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Introduction to Computer Science Using Python A
Computational Problem Solving Focus 1st Edition
Charles Dierbach Digital Instant Download
Author(s): Charles Dierbach
ISBN(s): 9780470555156, 0470555157
Edition: 1
File Details: PDF, 51.80 MB
Year: 2012
Language: english
Introduction to Computer
Science Using Python:
A Computational
Problem-Solving Focus
This page is intentionally left blank
Introduction to Computer
Science Using Python:
A Computational
Problem-Solving Focus

Charles Dierbach
VP & Executive Publisher: Don Fowley
Executive Editor: Beth Lang Golub
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dierbach, Charles, 1953–

Introduction to Computer Science Using Python: A Computational Problem-Solving Focus/Charles Dierbach.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-470-55515-6 (pbk.)
1. Python (Computer program language) I. Title.
QA76.73.P98D547 2012
005.13'3—dc23
2012027172

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
 DEDICATION
To my wife Chen Jin, and our sons Jayden and Bryson.
This page is intentionally left blank
Brief Contents

Preface xxi
Acknowledgments xxv
About the Author xxvii
1 Introduction 1
2 Data and Expressions 38
3 Control Structures 79
4 Lists 125
5 Functions 168
6 Objects and Their Use 206
7 Modular Design 247
8 Text Files 289
9 Dictionaries and Sets 337
10 Object-Oriented Programming 383
11 Recursion 460
12 Computing and Its Developments 491
Appendix 525
Index 569

vii
This page is intentionally left blank
Contents

Preface xxi
Acknowledgments xxv
About the Author xxvii

1 Introduction 1

MOTIVATION 2
FUNDAMENTALS 2
1.1 What Is Computer Science? 2
1.1.1 The Essence of Computational Problem Solving 3
1.1.2 Limits of Computational Problem Solving 5
Self-Test Questions 6
1.2 Computer Algorithms 6
1.2.1 What Is an Algorithm? 6
1.2.2 Algorithms and Computers: A Perfect Match 7
Self-Test Questions 8
1.3 Computer Hardware 9
1.3.1 Digital Computing: It’s All about Switches 9
1.3.2 The Binary Number System 10
1.3.3 Fundamental Hardware Components 11
1.3.4 Operating Systems—Bridging Software and Hardware 11
1.3.5 Limits of Integrated Circuits Technology: Moore’s Law 12
Self-Test Questions 13
1.4 Computer Software 14
1.4.1 What Is Computer Software? 14
1.4.2 Syntax, Semantics, and Program Translation 14
1.4.3 Procedural vs. Object-Oriented Programming 17
Self-Test Questions 17
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 17
1.5 The Process of Computational Problem Solving 17
1.5.1 Problem Analysis 18
1.5.2 Program Design 19
1.5.3 Program Implementation 21
1.5.4 Program Testing 21
ix
x Contents

1.6 The Python Programming Language 22

1.6.1 About Python 22
1.6.2 The IDLE Python Development Environment 22
1.6.3 The Python Standard Library 23
1.6.4 A Bit of Python 24
1.6.5 Learning How to Use IDLE 26
1.7 A First Program—Calculating the Drake Equation 29
1.7.1 The Problem 30
1.7.2 Problem Analysis 30
1.7.3 Program Design 30
1.7.4 Program Implementation 30
1.7.5 Program Testing 32
Chapter Summary 33
Chapter Exercises 34
Python Programming Exercises 36
Program Modification Problems 37
Program Development Problems 37

