward

teachings, and over-persuading influences of the Holy Spirit. Shame

on a theology that suspends the ultimate salvation of the saints upon

the broken reed of their own resolutions in their best estate! Their

firmest resolutions are nothing unless they are formed and supported

by the influence of the Spirit of grace, going before, and exciting, and

persuading to their formation and their continuance. This is

everywhere taught in the Bible; and who that has considered the

matter does not know, that this is the experience of every saint? 

Where, then, is the ground of hope, if the doctrine in question be

denied? "If the foundation be destroyed, what shall the righteous do?" 

Where, then, is the evil tendency of this doctrine? It has naturally no

evil tendency. Can the assurance of eternal salvation through the

blood, and love, and grace of Christ, have a natural tendency to

harden the heart of a child of God against his Father and his Saviour? 

Can the revealed fact, that he shall be more than a conqueror through

Christ, beget in him a disposition to sin against Christ? Impossible! 

This doctrine, though liable to abuse by hypocrites, is nevertheless the

sheet anchor of the saints in hours of conflict. And shall the children

be deprived of the bread of life, because sinners will pervert the use of

it to their own destruction? This doctrine is absolutely needful to

prevent despair, when conviction is deep, and conflicts with temptation

are sharp. Its natural tendency is to slay and keep down selfishness,

to forestall selfish efforts and resolutions, and to sustain the

confidence of the soul at all times. It tends to subdue sin, to humble

the soul under a sense of the great love and faithfulness of God in

Christ Jesus; to influence the soul to live upon Christ, and to renounce

entirely and for ever all confidence in the flesh. Indeed, its tendency is

the direct opposite of that asserted in the objection. It is the abuse,

and not the natural tendency of this doctrine, against which this

objection is urged. But the abuse of a doctrine is no reason why it

should be rejected.



2. But it is said that real saints do sometimes fall into at least

temporary backsliding, in which cases the belief of this doctrine tends

to lull them into carnal security, and to prolong their backsliding, if not

to embolden them to apostatize.



To this I reply that if real Christians do backslide, they lose for the time

being their evidence of acceptance with God; and withal they know

that in their present state they cannot be saved. This objection is

leveled rather against that view of perseverance that says "once in

grace, always in grace"; that teaches the doctrine of perpetual

justification upon condition of one act of faith. The doctrine as stated

in these lectures, holds out no ground of hope to a backslider, except

upon condition of return and perseverance to the end. Moreover, the

doctrine as here taught is, that perseverance in holiness, in the sense,

that, subsequent to regeneration holiness is at least the rule, and sin

only the exception, is an attribute of Christian character. Every

moment, therefore, a backslider remains in sin, he must have less

evidence that he is a child of God.



But as I said, he loses confidence in his own Christianity, and in this

state of backsliding he does not believe the doctrine of perseverance,

as a doctrine of revelation. It is absurd to say, that while backslidden

from God he still has faith in His word, and believes this doctrine as a

Christian doctrine, and upon the strength of the testimony of God. He

does not in this state really believe the doctrine, and therefore it is not

the tendency of the doctrine when believed that harms him, but a

gross abuse and perversion of it. But the perversion of a doctrine is

no objection to it. The real tendency of the doctrine is to break the

heart of the backslider, to exhibit to him the great love, and

faithfulness, and grace of God which tend naturally to subdue

selfishness, and to humble the heart. When backsliders are

emboldened by this doctrine and rendered presumptuous, it is never

by any other than a gross perversion and abuse of it.



Those who persist in such objections should reflect upon their own

inconsistency, in making a manifest perversion and abuse of this

doctrine an objection to it, when they hold other doctrines, equally

liable to abuse and equally abused, in spite of such abuse. Let such

persons see, that they are practically adopting a principle, and

insisting upon its application in this case, which, if carried out, would

set aside the whole gospel.



3. It is objected, that the Bible speaks of the saints as if there were real

danger of their being lost. It requires them to spend the time of their

sojourning here in fear, and abounds with cautions, and warnings, and

threatenings, that are certainly out of place, and not at all to be

regarded, if the salvation of the saints is a revealed certainty. How, it

is inquired, can we fear, if God has revealed the certainty of our

salvation? Is not fear in such a case a result of unbelief? Can God

reveal to us the fact, that we shall certainly be saved, and then call on

us or exhort us to fear that we shall not be saved? Can He require us

to doubt His word and His oath? If God has revealed the certainty of

the salvation of all true saints, can any saint fear that he shall not be

saved without downright unbelief? And can God approve and even

enjoin such fears? If a person is conscious of possessing the

character ascribed to the true saints in the Bible, is he not bound upon

the supposition that this doctrine is true, to have and to entertain the

most unwavering assurance that he shall be saved? Has he any right

to doubt it, or to fear that he shall not be saved?



I answer, that no true saint who has an evidence or an earnest of his

acceptance with God, such as the true saint may have, has a right to

doubt for a moment that he shall be saved, nor has he a right to fear,

that he shall not be saved. I also add, that the Bible nowhere

encourages, or calls upon the saints to fear, that they shall not be

saved, or that they shall be lost. It calls on them to fear something

else, to fear to sin or apostatize, lest they should be lost, but not that

they shall sin and be lost. The following are specimens of the

exhortations and warnings given to the saints:



"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is

willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matt. 26:41).



"Take ye heed, watch and pray; for ye know not when the time is. For

the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house,

and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and

commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore; for ye know not

when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at

cock-crowing, or in the morning; Lest, coming suddenly, he find you

sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch" (Mark

13:33-37).



"Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall

find watching; verily I say unto you, That He shall gird Himself, and

make them to sit down to eat, and will come forth and serve them"

(Luke 12:37).



"Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1

Cor. 5:12).



"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong" (1 Cor.

19:13).



"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15, 16).



"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His

might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand

against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:10-11).



"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ; that

whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your

affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together

for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries;

which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation,

and that of God" (Phil. 1:27, 28).



"Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be

sober" (1 Thess. 5:6).



"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, where unto thou

art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many

witnesses" (1 Tim. 6:12).



"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2

Tim. 2:3).



"But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an

evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry" (2 Tim. 4:5).



"But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch

unto prayer" (1 Peter 4:7).



"And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake; but he that

endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matt. 10:22).



"If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered;

and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are

burned" (John 15:6).



"Who will render to every man according to his deeds; To them who,

by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, and honor, and

immortality, eternal life" (Romans 2:6-7).



"But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any

means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a

castaway" (1 Cor. 9:27).



"We, then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye

receive not the grace of God in vain" (2 Cor. 6:1).



"If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved

away from the hope of the gospel, which we have heard, and which

was preached to every creature which is under heaven: whereof I Paul

am made a minister" (Col. 1:23).



"But Christ as a Son over His own house; whose house are we, if we

hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the

end. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of

unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another

daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the

deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold

the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Heb. 3:6,

12-14).



"Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His

rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Let us labor

therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same

example of unbelief" (Heb. 4:1, 11).



"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling

and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (2 Peter

1:10).



"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold, the devil

shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall

have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give

thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit

saith unto the churches; he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the

second death. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith

unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the

hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new

name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. And

he that overcometh, and keepeth My words unto the end, to him will I

give power over the nations" (Rev. 2:10, 11, 17, 26).



"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and

he shall be My son" (Rev. 21:7).



"And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth

according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here

in fear" (1 Peter 1:17).



I find no instance in the Bible in which the saints are enjoined or

exhorted to fear that they shall actually be lost; but, on the contrary,

this kind of fear is everywhere, in the word of God, discountenanced

and rebuked, and the saints are exhorted to the utmost assurance that

Christ will keep and preserve them to the end, and finally bestow on

them eternal life. They are warned against sin and apostasy, and are

informed that if they do apostatize they shall be lost. They are

expressly informed, that their salvation is conditionated upon their

perseverance in holiness to the end. They are also called upon to

watch against sin and apostasy; to fear both, lest they should be lost.



"Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His

rest, any of you should seem to come short of it" (Heb. 9:1).



"Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on

unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from

dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptism, and of

laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal

judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for

those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly

gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost; And have tasted the

good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall

fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to

themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame"

(Heb. 6:1-6).



"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of

unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another

daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the

deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold

the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Heb.

3:12-14).



They are required to fear to sin, but not to fear that they shall sin in

any sense that implies any expectation of sinning. They are to fear to

apostatize, but not to expect, or fear that they shall apostatize. They

are to fear to be lost, but not that they shall be lost. To fear to sin lest

we should be lost, is a very different thing from fearing that we shall

sin and shall be lost. There is just as much need of our fearing to sin,

and of fearing to be lost, as there would be if there were no certainty of

our salvation. When we consider the nature of the certainty of the

salvation of the saints, that it is only a moral and conditional certainty,

we can see the propriety and the necessity of the warnings and

threatenings which we find addressed to them in the Bible. The

language of the Bible is just what it might be expected to be, in case

the salvation of the saints were certain, with a moral and conditional

certainty.



But again: this objection is based upon a gross error in respect to the

philosophy of moral government. Moral law exists with its sanctions as

really in heaven as on earth, and its sanctions have in heaven the very

influence that they ought to have on earth. It is as true in heaven as

on earth, that the soul that sinneth shall die. Now, can the sanctions

of law exert no influence in heaven? I suppose no reasonable person

will doubt the certainty, and the known certainty of the perseverance of

all saints there. But if they are certain that they shall not sin and fall,

can they not be the subjects of fear in any sense? I answer, yes. 

They are naturally able to sin, and may be sometimes placed under

circumstances where they are tempted to selfishness. Indeed, the

very nature of mind renders it certain, that the saints will always have

need of watchfulness against temptation and sin.



Now, it is the design of the sanctions of law in all worlds to produce

hope on the one hand, and fear on the other; in holy beings the hope

of reward, and the fear to sin lest they should perish. This hope and

fear in a being duly influenced by them, is not selfishness. It is

madness and desperate wickedness not to be influenced by them. 

Our reason affirms that we ought to be influenced by them, that our

own salvation is of infinite value, and that our damnation were an

infinite evil. It therefore affirms that we ought to secure the one and to

avoid the other. This is law both on earth and in heaven. This we are

not to do selfishly, that is, to seek our own salvation, or to avoid our

own damnation, exclusively or only, but to seek to save as many as

possible; to love our neighbor as ourselves, and ourselves as our

neighbor. In all worlds the sanctions of law ought to have their

influence, and with holy beings they have. Holy beings are really

subjects of fear to sin, and to be lost, and are the only beings who

have the kind of fear which God requires, and which it is the design of

the sanctions of law and of the gospel to inspire. What! Are we to be

told that a certainty of safety is wholly inconsistent with every kind and

degree of fear? What, then, is the use of law in heaven? Must a man

on earth or in heaven doubt whether he shall have eternal life, in order

to leave room for the influence of moral law, and of hope, and of fear,

or in order to leave play for the motives of moral government? There

is room for the same fear in heaven that ought to be on earth. No one

has a right to expect to violate the precept, and thereby incur the

penalty of law. But every one is bound to fear to do so. The penalty

was never designed on earth, any more than it is in heaven, to beget a

slavish fear, or a fear that we shall sin and be damned; but only a fear

to sin and be damned. A fear to sin and to be lost, will, to all eternity,

no doubt, be a means of confirming holy beings in heaven. The law

will be the same there as here. Free agency will be the same there as

here. Perseverance in holiness will be a condition of continued

salvation there as really as here. There may, and doubtless will, be

temptations there as well as here. They will, therefore, need there

substantially the same motives to keep them that they need and have

here. There will there be laws and conditions of continued bliss as

here. There will be the same place, and in kind, if not in degree, the

same occasion for fear there that there is here. I say again, that the

objection we are considering, overlooks both the true philosophy of

mind, and of the influence of the sanctions of moral law.



The objection we are considering is based upon the assumption that

warnings, exhortation to fear, etc., are inconsistent with the revealed

certainty of the salvation of the saints. But does not the Bible furnish

abundant instances of warning in cases where the result is revealed

as certain? The case of Paul's shipwreck is in point. This case has

been once alluded to, but I recur to it for the sake of illustration in this

place. God, by Paul, revealed the fact, that no life on board the ship

should be lost. This he declared as a fact, without any revealed

qualification or condition. But when the sailors, who alone knew how

to manage the ship, were about to abandon her, Paul informs them

that their abiding in the ship was a condition of their salvation from

death. The means were really as certain as the end; yet the end was

conditionated upon the means, and if the means failed, the end would

fail. Therefore, Paul appealed to their fears of death to secure them

against neglecting the means of safety. He did not intend to excite in

them a distrust of the promise of God, but only to apprise them of the

conditional nature of the certainty of their safety which had been

revealed to them, and thus cause them at once to fear to neglect the

means, and to confide in the certainty of safety in the diligent use of

them. But this is a case, be it understood, directly in point, and by

itself affords a full answer to the objection under consideration. It is a

case where a revealed certainty of the event was entirely consistent

with warning and threatening. Nay, it is a case where the certainty,

though real, was dependent upon the warning and threatening, and

the consequent fear to neglect the means. This case is a full

illustration of the revealed certainty of the ultimate salvation of the

saints; and were there no other case in the Bible where warning and

threatening are addressed to those whose safety is revealed, this case

would be a full answer to the assertion, that warnings and threatenings

are inconsistent with revealed certainty. Paul feared to have the

means of safety neglected, but he did not fear that they really would

be, because he knew that they would not.



