good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they fhall not depart from me.' Thofe then who fall away totally and finally, from the Faith or Holiness of the Gospel they fometimes feemed to have, are such as never had true Grace, 1 John ii. 19. forecited. This Perfeverance of the Saints doth not arife from the Nature of Grace itself implanted in them; for of itfelf it would wither away and die out, if it were not fed: I. xxvii. 3, 'I the Lord do keep it, I 'will water it every moment; left any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.' John xv. 5. 6. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is caft forth as a branch, and is withered.' But it arifeth from their infeparable Union with Chrift, the perpetual Indwelling of his Spirit in them, the continual Interceffion of Chrift for them, and the Nature of the Covenant of Grace, and Decree of Election: 1 Cor. i. 8. 9. 'Who fhall also confirm you unto 'the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jefus Chrift. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jefus Christ our Lord.' Compared with John xiv. 19. Because I live, ye fhall live alfo.' And verf. 16. I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you ' another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. Compared with Chap. xvi. 15. All things that the Father hath, are mine: therefore faid I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.' Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore he is ⚫able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft, that come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make ' interceffion

<interceffion for them.' Compared with Luke xxii. 32. I have prayed for thee, that thy faith 'fail not.' Jer. xxxii. 40. forecited. 2 Tim. ii. 19. The foundation of God ftandeth fure, having this feal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.' The Ground in Law on which this Privilege of Perfeverance is thus fecured to them, is, that Chrift the Second Adam hath perfectly fulfilled the Condition of the Covenant: Gal. iii. 12. And the law is not of 'faith': but, The man that doth them, shall live ' in them. Compared with Heb. x. 38. 39. Now 'the juft fhall live by faith: but if any man draw 'back, my foul fhall have no pleasure in him. But

we are not of them who draw back unto perdi<tion; but of them that believe, to the faving of

the foul.' And Rom. x. 4. "For Chrift is the ' end of the law for righteousness to every one that 'believeth,'

Queft. 37. What Benefits do Believers receive from Chrift at Death?

Anf The Souls of Believers are, at their Death, made` perfect in Holiness, and do immediately pafs into Glory; and their Bodies, being ftill united to Christ, do reft in their Graves till the Refurrection.

EXPLICATIO N.

Death came into the World by Sîn: Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by one man fin entered into

• the

the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned.' They who, being out of Chrift, die in their Sins, die in virtue of the Curfe of the broken Law or Covenant of Works: Gen. ii. 17. 'But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest there· of, thou fhalt furely die.' Compared with Rom. iii. 19. Now we know that what things focver the law faith, it faith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.' Chap. vi. 23. 'The wages of fin is death.' Compared with 1 Cor. xv. 56. The fting of death is

:

fin; and the strength of fin is the law.' And the State their Souls are in, from Death until the Refurrection, is, that being caft into Hell, they remain there in Torments and utter Darkness :

Luke xvi. 23. 24. And in hell he [the rich man]

lift up his eyes being in torments, and feeth A'braham afar off, and Lazarus in his bofom. And he cried, and faid, Father Abraham, have inercy on me, and fend Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; 'for I am tormented in this flame.' Jude 6. 7.

And the angels which kept not their first estate, 'but left their own habitation, he hath referved ' in everlasting chains under darknefs, unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after ftrange flesh, are set forth for an example, fuffering the vengeance of eternal fire.' The State their Bodies are in, in the Grave, is, that they are kept there as in their Prifon, Jude 6. 7. forecited. They

They that are effectually called into Union and Communion with Chrift, do not die in virtue of the Curfe of the broken Law or Covenant of Works: Rom. vii. 4. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Chrift; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that < we should bring forth fruit unto God.' Gal. iii. 13. 'Christ hath redeemed us from the curfe of the 'law, being made a curfe for us.' Compared with Rev. xiv. 13. And I heard a voice from heaven, faying unto me, Write, Bleffed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, f faith the Spirit, that they may reft from their la'bours; and their works do follow them.' And John viii. 51. 'Verily verily I fay unto you, If a man keep my faying, he fhall never fee death.' But they die in Conformity to Chrift their Head, that as Death came in by Sin, Sin may go out by Death Rom. viii. 29. For whom he did foreknow, he alfo did predeftinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the 'firft-born among many brethren.' Compared with Col. i. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have 'the pre-eminence.' And I Cor. xv. 20. Now is Chrift rifen from the dead, and become the 'first-fruits of them that flept.' verf. 23.' But every man in his own order: Chrift the firstfruits, afterward they that are Chrift's, at his coming. Rom. viii. 10. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead, becaufe of fin; but the Spirit is life, because of righteoufnefs.' Death then

doth

doth not stop the Course of their partaking of the Benefits of Chrift's Purchase, but opens it further.

Both the Souls and Bodies of Believers, or them that are effectually called, juftified, adopted, and fanctified in their Life, do receive or partake of more Benefits of Chrift's Purchase, at their Death. The Benefits of Chrift's Purchafe that their Souls receive at Death, are, that then they are made perfect in Holiness, and do immediately pass into Glory: Heb. xii. 23. Ye are come to the spirits of just men made perfect.' Luke xxiii. 43. And Jefus faid unto him, Verily I fay unto thee, To-day fhalt thou be with me in paradise.'

The begun Work of Sanctification in the Souls of Believers is perfected at Death: So that their Souls are, upon their Separation from the Body,made perfect in Holiness, Heb. xii. 23. above cited. Sanctification perfected in the Souls of Believers at Death, is the Work of God's free Grace, whereby they are wholly renewed in every Part, after the Image of God, to the utter abolishing of the Remains of Sin in them, and are enabled eternally to live unto Righteousness in Perfection: Rev. vii. 14. 15. And he said to me, Thefe are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and ferve him day and night in his temple: and he that fitteth on the throne, fhall dwell among them." 2 Cor. iv. 16. 2 Cor. iv. 16. Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.' Compared with Heb. xii. 23. forecited. And Rev. vii. 1 5. above cited; compared with 1 Cor. xiii. 8. 9. 10. Charity never faileth but whether there be prophecies, they'

fhall