2 Data and Expressions 38

MOTIVATION 39
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS 40
2.1 Literals 40
2.1.1 What Is a Literal? 40
2.1.2 Numeric Literals 40
2.1.3 String Literals 44
2.1.4 Control Characters 46
2.1.5 String Formatting 47
2.1.6 Implicit and Explicit Line Joining 48
2.1.7 Let’s Apply It—“Hello World Unicode Encoding” 48
Self-Test Questions 49
2.2 Variables and Identifiers 50
2.2.1 What Is a Variable? 50
2.2.2 Variable Assignment and Keyboard Input 52
2.2.3 What Is an Identifier? 53
2.2.4 Keywords and Other Predefined Identifiers in Python 54
2.2.5 Let’s Apply It—“Restaurant Tab Calculation” 55
Self-Test Questions 56
2.3 Operators 57
2.3.1 What Is an Operator? 57
2.3.2 Arithmetic Operators 57
2.3.3 Let’s Apply It—“Your Place in the Universe” 59
Self-Test Questions 60
2.4 Expressions and Data Types 61
2.4.1 What Is an Expression? 61
2.4.2 Operator Precedence 61
2.4.3 Operator Associativity 63
 Contents xi

2.4.4 What Is a Data Type? 64

2.4.5 Mixed-Type Expressions 64
2.4.6 Let’s Apply It—“Temperature Conversion Program” 65
Self-Test Questions 66
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 67
2.5 Age in Seconds Program 67
2.5.1 The Problem 67
2.5.2 Problem Analysis 67
2.5.3 Program Design 67
2.5.4 Program Implementation and Testing 69
Chapter Summary 74
Chapter Exercises 74
Python Programming Exercises 76
Program Modification Problems 76
Program Development Problems 77

3 Control Structures 79

MOTIVATION 80
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS 80
3.1 What Is a Control Structure? 80
3.2 Boolean Expressions (Conditions) 81
3.2.1 Relational Operators 81
3.2.2 Membership Operators 82
3.2.3 Boolean Operators 83
3.2.4 Operator Precedence and Boolean Expressions 85
3.2.5 Short-Circuit (Lazy) Evaluation 86
3.2.6 Logically Equivalent Boolean Expressions 87
Self-Test Questions 88
3.3 Selection Control 89
3.3.1 If Statement 89
3.3.2 Indentation in Python 90
3.3.3 Multi-Way Selection 91
3.3.4 Let’s Apply It—Number of Days in Month Program 94
Self-Test Questions 96
3.4 Iterative Control 96
3.4.1 While Statement 97
3.4.2 Input Error Checking 98
3.4.3 Infinite loops 99
3.4.4 Definite vs. Indefinite Loops 100
3.4.5 Boolean Flags and Indefinite Loops 100
3.4.6 Let’s Apply It—Coin Change Exercise Program 101
Self-Test Questions 104
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 104
3.5 Calendar Month Program 104
3.5.1 The Problem 104
xii Contents

3.5.2 Problem Analysis 104

3.5.3 Program Design 105
3.5.4 Program Implementation and Testing 107
Chapter Summary 117
Chapter Exercises 118
Python Programming Exercises 120
Program Modification Problems 121
Program Development Problems 123

4 Lists 125

MOTIVATION 126
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS 127
4.1 List Structures 127
4.1.1 What Is a List? 127
4.1.2 Common List Operations 127
4.1.3 List Traversal 128
Self-Test Questions 129
4.2 Lists (Sequences) in Python 130
4.2.1 Python List Type 130
4.2.2 Tuples 131
4.2.3 Sequences 132
4.2.4 Nested Lists 134
4.2.5 Let’s Apply It—A Chinese Zodiac Program 135
Self-Test Questions 137
4.3 Iterating Over Lists (Sequences) in Python 137
4.3.1 For Loops 137
4.3.2 The Built-in range Function 138
4.3.3 Iterating Over List Elements vs. List Index Values 139
4.3.4 While Loops and Lists (Sequences) 140
4.3.5 Let’s Apply It—Password Encryption/Decryption Program 141
Self-Test Questions 144
4.4 More on Python Lists 144
4.4.1 Assigning and Copying Lists 144
4.4.2 List Comprehensions 146
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 147
4.5 Calendar Year Program 147
4.5.1 The Problem 147
4.5.2 Problem Analysis 147
4.5.3 Program Design 148
4.5.4 Program Implementation and Testing 149
Chapter Summary 161
Chapter Exercises 162
Python Programming Exercises 164
Program Modification Problems 164
Program Development Problems 165
 Contents xiii