To the pertinency of this case as an illustration, it is objected, that the

prophet pronounced the destruction of Nineveh in forty days to be

certain, as really as Paul in this case revealed the certainty of the

safety of all on board the ship; therefore, it is contended that Paul did

not intend to reveal the result as certain, because when a revelation

was made respecting the destruction of Nineveh, in just as unqualified

terms, the event showed that it was not certain. To this I reply, that in

the case of Jonah, it is manifest from the whole narrative that neither

Jonah nor the Ninevites understood the event as unconditionally

certain. Jonah expressly assigned to God his knowledge of the

uncertainty of the event, as an excuse for not delivering his message. 

So the people themselves understood, that the event might not be

certain, as their conduct abundantly shows. The difference in the two

cases is just this: one was a real and a revealed certainty, and the

other was neither. Why then should this case be adduced as setting

aside that of the shipwreck? But it is said, that no condition was

revealed in the one case more than in the other. Now so far as the

history is recorded, no mention is made in the case of Nineveh, that

Jonah intimated that there was any condition upon which the

destruction of the city could be avoided: yet it is plain, that both Jonah

and the Ninevites understood the threatening to be conditional, in the

sense of the event's being uncertain. Jonah himself did not expect it

with much certainty. But in the case of Paul, he expressly affirms, that

he believed God that it should be as he had declared, that there

should be the loss of no man's life, and he encouraged them to believe

the same thing. Paul understood the end to be certain, though he

knew, and soon informed them, that the certainty was a moral one,

and conditionated upon the diligent use of means. The two cases are

by no means parallel. It is true that Nineveh would have been

destroyed, had they not used the appropriate mans to prevent it; and

the same is true of the ship's crew; and it is also true that, in both

cases, it was really certain that the means would not be neglected; yet

in one case, the certainty was really understood to be revealed, and

was believed in, and not in the other. Now observe, the point to be

illustrated by reference to this case of shipwreck. It is just this: Can a

man have any fear, and can there be ground and need of caution and

fear, where there is a real and revealed, and believed or known

certainty? The objection I am answering is, that, if the salvation of the

saints is certain, and revealed as such, and is believed to be certain,

there is then no ground of fear, and no necessity or room for warning,

threatening, etc. But this case of shipwreck is one in which all these

things meet.



(1.) The event was certain, and of course the conditions were sure to

be fulfilled.



(2.) The certainty was revealed.



(3.) It was believed. Yet, 



(4.) There was warning, and threatening, and fear, to neglect the

means. But these things did not all meet in the case of Jonah and the

Ninevites. In this case, 



(1.) It was not certain that the city would be destroyed.



(2.) It was not understood to be revealed as certain.



(3.) It was not believed to be certain.



Why, then, I ask again, should these cases be taken as parallels?



Paul repeatedly speaks of his own salvation as certain, and yet in a

manner that conditionates it upon his perseverance in faith and

obedience to the end. He says:



"For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer,

and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And having this

confidence, I know I shall abide and continue with you all, for your

furtherance and joy of faith" (Phil. 1:19, 25).



"And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve

me unto His heavenly kingdom to whom be glory forever and ever" (2

Tim. 4:18).



In this place it is plain, that he regarded his perseverance and ultimate

salvation, by and through the grace of God, as certain. Paul

everywhere, as every attentive reader of the Bible knows, renounces

all hope but in the indwelling grace and Spirit of Christ. Still, he felt

confident of his salvation. But if he had no confidence in himself, on

what was his confidence based? Again:



"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not

ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that

He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that

day" (2 Tim. 1:12).



Here again Paul expresses the fullest confidence of his own salvation. 

He did not merely intend to say that Christ was able, if He was

disposed, to keep that which he had committed to Him, but he

assumed His willingness and asserted His ability, as the ground of his

confidence. That he here expressed entire confidence in his ultimate

salvation, cannot reasonably be doubted. He did not say that he was

persuaded that Christ was able to save him, if he persevered; but his

confidence was founded in the fact, that Christ was able to secure his

perseverance. It was because he was persuaded that Christ was able

to keep him, that he had any assurance, and I might add even hope, of

his own salvation. The same reason he assigned as the ground of

confidence that others would be saved. To the Thessalonians he

says, "But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you

from evil" (2 Thess. 3:3). Again, Jude says, "Now unto Him that is able

to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the

presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). Again, Peter

says, of all the elect or saints, "Who are kept by the power of God

through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time" (1

Peter 1:5). Thus we see, that the ground of confidence with the

apostles was, that God and Christ could and would keep them, not

without their own efforts, but that He would induce them to be faithful,

and so secure this result. The same was true of Christ, as is

manifested in His last prayer for them. "I pray not that Thou shouldest

take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from

the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world"

(John 17:15, 16). But the apostles frequently express their

confidence, both in the certainty of their own salvation, and also in the

salvation of those to whom they wrote. Paul says, "I therefore so run,

not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep

under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by my means,

when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1

Cor. 9:26, 27). Here he expresses the fullest confidence that he shall

win the crown, but at the same time recognizes the condition of his

salvation, and informs us that he took care to fulfil it, lest he should be

a castaway. He says, verse 26: "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly,

so fight I, not as one who beateth the air." He alludes to the Olympic

games, and in this connection says, "Know ye not that they which run

in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may

obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all

things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an

incorruptible" (1 Cor. 9:24, 25). He then adds, verses 26 and 27: "I

therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I not as one that beateth

the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that

by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a

castaway."



Of those who ran in these games, but one could win the prize. But not

so in the Christian race: here all might win. In those games, because

but one could possibly win, there was much uncertainty in respect to

whether any one in particular could win the prize. In the Christian race

there was no need of any such uncertainty. As it respected himself he

says, "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that

beateth the air": that is, I do not run with any uncertainty or

irresolution, because of uncertainty in respect to whether I shall win

the prize. Nor do I fight as one that beateth the air, or as one who

fights uncertainly or in vain; but while I have this confidence, I keep

under my body. It has been denied that Paul intended to express a

confidence in his salvation in this place; but this cannot be reasonably

denied. He was speaking in this connection of the Christian race, and

of the conditions of winning the victor's crown. He affirms that there

was no real uncertainty whether he should win the crown. In the

Olympic games there was uncertainty, because but one could win; but

here no such ground of uncertainty existed; and, moreover, with him

there was no real uncertainty at all, while at the same time he

understood the conditional nature of the certainty, and kept under his

body, etc. Can any one suppose that Paul really had any doubt in

regard to his own ultimate salvation? Now observe, these passages in

respect to Paul are not adduced to prove that all saints will be saved;

nor that, if Paul was sure of his salvation, therefore all saints may be. 

To prove this is not my present design, but simply to show, that while

Paul was sure, and had no doubt of his ultimate salvation, he yet

feared to neglect the means. He was not disheartened in the Christian

race with a sense of uncertainty, as they who ran in the Olympic

games. He was not, as they might be, irresolute on account of their

great uncertainty of winning. He expected to win, and yet he dared not

neglect the conditions o winning. Nay, he expected to win, because

he expected to fulfil the conditions; and he expected to fulfil the

conditions, not because he had any confidence in himself, but

because he confided in the grace and Spirit of God to secure his

perseverance. Nevertheless, he kept under his body, and feared

self-indulgence, lest he should be a castaway.



Paul affirms of the Thessalonians, that he knew their election of God. 

"Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God" (1 Thess. 1:14). In

both his epistles to this church, he often speaks of them in a manner

that implies, that he regarded their salvation as certain, and yet he

also frequently warns and exhorts them to faithfulness, and to guard

against being deceived by false teachers, etc. "Now we beseech you,

brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our

gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be

troubled, neither by spirit nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that

the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means;

for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and

that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition" (2 Thess. 2:1-3). He

addresses the same strain of exhortation to them that he does to all

Christians, and plies them with admonition and warning, just as might

be expected, considering the moral and conditional nature of the

certainty of their salvation.



In writing to the Philippians, he says, "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. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you

all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds,

and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye are all partakers

of my grace" (Phil. 1:6, 7). Here he expresses the confidence of an

inspired apostle, that Christ would secure their salvation. But yet, he

says: "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in

my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your

own salvation with fear and trembling; For it is God which worketh in

you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:12-13). Here

he warns them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. 

There is no stronger passage than this, where the saints are exhorted

to fear; and mark, this is addressed to the very persons of whom he

had just said, "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"

(Phil. 1:6). Almost at the same breath he expresses the confidence of

an inspired apostle, that he who had begun a good work in them would

carry it on until the day of Jesus Christ; that is, that He would surely

save them; and at the same time exhorts them to "work out their

salvation with fear and trembling." Paul also addresses the church at

Ephesus as follows:



"Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which

are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you

and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath

blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the

world, that we should be holy, and without blame before Him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ

to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, To the praise of

the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the

Beloved. In whom we have redemption through His blood, the

forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; Wherein He

hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made

known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure

which He hath purposed in Himself: That in the dispensation of the

fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ,

both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him: In

whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated

according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the

counsel of His own will: That we should be to the praise of His glory,

who first trusted in Christ" (Eph. 1:1-12).



Now, let any one read the epistle through, and he will find, that these

same elect persons are addressed throughout with precept,

exhortation, and warning, just as all other saints throughout the Bible. 

To quote the instances of this were only to quote much of the epistle. 

Indeed this is the common usage of the inspired writers, to address

the saints as the elect of God, as persons whose salvation was secure

as a matter of fact, but whose salvation was after all conditionated

upon their perseverance in holiness; and they hence proceed to warn,

admonish, and exhort them, just as we might expect when we

consider the nature of the certainty of which they were speaking.



But if it be still urged, that the fact of election is not revealed in any

case to the individuals who compose the elect; that if the fact of

election were revealed to any one, to him threatenings and warnings

would be out of place; I reply, that this is only saying, that if certainty is

revealed as such at any time, and in respect to anything, then

warnings, and threatenings, and fears, are wholly out of place. But

this is not true, as we have seen in the case of the shipwreck. Here

the certainty was revealed to the individuals concerned, and

accredited. Christ also revealed to His apostles the fact of their

election, as we have seen, also to Paul. Can any one reasonably call

in question the fact, that the apostles understood well their election of

God, not only to the apostleship, but also to eternal life? Observe

again, what Paul says in writing to the church at Ephesus, in the

passage which has just been quoted.

Here he expressly recognizes himself as one of the elect, as he does

elsewhere, and as the apostles always do, directly or by way of

implication, and yet Paul and the other apostles did not feel that

warning, and watchfulness, and fear to sin were at all out of place with

them.



Job speaks as if the certainty of his salvation had been revealed to

him. He says: "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall

stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin

worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall

see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though

my reins be consumed within me" (Job 19:25-27).



Can any one suppose that Job regarded threatenings, and warnings,

and fear to sin, as out of place with him? It is generally admitted, that

there is such a thing as the full assurance of faith or hope, or as

attaining to the certain knowledge that salvation is secure to us. But

would a saint who has made this attainment be less affected than

others by all the threatenings, and warnings, and exhortations to fear,

found in the Bible? Would such souls cease to tremble at the word of

God? Would they cease to pass their time of sojourning here with

fear? Would they cease to "work out their salvation with fear and

trembling?" Would God no longer regard them as belonging to the

class of persons mentioned in: "For all those things hath Mine hand

made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man

will I look, even to him that is of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My

word?" (Isaiah 66:2).



Christ prayed for the salvation of His apostles, in their presence, in

such a manner as to leave no room for them to doubt their ultimate

salvation, if they expected His prayers to be answered. He did the

same with respect to all that should believe on Him through their word. 

Now will you affirm, that they who are conscious of believing in Jesus,

must cease to have confidence in the efficacy of His prayers, before

they can feel the power, and propriety, and influence of warnings, and

threatenings, and the various motives that are addressed to the elect

of God to preserve them from falling? The supposition is

preposterous. What! Must we doubt the efficacy of His prayers, in

order to credit and appreciate the force of His warnings? In fact, the

more holy any one is, and the more certain he is of his eternal

salvation, the more does sin become an object of loathing, of fear, and

even of terror, to him. The more holy he is, the more readily he

trembles at the word of God, and the more sensibly and easily he is

affected by a contemplation of sin and divine wrath, the more awful

and terrible these things appear to him, and the more solemnly do they

affect him, although he has the fullest assurance that he shall never

taste of either sin or hell. It is true, indeed, as we shall have occasion

to remark hereafter, that in general, the Bible assumes that individuals

are not sure of their salvation and upon that assumption proceeds to

warn them.



But still it is insisted that, if the end is certain, so are the means; and if

one is revealed as certain, so is the other; and that therefore it is

absurd, and implies unbelief, to fear that we shall neglect the means,

or that either the end or means will fail. But as we have said, to fear to

neglect the means, and to fear that we shall neglect them, are not the

same. We are naturally able to neglect them, and there is just as

much real danger of our neglecting them, as there would be if no

revelation were made about it, unless the revelation of the certainty of

their use be a means of securing the use of them. We are therefore to

fear to neglect them. There is, in fact, as much real danger of our

neglecting the means of our salvation, as there is that any event

whatever will be different from what it turns out to be. There is no

more real danger in one case than in the other; but in one case the

certainty is revealed, and in the other not. Therefore, when the

certainty is not revealed, it is reasonable to fear that the event will not

be as we desire, and as it ought to be. But in the other, that is, when

the certainty is revealed, we have no right to fear that it will be

otherwise than as revealed, nor to fear that the means will in fact be

neglected; but in all such cases we should fear to neglect the means,

as really and as much, as if no revelation of certainty had been made;

just as Paul did in the case of his shipwreck.



