OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

1.  Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, and has effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, and given the precious faith of His elect, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance; and therefore He continues to beget and nourish in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit which lead to immortality; and though many storms and floods arise and beat against the saints, yet these things shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sight and feeling of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them, yet God is still the same, and they are sure to be kept by the power of God until their salvation is complete, when they shall enjoy their purchased possession, for they are engraved upon the palm of His hands, and their names have been written in the Book of Life from all eternity.[1]

2.  This perseverance of the saints does not depend upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with Him, the oath of God, the abiding of His Spirit, and the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all these factors arise the certainty and infallibility of the security and perseverance of the saints.[2]

3.  And though the saints may, through the temptation of Satan and of the world, and because their remaining sinful tendencies prevail over them, and through their neglect of the means which God has provided to preserve them, fall into grievous sins, they may continue in this state for some time, so that they incur God’s displeasure and grieve His Holy Spirit, suffer the impairment of their graces and comforts, have their hearts hardened and their conscience wounded, and hurt and scandalize others; and by this they bring temporal judgments upon themselves, yet shall they renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end.[3]