of the false prophets, recorded in Numb. xxiii. 10. "God is not a man that he should lie; nor the son of man, that he should repent; hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" "That by two immutable things,” saith Paul, "in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation," &c. Heb. vi. 18. The strength of a believer's consolation, and inward joy, lies in his stedfast believing, that God is immutable in his purposes and gifts of grace to the elect in general, and to himself in particular; being one of that happy blessed number. Oh! what a God would papists, arminians, &c. make of Jehovah! And how miserable, beyond all conception, would the called of God be, were it, as they affirm and teach, viz. that God changeth his purpose when the believer fails in performing the condition to which the promise is made; and that the same person may be this day the child of God, and to-morrow the child of the devil! Oh! cursed doctrine. Reason 2. Because of that mystical union which is between Christ the head, and all true believers who are members of his mystical body. He who is by faith united to Christ, Christ dwells in that soul by his Spirit, maintaining his own right and property in the soul. When once the strong man armed is cast out of his possession of the heart of an elect sinner, in saving conversion, Christ, the poor sinner's true liege Lord, enters on his purchased possession, I from whence no created power shall ever be able to drive him. Reason 3. Because of the agency of the Holy Ghost in the soul of true believers. On whomsoever this Spirit of promise is bestowed, he will never be idle in that soul; but always working the death and overthrow of indwelling corruption; and perfecting gradually the work of sanctification begun. The sensible manifestation and comfort of this Spirit he may for a time be deprived of; but the Spirit itself can never be taken from the true believer; and that, for the reasons above mentioned. To which other reasons may be added, did not the intended brevity at first designed, prevent. THE END. J. Innes, Printer, Wells Street, Oxford Street, London. |