5 Functions 168

MOTIVATION 169
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS 169
5.1 Program Routines 169
5.1.1 What Is a Function Routine? 169
5.1.2 Defining Functions 170
5.1.3 Let’s Apply It—Temperature Conversion Program (Function Version) 173
Self-Test Questions 175
5.2 More on Functions 176
5.2.1 Calling Value-Returning Functions 176
5.2.2 Calling Non-Value-Returning Functions 177
5.2.3 Parameter Passing 178
5.2.4 Keyword Arguments in Python 181
5.2.5 Default Arguments in Python 183
5.2.6 Variable Scope 183
5.2.7 Let’s Apply It—GPA Calculation Program 186
Self-Test Questions 189
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 189
5.3 Credit Card Calculation Program 189
5.3.1 The Problem 189
5.3.2 Problem Analysis 190
5.3.3 Program Design 190
5.3.4 Program Implementation and Testing 191
Chapter Summary 202
Chapter Exercises 202
Python Programming Exercises 203
Program Modification Problems 204
Program Development Problems 204

6 Objects and Their Use 206

MOTIVATION 207
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS 207
6.1 Software Objects 207
6.1.1 What Is an Object? 208
6.1.2 Object References 209
Self-Test Questions 216
6.2 Turtle Graphics 216
6.2.1 Creating a Turtle Graphics Window 216
6.2.2 The “Default” Turtle 218
6.2.3 Fundamental Turtle Attributes and Behavior 219
6.2.4 Additional Turtle Attributes 222
6.2.5 Creating Multiple Turtles 225
xiv Contents

6.2.6 Let’s Apply It—Bouncing Balls Program 226

Self-Test Questions 229
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 229
6.3 Horse Race Simulation Program 229
6.3.1 The Problem 230
6.3.2 Problem Analysis 230
6.3.3 Program Design 231
6.3.4 Program Implementation and Testing 231
Chapter Summary 243
Chapter Exercises 243
Python Programming Exercises 244
Program Modification Problems 245
Program Development Problems 246

7 Modular Design 247

MOTIVATION 248
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS 248
7.1 Modules 248
7.1.1 What Is a Module? 248
7.1.2 Module Specification 249
Self-Test Questions 251
7.2 Top-Down Design 251
7.2.1 Developing a Modular Design of the Calendar Year Program 251
7.2.2 Specification of the Calendar Year Program Modules 252
Self-Test Questions 255
7.3 Python Modules 255
7.3.1 What Is a Python Module? 255
7.3.2 Modules and Namespaces 256
7.3.3 Importing Modules 257
7.3.4 Module Loading and Execution 260
7.3.5 Local, Global, and Built-in Namespaces in Python 262
7.3.6 A Programmer-Defined Stack Module 264
7.3.7 Let’s Apply It—A Palindrome Checker Program 267
Self-Test Questions 268
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 269
7.4 Calendar Year Program (function version) 269
7.4.1 The Problem 269
7.4.2 Problem Analysis 269
7.4.3 Program Design 269
7.4.4 Program Implementation and Testing 269
Chapter Summary 284
Chapter Exercises 284
Python Programming Exercises 286
Program Modification Problems 287
Program Development Problems 287
 Contents xv

8 Text Files 289

MOTIVATION 290
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS 290
8.1 What Is a Text File? 290
8.2 Using Text Files 291
8.2.1 Opening Text Files 291
8.2.2 Reading Text Files 293
8.2.3 Writing Text Files 294
Self-Test Questions 295
8.3 String Processing 296
8.3.1 String Traversal 296
8.3.2 String-Applicable Sequence Operations 296
8.3.3 String Methods 297
8.3.4 Let’s Apply It—Sparse Text Program 300
Self-Test Questions 303
8.4 Exception Handling 303
8.4.1 What Is an Exception? 303
8.4.2 The Propagation of Raised Exceptions 304
8.4.3 Catching and Handling Exceptions 305
8.4.4 Exception Handling and User Input 307
8.4.5 Exception Handling and File Processing 309
8.4.6 Let’s Apply It—Word Frequency Count Program 310
Self-Test Questions 314
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 314
8.5 Cigarette Use/Lung Cancer Correlation Program 314
8.5.1 The Problem 315
8.5.2 Problem Analysis 315
8.5.3 Program Design 316
8.5.4 Program Implementation and Testing 318
8.5.5 Determining the Correlation Between Smoking and Lung Cancer 331
Chapter Summary 331
Chapter Exercises 332
Python Programming Exercises 333
Program Modification Problems 333
Program Development Problems 334

