Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-01-21
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS.


The following essay is designed to show
that every truly regenerate person will
Persevere unto eternal glory.
BY perseverance OF the saints is not
meant that they do not sometimes back
slide from God, or that, under the ipAu-
ence of sudden or strong temptation, they
do DOT become guilty ofgreat wickedness,
az In the cases Of Peter and David; but
that they do not fall back into graceless,
unregenerate state, such as they were liz
before their convPrsion-that they do not
sin from enStity TO God, as c1rnaI men do,
and as they tksmSsIrcs once did;-that not.
withstanding their too frequent departures
from the path, Of duty, they will, on the
whole, progress in holiness Of heart and
life, 50 as at last to inherit the kingdom of
Coli
On what considerations does the final
perseverance Of the saints restl
/. Not on any undying principle Of
holiness supposed to be implanted in re-
generation. The renewed man, though
wholly forgiven, is but partially sanctifed.
And il cannot DO supposed that love to
God in regenerate soul should necessa-
Iily possess in itself any more Of the char
acteristics OF Immortality, than it did in
our first parents, where it existed in a
more perfect state, unmixed with sin.
2. Nor Is it to DO ascribed to any
change supposed to be made in the re-
quirements of the moral law. The pre-
cepts of law founded in the fitness of
things, can never be annulIed nor lessened
down, TO accommodate il TO the infrrnities
Of men. The regenerate person is not ab-
solved from his obligation to keep all the
requirements Of the divine law; and if he
fail he falls under its penalty, and can be
saved from 1t on y through the renewed
exercise Of repentance toward God and
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In whc h
case Christ pleads afresh bis blood for the
pardon Of his sin, and it is accepted instead
ofths punishment dueto the offender |
John, j: 9 and il: |.
3. His perseverance is not the result
Of any necessity Of his renewed nature.-
He does not cease to be moral agent
God does not shut him up in a cage or put
chain about his neck. and drag him ir-
resistibly on in the way in which he should
60; nor will be take him TO heaven, ex-
eept In the way Of obedience. Progress
i've holiness Of heart and life are implied
in perseverance, and indispensable to o
good hope of heaven. The believer pro.
crosses not single step in the divine life
except through the medium Of his owr
free and voluntary exertions. Yet,
4. His perseverance rests neither up
on has o1cn Efforts. independent of the di
vine agency, nor upon the dirine agency
Independent ofhis own efforts Both ar,
mutual; and he is ''kept BY the povsr o
God through faitE'-F'fa III which work
= eth by love-" puri6eth the heart, and over
cometh the world.
The perseverance Of the saints rests o.
the rover Of God, exerted in his superir
tending providence, and also through tn
agency and exertions ofrthe saints them
selves a.tf Ne ~~. a.aa ...
What 10 the nature of this power, an
10 how Is itexerted in conjunction with tn
agency of the creature2 Il is not physics
but moral, wholly moral, so far as il
thus exerted. Itisexerted by placing mC
tives before the believer calculated to IL
fuence him 10 do what Is implied in pei
severance, TO hold on his way in servin
God. These consist in the instrnctior
necessary to show him his duty, and tn
difficulties which liein the way Of his d.
. ing il scarnings, ezhortGtions and prom
isesa t rE g.. %rtee ocr 20 fs. ..~
srsnl. Instructions are indispensable. f
no man can do what otherwise would
duty, unless he has the means Of KNOWN
S.whatit IS; nor willhe be likely to do
successfully while he IS ignorant Of ii
difficulties and dangers ofthe way. Dal
5gersl--it may be inquired. what the.
IL the doctrine Of perseverance, be true,
There any danger Of falling and comiI
s1hoEt OF heavenl Yes there isdanger.
sfafsas obedience andprogressire holine
Depend onths agency of the believer. a,
eg~r. EresrgNg t.s aessa #rsfsf Grss- ~- --.sr-