Again, it is inquired, are we not to fear that any of the saints will be

lost, and pray for them under the influence of this fear? I answer, no. 

The saints are the elect. None of God's elect will be lost. We are to

pray for them as Christ prayed for His apostles, and as He prayed for

all believers, not with the fear that they will be lost, for this were

praying in unbelief; but we are to pray for all persons known to be

saints, that they may persevere unto the end and be saved, with

confidence that our prayer will be answered. But it is said, that Paul

expressed doubts in regard to the salvation of the churches in Galatia. 

I answer, that he expressed no doubt in respect to their ultimate

salvation; he says, "I desire to be present with you now, and to change

my voice; for I stand in doubt of you" (Gal. 4:20). In the margin it

reads, "I am perplexed for you." He says in the next chapter: "I have

confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise

minded; but he that troubleth you shall bear His judgment, whosoever

he be" (Gal. 5:10); Paul set himself zealously to reclaim these

churches from error, and expresses full confidence of the result; and

no where, that I see, intimates, that he doubted whether they would

finally be saved.



But it is said still, that if the salvation of all the saints is secured, and

this certainty is revealed, there is no real danger of their either

neglecting the necessary means, or of their being lost, and therefore

warnings, and threatenings, and fears are vain; and that the certainty

being granted, it is irrational and impossible to fear, without doubting

the truth of God; that certainty is certainty, and it matters not at all of

what kind the certainty is; that if it be granted that the event is certain,

all danger, and of course all cause of fear, is out of the question.



To this form of the objection I reply, that it proceeds upon the

assumption, that there is no danger of the saints falling, if God has

revealed the certainty of their ultimate salvation. But what do we

mean by danger? It has already been said, that all events are certain,

in the sense that it is and was from eternity as really certain that they

will be, and how they will be; and that all their circumstances and

conditions are, and eternally were, as certain as they ever will be. So

that there never is any real danger, in the sense of uncertainty, that

any event will be otherwise than it turns out in fact to be. By danger,

then, is not meant that there is really any uncertainty in respect to how

anything will be. But all that can properly be intended by danger is,

that there is a natural possibility, and, humanly speaking, a probability,

that it may be otherwise than as we desire; that this is probable in the

sense that there is, humanly speaking, from the circumstances of the

case and so far as we can judge, from the course of events, a

probability that a thing may not occur as we would have it.



Now, a natural possibility always exists in respect to the falling and

final destruction of the saints; and in most cases at least, the

circumstances are such that, humanly speaking, and aside from the

grace of God, there is not only real danger, but a certainty that they

will fail of eternal life. There are, humanly speaking, many chances to

one that they will fall and be lost. Now, this danger is as real as if

nothing of certainty had been revealed. The event would have been

as certain without the revelation of the certainty as with it, unless it be

true, which I suppose in many cases is the fact, that the revelation of

the certainty helps to secure their perseverance.



But thus far I have replied to the objection, upon the assumption, that

the certainty of the salvation of the saints is revealed, in the sense that

individual saints may know the certainty of their own salvation. I have

shown, as I trust, that admitting this to be true, yet the nature of the

certainty leaves abundant room for the influence of a wholesome

sense of danger, and for the feeling of hope and fear. But the fact is,

that in but few cases comparatively does it appear, that the certainty is

revealed to the individuals as such. The salvation of all true saints is

revealed, as we have seen, and the characteristics of true saints are

revealed in the Bible. So that it is possible for individual saints to

possess a comfortable assurance of salvation, upon the knowledge

that they are saints. And as was shown, it is doubtless true that in

some cases, in the days of inspiration, and not improbably in some

cases since the Bible was complete, individuals have had a direct

revelation by the Holy Spirit that they were saints, and accepted of

God.



But in the great majority of cases in all time hitherto, the saints have

had no personal and clear revelation of their being saints, and no

evidence of it, except what they gather from an experience that in their

view accords with the Bible description of the character of the saints. 

When Peter addressed his epistles to the elect saints, for example,

although he regarded the elect as certain of salvation, yet he did not

distinguish and address individuals by name; but left it for them to be

satisfied of their own election and saintship, by their own

consciousness of possessing the character that belongs to the saints. 

He did not reveal to any one in particular the fact of his own election. 

This was for the most part true of all the letters written to the churches. 

Although they were addressed as a body, as elect, and as saints, yet

from this they were not to infer, that they were all saints or elect, but

were to learn that fact, and who were real saints, from their conscious

character.



We have seen, in another place, that the Bible represents

perseverance, in the sense already explained, as an attribute of

Christian character; and therefore no one can have evidence that he is

a saint, any farther than he is conscious of abiding in obedience. If

saints do abide in the light, and have the assurance that they are

saints, we have seen the sense in which they may be influenced by

hope and fear, and the sense in which moral law with its sanctions

may be useful to them. But when a saint shall backslide, he must lose

the evidence of his being a saint, and then all the warnings and

threatenings may take full effect upon him. He finds himself not

persevering, and has of course to infer that he is not a saint; and the

doctrine of the perseverance of the saints can be no comfort to him. It

is in fact against him; for this doctrine is, that the saints do persevere;

every day he lives in backsliding, it becomes less evident that he is a

saint. The Bible is manifestly written, for the most part, upon the

assumption, that individual saints do not certainly know their election,

and the certainty of their own salvation. It therefore addresses them,

as if there were real uncertainty in respect to their salvation; that is, as

if, as individuals, they were not certain of salvation. It represents the

salvation of real saints as certain, but represents many professed

saints as having fallen, and warns them against presumption and

self-deception, in the matter of their profession, privileges, and

experience. It represents the danger of delusion as great, and exhorts

them to examine and prove themselves, and see whether they are

truly saints. The warnings found in the Bible are, for the most part,

evidently of this kind; that is, they assume that individuals may deceive

themselves, and presumptuously assume their own election, and

saintship, and safety, from their privileges, relations, and experiences. 

Inspiration, therefore, proceeds to warn them, assuming that they do

not know the certainty of their own individual salvation. We shall by

and by have occasion to examine some passages that will illustrate

and confirm this remark.



There is, therefore, I apprehend, no real difficulty in accounting for the

manner in which the Bible is written, upon the supposition that the

doctrine under consideration is true. But on the contrary, it appears to

me, that the scriptures are just what might be expected, if the doctrine

were true. When we consider the nature of the certainty in all cases,

and also that the great mass of professed Christians have no certain

revelation of their being real saints, that there is so much real danger

of deception, in regard to our own characters, and that so many are

and have been deceived; I say, when we consider these things, there

can be no difficulty in accounting for the manner in which both

professors and real saints are addressed in the word of God.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LECTURE 51



PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS



Further objections answered.



4. A fourth objection to this doctrine is, that if, by the perseverance of

the saints is intended, that they live anything like lives of habitual

obedience to God, then facts are against it.



To this objection I reply: that by the perseverance of the saints, as I

use these terms, is intended that, subsequently to their regeneration,

holiness is the rule of their lives, and sin only the exception. But it is

said, that facts contradict this.



(1.) The case of king Saul is brought forward as an instance in point to

sustain the objection.



To this I reply: that it is far from being clear that Saul was ever a truly

regenerate man. He appears, in connection with his appointment to

the throne of Israel, to have been the subject of divine illuminations, in

so far as to be much changed in his views and deportment, and as to

have had another heart, in so much that he prophesied, etc.; but it is

nowhere intimated that he became a truly regenerate man, a truly

praying child of God. Similar changes are not infrequently witnessed

in men, and changes evidently brought about by the illuminations of

the Holy Spirit, where there is no good reason to believe that the

subjects of them were truly regenerated. From the history of Saul,

subsequent to the change of which we are speaking, we gather

absolutely nothing that looks like true piety. His case therefore cannot

properly be brought as an objection to the doctrine in question, for the

plain reason, that evidence is wanting that he ever was a saint. His

prophesying, as is evident from the connection in which it is spoken of,

was merely speaking fervently upon religions subjects. He was so

much enlightened, as to manifest for a time considerable excitement

upon the subject of religion, and as to mingle with the schools of the

prophets, and take an interest in their exercises. But this was only

similar to what we often witness, when the ends and indeed when all

the circumstances, duly considered, show clearly that true

regeneration has not taken place. Who has not seen men have, for

the time being, another, but not a holy, heart?



(2.) It is said, that David did not persevere in obedience, in the sense

that obedience was his rule, and sin only the exception. To this I

reply:



(a.) It is not pretended that there is any doubt respecting the final

salvation of David.



(b.) That David did not persevere, in the sense defined above wants

proof. His psalms, together with his whole history, show that he was a

highly spiritual man. He was an eminent type of Christ, and, for a man

in his circumstances, was a remarkable saint. To be sure, David

practiced polygamy, and did many things that in us, under the light of

the gospel, would be sin. But it should be considered, that David

under a dispensation of comparative obscurity, and therefore many

things which would now be unlawful and sinful, were not so in him. 

That David, with comparatively few exceptions, lived up to the light he

had, cannot be reasonably called in question. He is said to have been

a man after God's own heart. I know this is said of him as a king, but I

know also that, as king this could not have been said of him, unless he

had feared and served the Lord, and in the main lived up to the light

with which he was surrounded.



(3.) It is also said, that Solomon king of Israel did not persevere, in the

sense contended for in this discourse.



Of Solomon I would say, that he at one period of his life, for how long

a time it does not appear, fell into grievous backsliding, and appears in

some sense to have tolerated idolatry. His final apostasy has been

inferred from the fact, that idolatry was practiced in Israel, after his

supposed repentance; and until the end of his life, the people were

allowed to offer sacrifices, and to burn incense in the high places, and

therefore his repentance was not genuine.



To this I reply, that the same was true also during the reign of several

of the pious kings who succeeded him, and is probably to be

accounted for by the fact, that neither Solomon nor his successors

had, for a considerable time, political power or influence enough to

abolish idolatry altogether. The people were greatly divided in their

religious views and worship. Many were the priests and devotees of

the groves and high places, and multitudes of the high and more

influential classes cleave to their idols. It was a very difficult matter to

put an effectual stop to idolatry, and perhaps was impossible in

Solomon's day, and for a long time after. Solomon's idolatrous wives

and concubines had doubtless exerted great influence in rendering

idolatry popular with the people, and it was not until several

generations had passed away, that the pious kings seem to have had

sufficient political power to banish idolatry from the nation. Solomon's

final apostasy, then, cannot be inferred from the fact, that idolatry

continued to be practiced in the nation until long after his death. There

is no reason to believe that he continued to practice it himself.



But, from the writings of Solomon, we may gather sufficient evidence

that, in the general, he did not live a wicked life, though he fell into

many grievous sins. His Ecclesiastes seems to have been written

after he was reclaimed from backsliding, as appears from the fact, that

the book contains many statements of his views and experiences while

in his wanderings from God. It appears to me, that the book is

inexplicable upon any other supposition. In his wanderings from God,

as is common, he fell into great doubts and embarrassments in regard

to the works and ways of God. He became skeptical, and in the book

under consideration, he states the skeptical views that he had

entertained. But the book, as a whole, contains conclusive evidence

of piety at the time it was written. This probably will not be called in

question.



(4.) Observation, it is said, conflicts with the doctrine in question. So

far as human observation can go, I admit that this is so; that many

persons seem to be born again, and to run well for a time, and

afterwards fall, and apparently live and die in sin. But it should be

remarked, that observation cannot be conclusive upon this subject,

because we cannot certainly know, that any of the cases just alluded

to are real conversions to God. Hence the objection fails of

conclusiveness. Were it certainly known that such persons were truly

regenerated, and that afterwards they fall away and live in sin, and die

in that state, it would follow, that the doctrine, at least in the form in

which I have stated it, cannot be true. But this is not, and cannot be

certainly known by observation. If, as I trust, it has been found to be

true, in our examination, that the Bible plainly teaches the doctrine in

question, in the form in which I have stated it, it must follow of course

that observation cannot disprove it, for the reason that it is not a

question that lies within the reach of observation, in such a sense as to

admit of certainty, or of any such kind or degree of evidence as to

shake the sure testimony of the Bible.



5. But an appeal is also made to consciousness to overthrow this

doctrine. It is said, that the real saints, at least in some instances,

know themselves to have lived a great part of their lives in sin, and

even by far the greater part of their days subsequent to regeneration.



This objection or assertion may be answered substantially as was the

last. It is true, indeed, that the saints may know themselves to have

been regenerated; and it is also true, that many may think they know

this when they are deceived. A man may know himself to be awake,

but from this it does not follow that no one can think himself awake

while he is asleep. But since upon examination, it has been found that

the Bible plainly teaches the doctrine of the saints' perseverance, in

the sense in which I have defined it, we must of course yield the

objection founded on experience, and grant that such experiences can

weigh nothing against the testimony of God. The objection of course

cannot be conclusive; for it is not one of the nature that admits of no

error or doubt. The Bible defines all the essential attributes of

Christian character. Now, if upon examination, perseverance in the

sense here insisted on is proved to be one of them, it is absurd to

array against the doctrine the consciousness of not persevering. It is

to assume that we, and not the Bible, can decide who is a Christian,

and what are the essential attributes of Christian character.