9 Dictionaries and Sets 337

MOTIVATION 338
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS 338
9.1 Dictionary Type in Python 338
9.1.1 What Is a Dictionary? 339
9.1.2 Let’s Apply It—Phone Number Spelling Program 342
Self-Test Questions 346
xvi Contents

9.2 Set Data Type 346

9.2.1 The Set Data Type in Python 346
9.2.2 Let’s Apply It—Kitchen Tile Visualization Program 348
Self-Test Questions 356
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 356
9.3 A Food Co-op’s Worker Scheduling Simulation 356
9.3.1 The Problem 357
9.3.2 Problem Analysis 357
9.3.3 Program Design 358
9.3.4 Program Implementation and Testing 360
9.3.5 Analyzing a Scheduled vs. Unscheduled Co-op Worker Approach 375
Chapter Summary 379
Chapter Exercises 379
Python Programming Exercises 380
Program Modification Problems 380
Program Development Problems 381

10 Object-Oriented Programming 383

MOTIVATION 384
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS 384
10.1 What Is Object-Oriented Programming? 384
10.1.1 What Is a Class? 385
10.1.2 Three Fundamental Features of Object-Oriented Programming 385
10.2 Encapsulation 386
10.2.1 What Is Encapsulation? 386
10.2.2 Defining Classes in Python 387
10.2.3 Let’s Apply It—A Recipe Conversion Program 394
Self-Test Questions 399
10.3 Inheritance 400
10.3.1 What Is Inheritance? 400
10.3.2 Subtypes 401
10.3.3 Defining Subclasses in Python 402
10.3.4 Let’s Apply It—A Mixed Fraction Class 407
Self-Test Questions 411
10.4 Polymorphism 411
10.4.1 What Is Polymorphism? 411
10.4.2 The Use of Polymorphism 414
Self-Test Questions 417
10.5 Object-Oriented Design Using UML 417
10.5.1 What Is UML? 417
10.5.2 UML Class Diagrams 418
Self-Test Questions 422
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 423
10.6 Vehicle Rental Agency Program 423
10.6.1 The Problem 423
 Contents xvii

10.6.2 Problem Analysis 423

10.6.3 Program Design 423
10.6.4 Program Implementation and Testing 429
Chapter Summary 453
Chapter Exercises 454
Python Programming Exercises 455
Program Modification Problems 456
Program Development Problems 457

11 Recursion 460

MOTIVATION 461
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS 461
11.1 Recursive Functions 461
11.1.1 What Is a Recursive Function? 461
11.1.2 The Factorial Function 464
11.1.3 Let’s Apply It—Fractals (Sierpinski Triangle) 467
Self-Test Questions 471
11.2 Recursive Problem Solving 472
11.2.1 Thinking Recursively 472
11.2.2 MergeSort Recursive Algorithm 472
11.2.3 Let’s Apply It—MergeSort Implementation 474
Self-Test Questions 476
11.3 Iteration vs. Recursion 476
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING 477
11.4 Towers of Hanoi 477
11.4.1 The Problem 477
11.4.2 Problem Analysis 477
11.4.3 Program Design and Implementation 481
Chapter Summary 487
Chapter Exercises 487
Python Programming Exercises 488
Program Modification Problems 489
Program Development Problems 490

