2._____ This perseverance of the saints depends not 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 which ariseth also
the certainty and infallibility thereof.
(
Romans 8:30
Romans 9:11, 16;
Romans 5:9, 10;
John 14:19;
Hebrews 6:17, 18;
1 John 3:9;
Jeremiah 32:40
)
3._____ And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of
the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the
neglect of means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins, and
for a time continue therein, whereby they incur God's displeasure and
grieve his Holy Spirit, come to have their graces and comforts impaired,
have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded, hurt and
scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves, yet
shall they renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in
Christ Jesus to the end.
(
Matthew 26:70, 72, 74;
Isaiah 64:5, 9;
Ephesians 4:30;
Psalms 51:10, 12;
Psalms 32:3, 4;
2 Samuel 12:14;
Luke 22:32, 61, 62
)