6. But it is also objected to the doctrine of the perseverance of the

saints, that several passages of scripture plainly teach that some real

saints have fallen away and been lost. I will therefore now proceed to

the examination of those passages upon which the principal reliance is

placed to disprove this doctrine. The first one which I shall notice is

found in:



"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that

all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did

all eat of the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual

drink; (for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that

rock was Christ); But with many of them God was not well pleased, for

they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our

examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also

lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them, as it is written;

The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let

us commit fornication as some of them committed, and fell in one day

three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of

them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur

ye, as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the

destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples,

and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the

world are come. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take

heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:1-12).



It is said of this passage, that the history of the Israelites is here

introduced as a warning to real Christians; consequently, the apostle

must have assumed, that those of the Israelites who fell were real

saints, or there would have been no pertinency or force in his allusion. 

To this I reply, that the pertinency and force of the allusion appear to

me to have been as follows. The Israelites composed the visible

church of God. At the time mentioned, they were all professors of

religion. All possessed great light and privileges compared with the

rest of the world; they therefore felt confident of their acceptance with

God, and of their consequent safety and salvation. But with many of

them God was not well pleased. Some of them turned out to be

idolaters and were destroyed. Now, says the apostle, let this be a

warning to you. You are in like manner professors of religion. You are

all members of the visible church of God to which the promises are

made. You have great light and privileges when compared with the

world at large. You may think yourselves to be altogether safe, and

sure of final salvation. But remember, that the history of the ancient

church is written for your benefit; and the destruction of those just

alluded to, is recorded for your admonition. Be not high minded, but

fear. Do not be presumptuous, because you are members in good

standing in the visible church, and possess great light and privileges;

but remember, that many before you, who were like you in these

respects, have lost their souls: "Wherefore let him that thinketh he

standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12).



If the apostle had intended to convey the impression that they were

real saints that fell in the wilderness, and that real saints do fall away

and are lost, he would no doubt have said, let him that standeth,

instead of him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. The

term rendered thinketh is represented by Robinson as correctly

translated in this passage. The meaning of the apostle appears to

have been this, that others who were, from their circumstances and

fancied characters, very confident of their safety, had been finally cast

off and lost; therefore, take heed to yourselves, lest being similarly

situated, you in like manner deceive yourselves; and while you think

that you stand, you should fall and perish.



But it may be said, that the apostle speaks of those as falling who had

eaten of the spiritual meat, and drank of the rock Christ, and therefore

must have been real saints. To this I reply, that the apostle does

indeed use universal language, and speak of all the Israelites as doing

these things; but who will soberly contend that he intended really to be

understood as affirming, that all the Israelites that passed through the

sea, etc., were true saints? What he says does not necessitate the

conclusion that any of them were truly regenerated saints. They were

all baptized unto Moses, that is, were all introduced into the covenant

of which he was the mediator. They all ate of the same spiritual bread,

that is, the manna on which the Lord fed them. They all drank of the

spiritual rock; that is, of the water that gushed from the rock when

Moses smote it with his rod, and which rock was a type of Christ, as

was also the manna. Now, does the apostle mean to say, that all the

Israelites understood the typical meaning of these waters, and this

manna, and that they were all truly spiritual or regenerate persons? I

think not. All that he intended appears to me to be, that all the church

of the Jews at the time were so far partakers of the grace of Christ as

to receive this baptism, and as to have this spiritual or typical bread

and water, and also to enjoy great light and much miraculous

instruction, but that, nevertheless, with many of them God was

displeased. Their being baptized in their passage through the Red

Sea, did not imply that they so understood and consented to it at the

time, nor does the assertion that they ate the spiritual food, and drank

of the spiritual rock, imply anything more than that they enjoyed these

great and high privileges, and counted themselves as very secure in

consequence of them. It is certainly straining the sense to make the

apostle affirm that all the Israelites were real saints who passed

through the sea. Indeed, it is doubtful whether he intended to affirm

the real piety of any of them. It was not essential to his purpose to do

so.



In examining the class of passages adduced to prove that some real

saints have fallen from grace and been lost, I am only concerned to

show, that they do not by fair construction necessitate this conclusion. 

I may admit that, if the doctrine of perseverance were not found to be

clearly taught in the Bible, the not unnatural construction of some of

the class of texts in question might lead to the conclusion that some,

yea many, real saints have been lost.



But, since, from the previous examination it has appeared, that the

doctrine is plainly and unequivocally taught in the Bible, all that needs

to be shown of the class of texts now under consideration is, that they

do not, when fairly interpreted, really and unequivocally teach that

some true saints have been lost. This showing will sufficiently

vindicate the scriptures against the imputation of self-contradiction, in

both affirming and denying the same doctrine. Observe, I am not

called upon to show, that the passages in question cannot be so

construed, and with considerable plausibility, as to make them

contradict this doctrine; but all I am called upon to show in this place

is, that they do not necessarily, by fair construction, contradict it; that

they do not necessitate the admission either that the Bible contradicts

itself, or that a different construction must be given to the passages

that seem to teach this doctrine.



With these remarks I proceed to the examination of: "The Lord

knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations, and to reserve

the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: but chiefly them

that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise

government: presumptuous are they, self-willed; they are not afraid to

speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power

and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 

But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed,

speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly

perish in their own corruption; and shall receive the reward of

unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime. 

Spots they are, and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own

deceivings, while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and

that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: a heart they have

exercised with covetous practices; cursed children, which have

forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of

Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

but was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's

voice, forbade the madness of the prophet. These are wells without

water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of

darkness is reserved forever. For when they speak great swelling

words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through

much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live

in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the

servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is

he brought into bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions

of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus

Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end

is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them

not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have

known t, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But

it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is

turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her

wallowing in the mire" (2 Peter 2:9-22).



Now observe, the apostle calls the persons of whom he speaks "wells

without water: clouds that are carried with a tempest," that is, without

rain. His whole description of them shows, that he is speaking of false

professors or hypocrites. But it is inferred, that they are fallen saints,

because it is said they have "forsaken the right way, and are gone

astray after the error of Balaam," etc. But this does not necessarily

imply that they were in heart ever in the right way, but that they have

forsaken the right way, so far as the outward life is concerned: in

which respect they had doubtless been in the right way, or they would

not have been admitted to membership in the church.



But it is said of these false professors, that "they allure through lust

and much wantonness those who were clean escaped from those who

live in error." But neither does this necessitate the conclusion, that

they had escaped in heart from those that lived in error, but merely

that they had for the time being outwardly abandoned their idolatrous

practices and companions, and had made a profession, and put on the

form of Christianity.



But it is also said, "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the

world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,

they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse

than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known

the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from

the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto

them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit

again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" (2

Peter 2:20-22).



Neither does this necessitate the conclusion, that they had in heart

escaped from the pollutions that are in the world, but merely that they

had outwardly reformed. What is said in the last verse seems to favor

this construction. Verse 22: "But it is happened unto them according

to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the

sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." That is, the dog

has returned to his vomit, because he remains a dog, and is not

changed; and the sow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire,

because she is still a sow, and her washing has not changed her

nature. So, the apostle would say, by returning to their former ways,

do the persons in question show, that they have experienced no

radical change; but on the contrary, that they are only like a washed

sow, sinners still, who have been only outwardly cleansed, while within

they are the same as ever. This appears to me to be all that can fairly

be made out of this passage.



I will now attend to: "Holding faith and a good conscience, which some

having put away, concerning faith have made shipwreck: of whom is

Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Satan, that

they may learn not to blaspheme" (1 Tim. 1:19, 20). Of this text I may

say, that the apostle was writing to Timothy as an eminent religious

teacher, and was giving him cautions respecting his influence in that

relation. Hymeneus and Alexander, as we may infer from this, and

which is still more plainly taught in other passages, were religious

teachers, who had cast off or perverted the true faith or doctrine of the

gospel, and thus made shipwreck. They had put away faith and a

good conscience, and by so doing had made shipwreck of the true

gospel. This passage does not teach that these men were true

Christians, nor does it necessarily imply that any had been true saints

who had gone with them. The expression, "some having put away," 

does not necessarily imply that they once had true faith and a good

conscience, but only that they taught that which was inconsistent with

either; or it may mean that they had rejected or refused both faith and

a good conscience; that they practiced and taught things inconsistent

with either true faith, or with the true gospel, or with a good

conscience, and had therefore run upon a rock, and wrecked their

souls, and the souls of those who followed them. But this proves

nothing in respect to their ever having been real saints.



The apostle was speaking in popular language, and represented

things as they appeared to the observer. Thus, we should speak of

spurious converts. It certainly does not appear to me, that this

passage would, without forced construction, warrant the conclusion

that some real saints had been lost, even apart from those passages

which, we have seen, seem unequivocally to teach the doctrine. Much

less, when those passages are considered, are we, as I think we have

seen, authorized so to construe this passage as to make it either

contradict them, or to necessitate such a modification of their

construction as is contended for by those who deny the doctrine in

question. If the doctrine in question is not really taught in the Bible, we

certainly should not believe it; but if it is, we must not lightly reject it. 

We need candidly to weigh each passage, and to understand, if we

can, just what is the mind of God as therein revealed.



The case of Judas has been relied upon as an instance of utter

apostasy, and of consequent destruction. It is said, that in the Psalms

Judas is spoken of as the familiar friend of Christ in whom he trusted. 

"Yea, Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My

bread, hath lifted up his heel against Me" (Psalms 41:9).



There is no reason to believe that Psalms 41 primarily respected either

Christ or Judas. Christ quotes the 9th verse, as is common in the New

Testament, not because it was originally spoken of himself or of

Judas, but because his case was like that of the Psalmist. In the

passage in which Christ quotes these words, he directly negatives the

idea of Judas being one of his true disciples. He says, "I speak not of

you all; I know whom I have chosen; but that the scripture may be

fulfilled, He that eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against

Me" (John 13:18).



Here Christ plainly teaches, that he to whom He applied these words,

was not chosen in the sense of being chosen to salvation, or in the

sense of his being a true saint. He says:



"But there are some of you who believe not. For Jesus knew from the

beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray

Him. And He said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come

unto Me, except it were given Him of My Father. Jesus answered

them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He

spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should

betray Him, being one of the twelve" (John 6:64, 65, 70, 71).



He had chosen twelve to follow Him as pupils or disciples; but one of

them he had known from the beginning to be a wicked man. In: "While

I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou

gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of

perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled" (John 17:12). Christ has

been represented as saying to his Father in this passage, that he had

lost none that the Father had given him except the son of perdition,

that is Judas. But this is not the meaning of the passage in Christ's

prayer. He intended that of those that the Father had given Him, He

had lost none; but the son of perdition was lost that the scripture might

be fulfilled.



The same form of expression is used in: "And many lepers were in

Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was

cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian" (Luke 4:27). Here ei me is used

in the original as meaning not except, but as an adversative

conjunction but. Naaman was not an Israelite, but a heathen. Christ

here used the same form of expression as in John 17:12. In this

passage in Luke it is plain, that He intended that the prophet was not

sent to any Israelite, but to a heathen. This same form is also used,

"How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread,

which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with

him, but only for the priests" (Matt. 12:4).



Here the same form of expression in the original is used, as in John

17:12. The plain meaning of this form in Matt. 12:4 is but, not except. 

It was not lawful for David, nor for his companions to eat the

shewbread, but it was lawful for the priests to do so. So also, "As

touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded

that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves

from things offered unto idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and

from fornication" (Acts 21:25). Here the same form is used, and the

plain meaning of the phraseology is just that which I am contending

for, in the passage in Christ's prayer. Likewise, "And there shall in no

wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh

abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb's

book of life" (Rev. 21:27). Here again the same form of expression,

and the same word in the original, are used in the sense now

contended for. Nothing shall enter into the city that defileth, neither

whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they which are

written in the Lamb's book of life, shall enter in. So beyond

reasonable doubt, Christ intended to say in His prayer to His Father:

While I was with them in the world I kept them in Thy name: those that

Thou gavest Me I have kept and none of them is lost, that is, I have

lost none of those whom Thou hast given Me; but the son of perdition

is lost, according to the scriptures.



But it seems to me, that the context shows clearly what the Savior

intended by this form of expression. He says, "And now I am no more

in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy

Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given

Me, that they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the

world, I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have

kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the

scripture might be fulfilled" (John 17:11, 12), that is: "Do Thou keep

them in Thine own name and lose none of them, for while I was with

them I kept them in Thy name, and lost none of them; but the son of

perdition is lost." He evidently did not mean to say, I lost but one

whom Thou gavest Me; or that He kept in His Father's name all except

one of those whom the Father had given Him. He says, "I have

manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the

world: Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me; and they have kept

Thy word. Now they have known that all things, whatsoever Thou hast

given Me, are of Thee. For I have given unto them the words which

Thou gavest Me; and they have received them, and have known

surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou

didst send Me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them

which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine. And all Mine are Thine,

and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more

in the world but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy

Father, keep through Thy own name those whom Thou hast given Me,

that they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the world, I

kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and

none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might

be fulfilled" (John 17:6-12).



Here He plainly represents, that all who had been given Him by the

Father, had known and kept the word of God. They had believed and

persevered, and Christ was glorified in them. Since He had kept them

in His Father's name, and had lost none of them, He proceeds to pray,

that now the Father will keep them in His own name. Let any one

ponder well this passage from verses 6 to 12, and he will see, I trust,

that this is a true view of the subject. At any rate this cannot be a

proof text to establish the fact, that any have fallen from grace; for the

plain reason, that the text can quite as naturally at least, and I think

with much greater propriety, be quoted to sustain the doctrine which it

is adduced to disprove. Again:



"Then came Peter to Him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother

sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto

him, I say not unto thee until seven times; but until seventy times

seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain

king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had

begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten

thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord

commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he

had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and

worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay

thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion,

and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went

out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred

pence; and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying,

Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet,

and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee

all. And he would not; but went and cast him into prison, till he should

pay the debt. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they

were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 

Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou

wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst

me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy

fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth,

and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due

unto him. So likewise shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye

from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses"

(Matt. 18:21-35).



This has been adduced to prove that some do fall from grace,

especially the 32nd to the 34th verses. But from this whole passage it

is evident, that what the Lord meant was to set in a strong light the

necessity of a forgiving spirit, and that this is a condition of salvation. 

It is a parable designed to illustrate this truth, but does not assert as a

fact, that any truly pardoned soul was ever lost; nor does it imply this,

as any one may see who will duly weigh the whole parable. It does

plainly imply, that a pardoned soul would be lost should he apostatize;

but it does not imply that such a soul ever did apostasize.



I consider next, "Having damnation, because they have cast off their

first faith" (1 Tim. 5:12). This passage stands in the following

connection:



"Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old,

having been the wife of one man: Well reported of for good works; if

she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she

have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she

have diligently followed every good work. But the younger widows

refuse, for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ they

will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first

faith. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to

house; and not only idle, but tattlers also, and busy bodies, speaking

things which they ought not" (1 Tim. 5:9-13).



The word rendered damnation in this passage is often rendered

judgment and condemnation; and the meaning may be, that the

younger widows were found to wax wanton and fall into condemnation,

and for a time at least to disgrace their profession, by casting off their

first faith; or it may mean, that they were apt to be found among those

who renounced the profession of the true faith, which they at first

professed. They were young widows, uneducated as heathen women

were and are, and it could not be surprising that many of this class

should make a spurious profession, and afterwards cast off their

profession through wantonness, and disgrace their profession. The

apostle, therefore, warns Timothy against too hasty a reception of

them, or against having too early a confidence in the reality of their

piety.



Again: it has been said, that from Christ's letters to the churches in

Asia, recorded in Revelation, we learn that those churches, some of

them at least, were in a state of apostasy from God; and that from the

fact that the judgments of God annihilated those churches, there is

reason to believe that the apostasy was complete and final, and their

destruction certain. To this I reply, that those letters were written to

churches as such, just as the prophets spoke of the Jewish church as

such. The things which the prophets declare of the Jewish church

were declared of them as a body of professed saints, some

generations of whom had more, and some less, real piety. The

prophets would rebuke one generation for their backsliding and

apostasy, without meaning to represent that the particular individuals

they addressed were ever true saints, but meaning only that the body

as such was in a degenerate and apostate state, compared with what

the body as such had been in former times. So Christ writes to the

churches of Asia, and reproves them for their backslidden and

apostate condition, asserts that they had fallen, had left their first love,

etc., from which, however, we are not to infer, that He intended to say

this of those who had been truly converted as individuals, but merely

that those churches as bodies had fallen, and were now composed of

members as a whole who were in the state of which He complained.



The churches of Asia were doubtless, when first gathered by the

apostles and primitive ministers, full of faith, and zeal, and love. But

things had changed. Many of the members had changed, and

perhaps every member who had originally composed those churches

was dead, previous to the time when these letters were written. 

However this may be, there had doubtless been great changes in the

membership of those churches; and since they were evidently

addressed as bodies, it cannot be fairly inferred, from what is said, that

the same persons addressed had fallen from a state of high spirituality

into backsliding or apostasy, but that was true only of the then present

membership, when compared with the former membership and state

of the churches. These letters cannot be justly relied upon as

disproving the doctrine in question; for the utmost that can be made of

them is, that those churches as bodies were at the time in a state of

declension.



The passages we have examined are, so far as I know, the principal

ones upon which reliance has been placed to disprove the doctrine in

question. I have read over attentively several times the views of Mr. 

Fletcher, in his Scripture Scales, and the passages quoted by him to

disprove this doctrine. His chief reliance is manifestly upon the

numerous passages that imply the possibility and danger of falling,

rather than on any passages that unequivocally teach that any have

fallen or will utterly fall. I am not aware that any respectable writer has

laid much stress upon other passages than those I have examined, as

expressly teaching, or unequivocally implying the fact of the fall and

ruin of real saints. There may be such writers and such passages as

those of which I speak; but if there are, I do not recollect to have seen

them.



Remarks



1. If the doctrine under consideration is not true, I cannot see upon

what ground we can affirm, or even confidently hope, that many of our

pious friends who have died have gone to heaven. Suppose they held

on their way until the last hours of life. If we may not believe that the

faithfulness of God prevailed to keep them through the last conflict,

what reason have we to affirm that they were preserved from sin and

apostasy in their last hours, and saved? If the sovereign grace of God

does not protect them against the wiles and malice of Satan, in their

feebleness, and in the wreck of their habitation of clay, what has

become of them? I must confess that, if I did not expect the

covenanted mercy and faithfulness of God to prevail, and to sustain

the soul under such circumstances, I should have very little

expectation that any would be saved. If I could have any confidence

that Christians would stand fast while in health, aside from the truth of

this doctrine, still I should expect that Satan would overcome them in

the end, when they passed through the last great struggle. Who could

then trust to the strength of his own purposes?



2. But I could no more hope, that myself or any one else, would

persevere in holiness in our best estate, even for one day or hour, if

not kept by the power of God through faith, than I could hope to fly to

heaven. As I have before said, there is no hope of any one's

persevering, except in so far as free grace anticipates and secures the

concurrence of free will. The soul must be called, and effectually

called, and perpetually called, or it will not follow Christ for an hour. I

say again, that by effectual calling, I do not mean an irresistible calling. 

I do not mean a calling that cannot, or that might not be resisted; but I

do mean by an effectual calling, a calling that is not in fact resisted, a

calling that does in fact secure the voluntary obedience of the soul. 

This is my only hope in respect to myself, or anybody else. This grace

I regard as vouchsafed to me in the covenant of grace, or as a reward

of Christ's obedience unto death. It is pledged to secure the salvation

of those whom the Father has from eternity given to the Son. The

Holy Spirit is given to them to secure their salvation, and I have no

expectation that any others will ever be saved. But these, every one

of them, will surely be saved. There is, there can be no hope for any

others. Others are able to repent, but they will not. Others might be

saved, if they would believe, and comply with the conditions of

salvation, but they will not.



We have seen, that none come to Christ, except they are drawn of the

Father, and that the Father draws to Christ those and those only whom

He has given to Christ, and also, that it is the Father's design that of

those whom He has given to Christ, He should lose none, but that He

should raise them up at the last day. This is the only hope that any will

be saved. Strike out this foundation, and what shall the righteous do? 

Strike out from the Bible the doctrine of God's covenanted faithfulness

to Christ the truth that the Father has given to Him a certain number

whose salvation He foresees that He could and should secure, and I

despair of myself and of everybody else. Where is any other ground

of hope? I know not where.

------------------------------------------------------------------------



GLOSSARY



ARBITRARY: a choice of the will in the worst sense; that is, in the

sense of having no regard to reason, or to the nature and relations of

moral agents.



ATONEMENT: the governmental substitution of the sufferings of Christ

for the punishment of sinners. It is a covering of their sins by his

sufferings.



CAUSE: the reason behind an effect or event.



CHOICE: the act of the will in selecting an object, the ground and

reason of all physical acts.



CONDITION: a sine qua non, or that without which, something could

not exist. Not a cause, yet a necessary element.



CONDITION OF OBLIGATION: A condition of obligation in any

particular form is a sine qua non of obligation in that particular form. It

is that, without which, obligation in that form could not exist, and yet is

not the fundamental reason of the obligation, i.e. Moral agency and

knowledge.



CONSCIENCE: the faculty or function of the intellect that recognizes

the conformity or disconformity of the heart and life to the moral law as

it lies revealed in the reason, and also awards praise to conformity,

and blame to disconformity to that law. It also possesses a propelling

or impulsive power, by which it urges the conformity, and denounces

the nonconformity of will to moral law. 



CONSCIOUSNESS is the faculty or function of self-knowledge. It is

the faculty that recognizes our own existence, mental actions, and

states, together with the attributes of liberty or necessity, belonging to

those actions or states. "Consciousness is the mind in the act of

knowing itself." 



CONVERSION: see regeneration.



DEATH: as applied to the mind [heart] in the Scriptures is a state of

entire sinfulness, of total depravity and alienation from God.



DESIRE: a phenomenon of the sensibility, the longing for or wanting

what the mind perceives to be a good or desirable. The existence of

constitutional desires are not sinful per se, their unlawful indulgence is.



DISINTERESTED BENEVOLENCE: Love, willing the good for its own

sake; promoting good with no ulterior motive. Not uninterested, but

without supreme self-interest.



DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY: The sovereignty of God consists in the

independence of his will, in consulting his own intelligence and

discretion, in the selection of his end, and the means of accomplishing

it. In other words, the sovereignty of God is nothing else than infinite

benevolence directed by infinite knowledge.



ELECTION: that all of Adam's race, who are or ever will be saved,

were from eternity chosen by God to eternal salvation, through the

sanctification of their hearts by faith in Christ. In other words, they are

chosen to salvation by means of sanctification. Their salvation is the

end--their sanctification is a means. Both the end and the means are

elected, appointed, chosen; the means as really as the end, and for

the sake of the end.



ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION: present, full obedience, or entire

consecration to God.



EXECUTIVE CHOICE, VOLITIONS: efforts put forth to secure the end.



FAITH: It is an efficient state of mind, and therefore it must consist in

the embracing of the truth by the heart or will. It is the will's closing in

with the truths of the gospel. It is the soul's act of yielding itself up, or

committing itself to the truths of the evangelical system. It is a trusting

in Christ, a committing of the soul and the whole being to him, in his

various offices and relations to men. It is a confiding in him, and in

what is revealed of him, in his word and providence, and by his Spirit.



FIRST TRUTH: a truth universally and necessarily assumed by all

moral agents, their speculations to the contrary, in any wise, not

withstanding. 



FORGIVENESS: Forgiveness implies previous condemnation, and

consists in setting aside the execution of an incurred penalty.



FREE-WILL: the faculty or power of moral agents to choose, decide

between objects of choice without force or of necessity.



GOSPEL: the good news that the Mercy of God will withhold the

deserved penalty for sin, and the Grace of God will treat the sinner as

if he had never sinned, in consideration of the death and resurrection

of Christ on condition of faith and repentance in the sinner.



GOSPEL JUSTIFICATION: it consists in a governmental decree of

pardon or amnesty--in arresting and setting aside the execution of the

incurred penalty of law--in pardoning and restoring to favor those who

have sinned, and those whom the law had pronounced guilty, and

upon whom it had passed the sentence of eternal death, and

rewarding them as if they had been righteous. Not to be regarded as

a forensic or judicial proceeding. An act of grace, not law.



GOVERNMENT: the direction, guidance, control by, or in accordance

with, rule or law. All government is, and must be, either moral or

physical.



GRACE: the attribute of love disposed to give a blessing to a person

who deserves opposite treatment. 



GROUND: the reason for something, the cause, the consideration.



GROUND OF OBLIGATION: the consideration which creates or

imposes obligation, the fundamental reason of the obligation, the

intrinsic value of the object.



INTELLECT: the faculty which includes, among other functions,

reason, conscience and self-consciousness.



INTENTION: choice.



LAW: A Rule of Action: it is applicable to every kind of action, whether

of matter or of mind--whether intelligent or unintelligent--whether free

or necessary action.



LAW OF LIBERTY: rule of action administered by motive and choice,

moral law, not pre-determined.



LAW OF NECESSITY: a rule of action imposed by force, law of cause

and effect, pre-determined.



LEGAL JUSTIFICATION: the pronouncement that the justified person

is guiltless, or, in other words, that he has not violated the law, that he

has done only what he had a legal right to do. An act of law, not

grace. It cannot be possible that a sinner can be pronounced just in

the eye of law; that he can be justified by deeds of law, or by the law at

all.



LOVE: the commitment to promote the good of another for its own

sake; disinterested benevolence.



MEANS: immediate objects or proximate ends of pursuit; actions taken

to secure or promote the end chosen.



MORAL ACTION: strictly an act of the will only.



MORAL AGENCY consists in the possession of the powers, or

faculties, and susceptibilities of a moral agent and is universally a

condition of moral obligation. The attributes of moral agency are

intellect, sensibility, and free-will.



MORAL DEPRAVITY: Moral depravity is the depravity of free-will, not

of the faculty itself, but of its free action. It consists in a violation of

moral law. Depravity of the will, as a faculty, is, or would be, physical,

and not moral depravity. It would be depravity of substance, and not

of free, responsible choice. Moral depravity is depravity of choice. It

is a choice at variance with moral law, moral right. It is synonymous

with sin or sinfulness. It is moral depravity, because it consists in a

violation of moral law, and because it has moral character.



MORAL GOVERNMENT: the declaration and administration of moral

law. It is the government of free will by motives as distinguished from

the government of substance by force.



MORAL GOVERNMENT, GROUNDS OF: Moral government is

indispensable to the highest well-being of the universe of moral

agents. The universe is dependent upon this as a means of securing

the highest good. This dependence is a good and sufficient reason for

the existence of moral government.



MORAL GOVERNMENT, END OF: to promote the highest good, or

blessedness of the universe.



MORAL LAW: that rule to which moral agents ought to conform all

their voluntary actions, and is enforced by sanctions equal to the value

of the precept.



MORAL PERFECTION: conformity to moral obligation.



OBEDIENCE: the consent of the will to serve the dictates of another,

either the demands of the sensibilities for gratification, or the demands

of the reason to conform to moral law.



OBLIGATION: idea of obligation, or of oughtness, is an idea of the

pure reason. It is a simple, rational conception, and, strictly speaking,

does not admit of a definition, since there are no terms more simple by

which it may be defined. 



PARDON: setting aside the penalty due for transgression of law, an

exercise of mercy by the executive, not the judge. Synonym:

forgiveness.



PENALTY: that misery or pain due as a sanction for transgressing the

law.



PERFECTION: conformity to what is intended or required.



PERFECTIONISM: See Sinless Perfection.



PERMANENT SANCTIFICATION: consists in being established,

confirmed, preserved, continued in a state of sanctification or of entire

consecration to God.



PERSEVERANCE: that all who are at any time true saints of God, are

preserved by his grace and Spirit through faith, in the sense that

subsequently to regeneration, obedience is their rule, and

disobedience only the exception; and that being thus kept, they will

certainly be saved with an everlasting salvation.



PHYSICAL DEPRAVITY: is commonly and rightly called disease. It

consists in a physical departure from the laws of health; a lapsed, or

fallen state, in which healthy organic action is not sustained. When

physical depravity is predicated of mind, it is intended that the powers

of the mind, either in substance, or in consequence of their connection

with, and dependence upon, the body, are in a diseased, lapsed,

fallen, degenerate state, so that the healthy action of those powers is

not sustained. Physical depravity, being depravity of substance as

opposed to depravity of the actions of free-will, can have no moral

character. 



PHYSICAL GOVERNMENT: control, exercised by a law of necessity

or force, as distinguished from the law of free will, or liberty.



PHYSICAL LAW: the order of sequence, in all the changes that occur

under the law of necessity, whether in matter or mind. I mean all

changes whether of state or action, that do not consist in the states or

actions of free will.



PROXIMATE CHOICE: choice of means.



PUBLIC JUSTICE: consists in the promotion and protection of the

public interests, by such legislation and such an administration of law,

as is demanded by the highest good of the public.



REASON: the faculty that intuits moral relations and affirms moral

obligation, to act in conformity with perceived moral relations. It is the

faculty that postulates all the a priori truths of science whether

mathematical, philosophical, theological, or logical.



REGENERATION: the same as the new birth. It is designed to

express primarily and principally the thing done, that is, the making of

a sinner holy, and expresses also the fact, that God's agency induces

the change. Throw out the idea of what is done, that is, the change of

moral character in the subject, and he would not be born again, he

would not be regenerated, and it could not be truly said, in such a

case, that God had regenerated him. Same as conversion.



REPENTANCE: a change of choice, purpose, intention, in conformity

with the dictates of the intelligence. A turning from sin to holiness, or

more strictly, from a state of consecration to self to a state of

consecration to God, is and must be the turning, the change of mind,

or the repentance that is required of all sinners.



REPROBATION: that certain individuals of mankind are, in the fixed

purpose of God, cast away, rejected and finally lost.



RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE: Retributive justice consists in treating every

subject of government according to his character. It respects the

intrinsic merit or demerit of each individual, and deals with him

accordingly. 



SANCTIFICATION: a state of consecration to God. To sanctify is to

set apart to a holy use--to consecrate a thing to the service of God.



SELFISHNESS: the obedience of the will to the impulses of the

sensibility. It is a spirit of self-gratification. The will seeks to gratify the

desires and propensities, for the pleasure of the gratification.

Self-gratification is sought as an end, and as the supreme end. It is

preferred to the claims of God and the good of being. 



SENSIBILITY: the faculty or susceptibility of feeling. All sensation,

desire, emotion, passion, pain, pleasure, and in short, every kind and

degree of feeling, as the term feeling is commonly used, is a

phenomenon of this faculty. 



SIN: a voluntary transgression of the moral law; a spirit of self-seeking,

or a disposition to seek good to self, upon condition of its relations to

self, and not impartially and disinterestedly. 



SINLESS PERFECTION: [also called PERFECTIONISM] a theological

view that holds that a believer can "arrive" at a state in which (1.) his

walk in obedience and holiness is not dependant on the Grace of God,

and that (2.) he no longer has the ability to sin. Finney rejected this

view entirely.



TEMPTATION: the demand of the sensibilities for gratification,

contrary to that end to which the heart is devoted.



TOTAL DEPRAVITY: moral depravity of the unregenerate is without

any mixture of moral goodness or virtue, that while they remain

unregenerate, they never in any instance, nor in any degree, exercise

true love to God and to man.



ULTIMATE CHOICE: the choice of an object for its own sake, or for its

intrinsic value.



UNBELIEF: the soul's withholding confidence from truth and the God

of truth. The heart's rejection of evidence, and refusal to be influenced

by it. The will in the attitude of opposition to truth perceived, or

evidence presented. 



WILL: "by will I mean the heart," the faculty or power of moral agents

to choose. See choice.



WISDOM: the choice of the best ends, and in the use of the most

appropriate means to accomplish the end chosen.

WONDERFUL: amazing, filled with wonder, astonishment.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

APPENDIX A



VARIOUS CLASSES OF TRUTHS 



(From the 1847 edition)



Before we proceed further in these investigations, I must call your

attention to a subject that properly belongs at the beginning of this

course of study, and which will be found there should these lectures

ever be published in their proper order: I allude to the various classes

of truths to come under consideration in this course of instruction, with

the manner in which we arrive at a knowledge or belief of them. All

human investigations proceed upon the assumption of the existence

and validity of our faculties, and that their unequivocal testimony may

be relied upon. To deny this is to set aside at once the possibility of

knowledge or rational belief, and to give up the mind to universal

skepticism. The classes of truths to which we shall be called upon to

attend in our investigations may be divided, with sufficient accuracy for

our purpose, into truths that need no proof, nd truths that need proof. 

The human mind is so constituted that by virtue of its own laws it

necessarily perceives, recognizes, or knows some truths without

testimony from without. It takes direct cognizance of them, and cannot

but do so.



The first class, that is, truths that need no proof, may be subdivided

into truths of the pure reason and truths of sensation. These two

classes are in some sense self-evident, but not in the same sense. 

Truths of the pure reason are intuitions of that faculty, and truths of

sensation are intuitions of the senses. I shall therefore speak of

self-evident truths of reason and self-evident truths of sensation. I

must assume that you possess some knowledge of psychology, and

take it for granted that you understand the difference between the

intuitions of reason and the intuitions of sense.



By self-evident truths of reason, then, I mean that class of truths that

are directly intuited and affirmed by that faculty in the light of their own

evidence, and by virtue of its own laws, whenever they are so stated

that the terms of the proposition in which they are conveyed are

understood. They are not arrived at by reasoning, or by evidence of

any kind except what they have in themselves. As soon as the terms

of the propositions in which they are stated are understood, the reason

instantly and positively affirms their truth. It is unnecessary and

preposterous to attempt any other proof of this class of truths than to

frame a perspicuous statement of them. Nay, it is positively injurious,

because absurd, to attempt to prove in the common acceptation of the

term prove a self-evident truth of reason. All attempts to prove such

truths by reasoning involve an absurdity, and are as much a work of

supererogation as it would be to attempt to prove that you see an

object with your eyes fully open and set upon it.



The mathematical axioms belong to this class.



The self-evident truths of reason are truths of certain knowledge. 

When once so stated, or in any way presented to the mind as to be

understood, the mind does not merely believe them, it knows them to

be absolutely true. That is, it perceives them to be absolute truths,

and knows that it is impossible that they should not be true. Although

this class of truths are never arrived at by reasoning, yet much use is

made of them in reasoning, since the major premise of a syllogism is

often a self-evident truth of reason.



This class of truths is affirmed by a faculty entirely distinct from the

understanding, or that power that gains all its knowledge from sense. 

It takes cognizance of a class of truths that from their nature forever lie

concealed from the senses and consequently from the understanding. 

Sensation can never give us the abstract truths of mathematics. It can

never give us the absolute or the infinite. It cannot give moral law or

law at all. Sensation can give facts, but not laws and principles.



That God and space and duration are infinite, that all God's attributes

must be infinite, are self-evident truths of reason; that is, they are

truths of a priori affirmation and assumption. They are never arrived at

by reasoning, or by induction, and never can be. The mind only knows

them by virtue of its own laws, and directly assumes and intuits them

whenever they are suggested. The eye of reason sees them as

distinctly as the mind sees objects of vision presented to the fleshly

organ of vision. The mind is so constructed that it sees some things

with the natural fleshy eye, and some truths it sees directly with its own

eye without the use of an eye of flesh. All the self-evident truths of

reason belong to this class; that is, they are truths which the mind

sees and knows, and does not merely believe. In reasoning, the bare

statement of a self-evident truth is enough, provided, as has been

said, that it is so perspicuously stated that the terms of the proposition

are understood. It should be borne in mind, in reasoning, that all men

have minds, and that the laws of knowledge are physical, and, of

course, fixed and common to all men. The conditions of knowledge

are in all men the same. We are therefore always to assume that

self-evident truths cannot but be known as soon as they are stated

with such perspicuity as that the terms in which they are expressed

are understood. Our future inquiries will present many illustrations of

the truth of these remarks. 



It should be also remarked that universality is an attribute of the

self-evident truths of reason. That is, they are universal in the sense: 



1. That all men affirm them to be true when they understand them.



2. They all affirm them to be true in the same way; that is, by direct

intuition. Or they perceive them in their own light, and not through the

medium of reasoning, demonstration, or sense.



3. Self-evident truths of reason are true without exception, and in this

sense also universal.



4. Necessity is also an attribute of self-evident truths. That is, they are

necessarily true and cannot but be so regarded. And when the

conditions which have been named are fulfilled, they cannot but be so

known to every moral agent.



Self-evident truths of reason may be again divided into truths merely

self-evident, and first-truths of reason. This class of truths possess all

the characteristics of self-evident truths, to wit: they are universal

truths; they are necessary truths; they are truths of direct intuition; they

are truths of certain knowledge.



Their peculiarity is this: they are truths that are necessarily and

universally known by moral agents. That is, they are not distinguished

from mere self-evident truths of reason, except by the fact that from

the laws of moral agency they are known universally, and all moral

agents do and must possess certain knowledge of them.



They are truths of necessary and universal assumption. Whether they

are at all times, or at any time, directly thought of or made the

particular object of the mind's attention or not, they are nevertheless at

all times assumed by a law of universal necessity. Suppose, for

example, that the law of causality should not be at all times or at any

time a subject of distinct thought and attention. Suppose that the

proposition in words should never be in the mind, that "every event

must have a cause." Still, the truth is there in the form of absolute

knowledge, a necessary assumption, an a priori affirmation, and the

mind has so firm a hold of it as to be utterly unable to overlook, forget,

or practically deny it. 



Every mind has it as a certain knowledge long before it can

understand the language in which it is expressed, and no statement or

evidence whatever can give the mind any firmer conviction of its truth

than it had from necessity at first. This is true of all the truths of this

class. They are always and necessarily assumed by all moral agents

whether distinctly thought of or not. And for the most part this class of

truths are assumed without being frequently, or at least, without being

generally the object of thought or direct attention.  The mind assumes

them without a direct consciousness of the assumption.



For example, we act every moment, judge, reason, and believe, upon

the assumption that every event must have a cause, and yet we are

not conscious of thinking of this truth, nor that we assume it, until

something calls the attention to it. First-truths of reason, then, let it be

distinctly remembered, are always and necessarily assumed though

they may be seldom thought of. They are universally known before

the words are understood by which they may be expressed, and

although they may never be expressed in a formal proposition, yet the

mind has as certain a knowledge of them as it has of its own

existence.



But it is proper to inquire whether there are any conditions of this

assumption, and if so, what they are? Does the intelligence make this

assumption upon certain conditions, or independent of all or any

conditions? The true answer to this inquiry is that the mind makes the

assumption only upon the fulfillment of certain conditions. These

conditions being fulfilled, the intelligence instantly and necessarily

makes the assumption by a law of its own nature, and makes it

whether the assumption be a distinct object of consciousness or not.



The only condition of this assumption that needs to be mentioned is

the perception of that by the mind to which the first truth sustains the

relation of a logical antecedent or of a logical condition. For example,

to develop and necessitate the assumption that every event must have

a cause, the mind only needs to perceive or to have the conception of

an event, whereupon the assumption in question instantly follows by a

law of the intelligence. This assumption is not a logical deduction from

any premise whatever, but upon the perception of an event, or upon

the mind's having the idea or notion of an event, the intelligence

irresistibly, by virtue of its own laws, assumes the first-truth of causality

as the logical and necessary condition of the event; that is, it assumes

that an event and every event must have a cause.



The condition upon which the first-truths of reason are assumed or

developed is called the chronological condition of their development,

because it is prior in time and in the order of nature to their

development. The mind perceives an event. It thereupon assumes

the first-truth of causality. It perceives body, and thereupon assumes

the first-truth, space is and must be. These first-truths, let it be

repeated, are not assumed in the form of a proposition, thought of or

expressed in words, nor is the mind at the time always, or perhaps

ever, at first, distinctly conscious of the assumption, yet the truth is

from that moment within the mind's inalienable possession, and must

forever after be recognized in all the practical judgments of the mind.



Thus, it should be distinctly said, the first-truths of reason lie so deep

in the mind as perhaps seldom to appear directly on the field of

conscious thought, and yet so absolutely does the mind know them

that it can no more forget, overlook, or practically deny them, than it

can forget, overlook, or in practice deny its own existence.



I have said that all reasoning proceeds upon the assumption of these

truths. It must do so of necessity. It is preposterous to attempt to

prove first-truths to a moral agent: 



for if a moral agent, he must absolutely know them already, and if he

did not, in no possible way could he be put in possession of them

except by presenting to his perception the chronological condition of

their development, and in no case could any thing else be needed, for

upon the occurrence of this perception, the assumption or

development follows by a law of absolute and universal necessity. 

And until these truths are actually developed, no being can be a moral

agent.



There is no reasoning with one who calls in question the first-truths of

reason, and demands proof of them. All reasoning must, from the

nature of mind and the laws of reasoning, assume the first-truths of

reason as certain, and admitted, and as the a priori condition of all

logical deductions and demonstrations.  Some one of these must be

assumed as true, directly or indirectly, in every syllogism and in every

demonstration.



In all our future investigations in the line of truth we shall pursue, we

shall have abundant occasions for the application and illustration of

what has now been said of first-truths of reason. If, at any stage of our

progress, we light upon a truth of this class, let it be borne in mind that

the nature of the truth is the preclusion, or as lawyers would express it,

the estoppel of all controversy.

To deny the reality of this class of truths is to deny the validity of our

most perfect knowledge and of course it is a denial of the validity of

our faculties. The only question to be settled in respect to this class of

truths, is, does the truth in question belong to this class? There are

many of this class that have not been generally recognized as

belonging to it. Of this we shall have abundant instances fall in our

way as we proceed in our investigations. There are many truths which

men, all sane men, certainly know, of which they not only seldom

think, but which, in theory, they strenuously deny.



Before I dismiss this branch of our subject, I will mention some of the

many truths that undeniably belong to this class, leaving others to be

mentioned as we proceed and fall in with them in future investigations.



I have already noticed three of this class, to wit; the truth of causality

the existence of space and of time. That the whole of any thing is

equal to all its parts, is also a truth of this class, universally and

necessarily known and assumed by every moral agent. Also, that a

thing cannot be and not be at the same time.



A third class of self-evident truths are particular truths of reason. The

reason directly intuits and affirms them. They are truths of certain

knowledge, but have not the attributes of universality or infinity. To

this class belong the truths of our own existence, of personal identity,

and individuality. These are not truths of sensation, nor are they first

or self-evident truths according to the common use of those terms. 

Yet they are truths of rational intuition, and are seen to be true in the

light of their own evidence, and as such are given to us as

undoubtable verities by consciousness.



All the truths that come within the pale of our own experience, that is,

all our mental exercises and states are truths self-evident to us. We

need no proof of them. Whether they are phenomena or states of the

Intellect, of the Will, or of the Sensibility. When thus spoken of, in

mass, they cannot be called self-evident truths except in the sense

that to ourselves they appear on the field of consciousness as facts or

realities, and we know or affirm them with undoubting certainty.



Truths of sensation, I have said, are in a certain sense self-evident

truths. That is, they are facts of which the mind has direct knowledge

through the medium of the senses. In speaking of truths of sensation

as in some sense self-evident, I mean of course truths or facts of our

own senses, or those revealed directly to us by our senses.  I know it

is not common to speak of this class of truths as self-evident; and they

are not so in the sense in which simple rational intuitions are. Yet they

are facts or truths which need no proof to establish them to us. The

fact that I hold this pen in my hand is as really self-evident to me as

that three and two are five. I as really know or perceive the one as the

other, and neither the one nor the other needs any proof. It is not my

design to exhaust this subject, nor to enter upon nice and highly

metaphysical distinctions, but only to give hints and make suggestions

that will call your attention to the subject, and meet our necessities

during our present course of study, leaving it to your convenience to

enter upon a more critical analysis of this subject.



Of truths that require proof, the first class to which I must call attention

is the truths of demonstration. This class of truths admit of so high a

degree of proof that when the demonstration is complete, the

intelligence affirms that it is impossible that they should not be true. 

This class when truly demonstrated, are known to be true with no less

certainty than self-evident truths: but the mind arrives not at the

perception and knowledge of them in the same way. That class is

arrived at universally, directly and a priori, that is, by direct intuition

without reasoning. This class is arrived at universally by reasoning. 

The former are obtained without any logical processes, while this last

class is always and necessarily obtained as a result of a logical

process. We often get these truths by a process strictly logical without

being at all aware of the way in which we came to be possessed of

them. This class, then, unlike the other, are not to be communicated

and established without reasoning, but by reasoning. In this class of

truths the mind from its own laws will not rest unless they be

demonstrated. They admit of demonstration, and from their nature

and the nature of the intelligence, they must be demonstrated before

they can be known and rested in as certain knowledge. Many of them

may be received in the sense of being believed without an absolute

demonstration. But the mind cannot properly be said to know them

until it has gone through with the demonstration, and then it cannot but

know them.



To possess the mind of a first-truth of reason you need only to present

the chronological condition of its development. To reveal a

self-evident truth of reason, you need only to state it in terms of

sufficient perspicuity. But to prove a truth belonging to the class now

under consideration you must fulfill the logical conditions of the

intellect's affirming it. That is, you must demonstrate it.



The next class to be considered are truths of revelation. I mean truths

revealed by divine Inspiration. All truths are in some way revealed to

the mind, but not all by the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Some of this

class are known and some only believed by the mind. That is, some

of these truths are objects or truths of knowledge or of intuition when

brought by the Holy Spirit within the field of vision or intuition. Others

of them are only truths of faith or truths to be believed. The divinity of

the Lord Jesus Christ is a truth of revelation of the first class, that is, a

truth of intuition or of certain knowledge when revealed to the mind by

the Holy Spirit. This truth, when thus revealed, the pure reason

directly intuits. It knows that Jesus is the true God and eternal life by

the same law by which it knows the first-truths of reason. The only

account the soul can give of this truth is, that it knows it to be true. It

sees or perceives it to be true. But this perception or intuition is

conditionated upon the revelation of the Holy Spirit. "He shall take of

mine," said Jesus, "and shew it unto you." More on this topic in its

proper place. The facts and truths connected with the humanity of the

Lord Jesus are of the second class of truths of revelation, that is, they

are only truths of belief or of faith, as distinct from truths of the pure

reason or of intuition.



This class of truths, from their nature, are not susceptible of intuition. 

They may be so revealed that the soul will have no doubt of them, and

hardly distinguish them from truths of certain knowledge; nevertheless,

they are only believed and not certainly known as truths of intuition

are.



The Bible is not of itself, strictly and properly a revelation to man. It is,

properly speaking, rather a history of revelations formerly made to

certain men. To be a revelation to us, its truths must be brought by

the Holy Spirit within the field of spiritual vision. This is the condition of

our either knowing or properly believing the truths of revelation. `No

man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.' `No man

can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him.' 

`They shall all be taught of God.' `The natural man receiveth not the

things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because they

are spiritually discerned.' `He that is spiritual [has the Spirit,] judgeth

all things.'



But I must not in this place dwell longer upon this subject. I would only

add now that those who call in question the divinity of Christ exhibit

conclusive evidence that Christ has never been revealed to them by

the Holy Spirit. Those who hold his divinity as a theory or opinion are

not at all benefitted by it, for Christ is not savingly known to any except

by the revelation of the Holy Spirit.



To the classes of truths already considered might be added several

others, such as Probable Truths, Possible Truths, etc. 



But I have carried this discussion far enough to answer the purposes

of this course of instruction, and I trust far enough to impress your

minds with a sense of the importance of attending to the classifying of

truths and of ascertaining the particular class to which a truth belongs

as the condition of successfully attempting to gain the possession of it

yourself, or of possessing the minds of others with it. As religious

teachers you cannot be too deeply impressed with the importance of

attending to this classification. I am fully convinced that much of the

inefficiency of religious teachers is owing to the fact that they do not

sufficiently study and comply with the laws of knowledge and belief to

carry conviction to the minds of their hearers. They seem not to have

considered the different classes of truths, and how the mind comes to

possess a knowledge or belief of them. Consequently they either

spend time in worse than useless efforts to prove first or self-evident

truths, or expect truths susceptible of demonstration to be received

and rested in without such demonstration. They often make little or no

distinction between the different classes of truths, and seldom or never

call the attention of their hearers to this distinction. Consequently,

they confuse and often confound their hearers by gross violations of all

the laws of logic, knowledge, and belief. I have often been pained and

even agonized at the faultiness of religious teachers in this respect. 

Study to show yourselves approved, workmen that need not be

ashamed, and able to commend yourselves to every man's

conscience in the sight of God.

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APPENDIX B



HOW WE ATTAIN TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF CERTAIN TRUTHS



(From the 1851 edition)



All teaching and reasoning take certain truths as granted. That the

unequivocal, a priori affirmations of the reason are valid, for all the

truths and principles thus affirmed, must be assumed and admitted; or

every attempt to construct a science of any kind, or to attain to certain

knowledge upon any subject, is vain and even preposterous. As I

must commence my lectures on moral government by laying down

certain moral postulates, or axioms, which are, a priori, affirmed by the

reason, and therefore self-evident to all men when so stated as to be

understood, I will spend a few moments in stating certain facts

belonging more appropriately to the department of psychology. 

Theology is so related to psychology that the successful study of the

former without a knowledge of the latter is impossible. Every

theological system and every theological opinion assumes something

as true in psychology. Theology is, to a great extent, the science of

mind in its relations to moral law. God is a mind or spirit: all moral

agents are in his image. Theology is the doctrine of God,

comprehending His existence, attributes, relations, character, works,

word, government (providential and moral), and, of course, it must

embrace the facts of human nature and the science of moral agency. 

All theologians do and must assume the truth of some system of

psychology and mental philosophy, and those who exclaim most loudly

against metaphysics no less than others.



There is a distinction between the mind's knowing the truth and

knowing that it knows it. Hence I begin by defining

self-consciousness.



Self-consciousness is the mind's recognition of itself. It is the noticing

of, or act of knowing, itself: its existence, attributes, acts, and states,

with the attributes of liberty or necessity which characterize those acts

and states. Of this, I shall frequently speak hereafter.



The revelations of self-consciousness



Self-consciousness reveals to us three primary faculties of mind which

we call intellect, sensibility, and will. The intellect is the faculty of

knowledge; the sensibility is the faculty or susceptibility of feeling; the

will is the executive faculty, or the faculty of doing or acting. All

thinking, perceiving, intuiting, reasoning, opining, forming notions or

ideas, belong to the intellect.



Consciousness reveals the various functions of the intellect, and also

of the sensibility and will. In this place, we shall attend only to the

functions of the intellect, as our present business is to ascertain the

methods by which the intellect arrives at its knowledges, which are

given to us in self-consciousness.



Self-consciousness is, itself, of course, one of the functions of the

intellect; and here it is in place to say that a revelation in

consciousness is science and knowledge. What consciousness gives

us we know. Its testimony is infallible and conclusive upon all subjects

upon which it testifies.



Among other functions of the intellect, which I need not name,

self-consciousness reveals the three-fold fundamental distinction of

the sense, the reason, and the understanding.



Of the sense



The sense is the power that perceives sensation and brings it within

the field of consciousness. Sensation is an impression made upon the

sensibility by some object without, or some thought within the mind. 

The sense takes up, or perceives the sensation, and this perceived

sensation is revealed in consciousness.  If the sensation is from some

object without the mind, as sound or color, the perception of it belongs

to the outer sense. If from some thought, or mental exercise, the

perception is of the inner sense. I have said that the testimony of

consciousness is conclusive for all the facts given by its unequivocal

testimony. We neither need, nor can we have, any higher evidence of

the existence of a sensation than is given by consciousness.



Our first impressions, thoughts, and knowledge, are derived from

sense. But knowledge derived purely from this source would, of

necessity, be very limited.



Of the reason



Self-consciousness also reveals to us the reason or the a priori

function of the intellect. The reason is that function of the intellect

which immediately holds or intuits a class of truths which, from their

nature, are not cognizable either by the understanding or the sense. 

Such, for example, is the mathematical, philosophical, and moral

axioms and postulates. The reason gives laws and first principles. It

gives the abstract, the necessary, the absolute, the infinite. It gives all

its affirmations by a direct beholding or intuition, and not by induction

or reasoning. The classes of truths given by this function of the

intellect are self-evident. That is, the reason intuits or directly beholds

them, as the faculty of sense intuits or directly beholds a sensation. 

Sense gives to consciousness the direct vision of a sensation, and

therefore the existence of the sensation is certainly known to us. The

reason gives to consciousness the direct vision of the class of truths of

which it takes cognizance; and of the existence and validity of these

truths we can no more doubt than of the existence of our sensations.



Between knowledge derived from sense and from reason there is a

difference: in one case, consciousness gives us the sensation: it may

be questioned whether the perceptions of the sense are a direct

beholding of the object of the sensation, and consequently whether the

object really exists and is the real archetype of the sensation. That the

sensation exists we are certain, but whether that exists which we

suppose to be the object and the cause of the sensation admits of

doubt. The question is, does the sense immediately intuit or behold

the object of the sensation? The fact that the report of sense cannot

always be relied upon seems to show that the perception of sense is

not an immediate beholding of the object of the sensation; sensation

exists, this we know, that it has a cause we know; but that we rightly

know the cause or object of the sensation we may not know.



But in regard to the intuitions of the reason, this faculty directly

beholds the truths which it affirms. These truths are the objects of its

intuitions. They are not received at second hand. They are not

inferences nor inductions, they are not opinions, nor conjectures, or

beliefs, but they are direct knowings. The truths given by this faculty

are so directly seen and known that to doubt them is impossible. The

reason, by virtue of its own laws, beholds them with open face in the

light of their own evidence.



Of the understanding



The understanding is that function of the intellect that takes up,

classifies and arranges the objects and truths of sensation under a law

of classification and arrangement given by the reason, and thus forms

notions and opinions and theories. The notions, opinions, and

theories of the understanding may be erroneous, but there can be no

error in the a priori intuitions of the reason.  The knowledge of the

understanding are so often the result of induction or reasoning, and fall

so entirely short of a direct beholding, that they are often knowledge

only in a modified and restricted sense.



Of the imagination, and the memory, etc., I need not speak in this

place.



What has been said has, I trust, prepared the way for saying that the

truths of theology arrange themselves under two heads: Truths which

need proof and Truths which need no proof.



Truths which need proof



First. Of this class it may be said, in general, that to it belong all truths

which are not directly intuited by some function of the intellect in the

light of their own evidence.



Every truth that must be arrived at by reasoning or induction, every

truth that is attained to by other testimony than that of direct beholding,

perceiving, intuiting, or cognizing, is a truth belonging to the class that

needs proof.



Second. Truths of demonstration belong to the class that needs proof. 

When truths of demonstration are truly demonstrated by any mind, it

certainly knows them to be true, and affirms that the contrary cannot

possibly be true. To possess the mind of others with those truths, we

must lead them through the process of demonstration. When we have

done so, they cannot but see the truth demonstrated. The human

mind will not ordinarily receive and rest in a truth of demonstration until

it has demonstrated it. This it often does without recognizing the

process of demonstration. The laws of knowledge are physical. The

laws of logic are inherent in every mind; but in various states of

development in different minds. If a truth which needs demonstration,

and which is capable of demonstration, is barely announced and not

demonstrated, the mind feels a dissatisfaction and does not rest short

of the demonstration of which it feels the necessity. It is therefore of

little use to dogmatize, when we ought to reason, demonstrate, and

explain. In all cases of truths not self-evident, or of truths needing

proof, religious teachers should understand and comply with the

logical conditions of knowledge and rational belief; they tempt God

when they merely dogmatize where they ought to reason, explain, and

prove, throwing the responsibility of producing conviction and faith

upon the sovereignty of God. God convinces and produces faith, not

by the overthrow of, but in accordance with, the fixed laws of mind. It

is therefore absurd and ridiculous to dogmatize and assert, when

explanation, illustration, and proof are possible and demanded by the

laws of the intellect. To do this, and then leave it with God to make the

people understand and believe, may be at present convenient for us,

but if it be not death to our auditors, no thanks are due to us. We are

bound to inquire into what class a truth belongs, whether it be a truth

which, from its nature and the laws of mind, needs to be illustrated or

proved. If it does, we have n right merely to assert it, when it has not

been proved. Let us comply with the necessary conditions of a

rational conviction and then leave the event with God.



To the class of truths that need proof belong those of divine revelation.



All truths known to man are divinely revealed to him in some sense,

but I here speak of truths revealed to man by the inspiration of the

Holy Spirit. The Bible announces many self-evident truths and many

truths of demonstration. These may or might be known, at least many

of them, irrespective of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But the class

of truths of which I here speak rest wholly upon the testimony of God

and are truths of pure inspiration. Some of these truths are above

reason in the sense that the reason can, a priori, neither affirm nor

deny them.



When it is ascertained that God has asserted them, the mind needs no

other evidence of their truth, because by a necessary law of the

intellect all men affirm the veracity of God. But for this necessary law

of the intellect, men could not rest upon the simple testimony of God,

but would ask for evidence that God is to be believed. But such is the

nature of mind, as constituted by the Creator, that no moral agent

needs proof that God's testimony ought to be received. Let it be once

settled that God has declared a fact or a truth, and this is, with every

moral agent, all the evidence he needs. 



The reason, from its own laws, affirms the perfect veracity of God, and

although the truth announced may be such that the reason, a priori,

can neither affirm or deny it, yet when asserted by God, the reason

irresistibly affirms that God's testimony ought to be received.



These truths need proof in the sense that it needs to be shown that

they were given by a divine inspiration. This fact demonstrated, the

truths themselves need only to be understood, and the mind

necessarily affirms its obligation to believe them.



My present object more particularly is to notice: 



Truths which need no proof



These are a priori truths of reason and truths of sense; that is, they are

truths that need no proof because they are directly intuited or beheld

by one of these faculties.



The a priori truths of reason may be classed under the heads of first

truths: self-evident truths which are necessary and universal: and

self-evident truths not necessary and universal.



First truths have the following attributes.



(1) They are absolute or necessary truths in the sense that the reason

affirms that they must be true. Every event must have an adequate

cause. Space must be. It is impossible that it should not be, whether

any thing else were or not. Time must be, whether there were any

events to succeed each other in time or not. Thus necessity is an

attribute of this class.



(2) Universality is an attribute of a first truth. That is, to truths of this

class there can be no exception. Every event must have a cause,

there can be no event without a cause.



(3) First truths are truths of necessary and universal knowledge. That

is, they are not merely knowable, but they are known to all moral

agents by a necessary law of their intellect.



That space and time are, and must be, that every event has and must

have a cause, and such like truths, are universally known and

assumed by every moral agent whether the terms in which they are

stated have ever been so much as heard by him or not. This last is

the characteristic that distinguished first truths from others merely

self-evident, of which we shall soon speak.



(4) First truths are, of course, self-evident. That is, they are universally

directly beheld in the light of their own evidence.



(5) First truths are truths of the pure reason, and of course truths of

certain knowledge. They are universally known with such certainty as

to render it impossible for any moral agent to deny, forget, or

practically overlook them. Although they may be denied in theory,

they are always, and necessarily, recognized in practice. 



No moral agent, for example, can, by any possibility, practically deny,

or forget, or overlook the first truths that time and space exist and must

exist, that every event has and must have a cause.



It is, therefore, always to be remembered that first truths are

universally assumed and known, and in all our teachings, and in all our

inquiries we are to take the first truths of reason for granted. It is

preposterous to attempt to prove them, for the reason that we

necessarily assume them as the basis and condition of all reasoning.



The mind arrives at a knowledge of these truths by directly and

necessarily beholding them, upon condition of its first perceiving their

logical condition.  The mind beholds or attains to the conception of an

event. Upon this conception it instantly assumes, whether it thinks of

the assumption or not, that this event had, and that every event must

have, a cause.



The mind perceives or has the notion of body. This conception

necessarily develops the first truth, space is and must be.



The mind beholds or conceives of succession; and this beholding or

conception necessarily develops the first truth, time is and must be.



As we proceed we shall notice divers truths which belong to this class,

some of which, in theory, have been denied. Nevertheless, in their

practical judgments, all men have admitted them and given as high

evidence of their knowing them as they do of knowing their own

existence.



Suppose, for example, that the law of causality should not be, at all

times or at any time, a subject of distinct thought and attention. 

Suppose that the proposition, in words, should never be in the mind,

that "every event must have a cause," or that this proposition should

be denied. Still the truth is there in the form of absolute knowledge, a

necessary assumption, an a priori affirmation, and the mind has so

firm a hold of it as to be utterly unable to overlook or forget or

practically deny it. Every mind has it as a certain knowledge long

before it can understand the language in which it is expressed, and no

statement or evidence whatever can give the mind any firmer

conviction of its truth than it had from necessity at first. This is true of

all the truths of this class. They are always, and necessarily, assumed

by all moral agents, whether distinctly thought of or not. And for the

most part this class of truths are assumed, without being frequently, or

at least without being generally, the object of thought or direct

attention. The mind assumes them without a distinct consciousness of

the assumption. For example, we act every moment, and judge, and

reason, and believe, upon the assumption that every event must have

a cause, and yet we are not conscious of thinking of this truth, nor that

we assume it, until something calls the attention to it.



First truths of reason, then, let it be distinctly remembered, are always

and necessarily assumed, though they may be seldom thought of. 

They are universally known before the words are understood by which

they may be expressed; and although they may never be expressed in

a formal proposition, yet the mind has as certain a knowledge of them

as it has of its own existence.



All reasoning proceeds upon the assumption of these truths. It must

do so of necessity. It is preposterous to attempt to prove first truths to

a moral agent; for, being a moral agent, he must absolutely know them

already, and if he did not, in no possible way could he be put in

possession of them except by presenting to his perception the

chronological condition of their development, and in no case could any

thing else be needed, for upon the occurrence of this perception, the

assumption or development follows by a law of absolute and universal

necessity. And until these truths are actually developed, no being can

be a moral agent.



There is no reasoning with one who calls in question the first truths of

reason and demands proof of them. All reasoning must, from the

nature of mind and the laws of reasoning, assume the first-truths of

reason as certain, and admitted, and as the a priori condition of all

logical deduction and demonstration. Some one of these must be

assumed as true, directly or indirectly, in every syllogism and in every

demonstration.



In all our future investigations we shall have abundant occasion for the

application and illustration of what has now been said of first truths of

reason. If, at any stage of our progress, we light upon a truth of this

class, let it be borne in mind that the nature of the truth is the

preclusion, or, as lawyers would express it, the estoppel of all

controversy.



To deny the reality of this class of truths is to deny the validity of our

most perfect knowledge. The only question to be settled is, does the

truth in question belong to this class? There are many truths which

men, all sane men, certainly know, of which they not only seldom

think, but which, in theory, they strenuously deny.



2. The second class of truths that need no proof are self-evident

truths, possessing the attributes of necessity and universality. Of

these truths, I remark:



(1) That they, like first truths, are affirmed by the pure reason, and not

by the understanding, nor the sense.



(2) They are affirmed, like first truths, a priori; that is, they are directly

beheld or intuited, and not attained to by evidence or induction.



(3) They are truths of universal and necessary affirmation, when so

stated to be understood. By a law of the reason, all sane men must

admit and affirm them in the light of their own evidence, whenever they

are understood.



This class, although self-evident when presented to the mind, are not,

like first truths, universally and necessarily known to all moral agents. 

The mathematical axioms and first principles, the a priori grounds and

principles of all science, belong to this class.



(4) They are, like first truths, universal in the sense that there is no

exception to them.



(5) They are necessary truths. That is, the reason affirms, not merely

that they are, but that they must be, true; that these truths cannot but

be. The abstract, the infinite, belong to this class.



To compel other minds to admit this class of truths, we need only to

frame so perspicuous a statement of them as to cause them to be

distinctly perceived or understood. This being done, all sound minds

irresistibly affirm them, whether the heart is, or is not, honest enough

to admit the conviction.



3. A third class of truths that need no proof are truths of rational

intuition, ut possess not the attributes of universality and necessity.



Our own existence, personality, personal identity, etc, belong to this

class. These truths are intuited by the reason, are self-evident, and

given, as such, in consciousness; they are known to self, without

proof, and cannot be doubted. They are at first developed by

sensation, but not inferred from it. 



Suppose a sensation to be perceived by the sense, all that could be

logically inferred from this is that there is some subject of this

sensation, but that I exist, and am the subject of this sensation, does

not logically appear. Sensation first awakens the mind to

self-consciousness; that is, a sensation of some kind first arouses the

attention of the mind to the facts of its own existence and personal

identity. These truths are directly beheld and affirmed. The mind does

not say, I feel, or I think, and therefore I am, for this is a mere sophism;

it is to assume the existence of the I as the subject of feeling, and

afterwards to infer the existence of the I from the feeling or sensation.



4. A fourth class of truths that need no proof are sensations. It has

been already remarked that all sensations given by consciousness are

self-evident to the subject of them. Whether I ascribe my sensations

to their real cause may admit of doubt, but that the sensation is real

there can be no doubt. The testimony of the sense is valid for that

which it immediately beholds or intuits, that is, for the reality of the

sensation. The judgment may err by ascribing the sensation to the

wrong cause.



But I must not proceed further with this statement; my design has been

not to enter too minutely into nice metaphysical distinctions, nor by any

means to exhaust the subject of this lecture, but only to fix attention

upon the distinctions upon which I have insisted for the purpose of

precluding all irrelevant and preposterous discussions about the

validity of first and self-evident truths. I must assume that you possess

some knowledge of psychology and of mental philosophy, and leave to

your convenience a more thorough and extended examination of the

subject but hinted at in this lecture.



Enough, I trust, has been said to prepare your minds for the

introduction of the great and fundamental axioms which lie at the

foundation of all our ideas of morality and religion. Our next lecture

will present the nature and attributes of moral law. We shall proceed

in the light of the a priori affirmations of the reason, in postulating its

nature and its attributes. Having attained to a firm footing upon these

points, we shall be naturally conducted by reason and revelation to our

ultimate conclusions.

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