12 Computing and Its Developments 491

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MODERN COMPUTER 492

12.1 The Concept of a Programmable Computer 492
12.1.1 “Father of the Modern Computer”—Charles Babbage (1800s) 492
12.1.2 “The First Computer Programmer”—Ada Lovelace (1800s) 493
12.2 Developments Leading to Electronic Computing 493
12.2.1 The Development of Boolean Algebra (mid-1800s) 493
12.2.2 The Development of the Vacuum Tube (1883) 494
12.2.3 The Development of Digital Electronic Logic Gates (1903) 494
xviii Contents

12.2.4 The Development of Memory Electronic Circuits (1919) 495

12.2.5 The Development of Electronic Digital Logic Circuits (1937) 495
12.2.6 “The Father of Information Theory”—Claude Shannon (1948) 496
FIRST-GENERATION COMPUTERS (1940s–mid-1950s) 496
12.3 The Early Groundbreakers 496
12.3.1 The Z3—The First Programmable Computer (1941) 496
12.3.2 The Mark I—First Computer Project in the United States (1937–1943) 497
12.3.3 The ABC—The First Fully Electronic Computing Device (1942) 498
12.3.4 Colossus—A Special-Purpose Electronic Computer (1943) 499
12.3.5 ENIAC—The First Fully Electronic Programmable Computer 500
12.3.6 EDVAC/ACE—The First Stored Program Computers (1950) 501
12.3.7 Whirlwind—The First Real-Time Computer (1951) 502
12.4 The First Commercially Available Computers 503
12.4.1 The Struggles of the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation (1950) 503
12.4.2 The LEO Computer of the J. Lyons and Company (1951) 504
SECOND-GENERATION COMPUTERS (mid-1950s to mid-1960s) 505
12.5 Transistorized Computers 505
12.5.1 The Development of the Transistor (1947) 505
12.5.2 The First Transistor Computer (1953) 506
12.6 The Development of High-Level Programming Languages 506
12.6.1 The Development of Assembly Language (early 1950s) 506
12.6.2 The First High-Level Programming Languages (mid-1950s) 507
12.6.3 The First “Program Bug” (1947) 508
THIRD-GENERATION COMPUTERS (mid-1960s to early 1970s) 508
12.7 The Development of the Integrated Circuit (1958) 508
12.7.1 The Catalyst for Integrated Circuit Advancements (1960s) 509
12.7.2 The Development of the Microprocessor (1971) 511
12.8 Mainframes, Minicomputers, and Supercomputers 512
12.8.1 The Establishment of the Mainframe Computer (1962) 512
12.8.2 The Development of the Minicomputer (1963) 513
12.8.3 The Development of the UNIX Operating System (1969) 513
12.8.4 The Development of Graphical User Interfaces (early 1960s) 514
12.8.5 The Development of the Supercomputer (1972) 515
FOURTH-GENERATION COMPUTERS (early 1970s to the Present) 515
12.9 The Rise of the Microprocessor 515
12.9.1 The First Commercially Available Microprocessor (1971) 515
12.9.2 The First Commercially Available Microcomputer Kit (1975) 516
12.10 The Dawn of Personal Computing 516
12.10.1 The Beginnings of Microsoft (1975) 516
12.10.2 The Apple II (1977) 517
12.10.3 IBM’s Entry into the Microcomputer Market (1981) 517
12.10.4 Society Embraces the Personal Computer (1983) 518
12.10.5 The Development of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) 518
12.10.6 The Development of the C11 Programming Language 519
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long train of miseries that troubled him afterwards; and then he
plainly expresses his repentance, when he says, All was vanity and
vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun, ver. 11. as
though he should say, I turned from God to the creature, to see
what happiness I could find therein, but met with nothing but
disappointment; he had no profit in those things, whereof he was
now ashamed. It is probable, God shewed him the vanity thereof, by
his chastening him, or visiting his transgressions with the rod, and
his iniquities with stripes, as he had promised to do; and this ended
in vexation of spirit, which is a plain intimation of that godly sorrow
that proceeded from a sense of sin, which made him, beyond
measure, uneasy; and this vexation or uneasiness was so great, that
he says, I hated life, that is, I hated my past wicked life, and
abhorred myself for it, because the work that is wrought under the
sun, is grievous unto me; that is, the work that I have wrought, was
such as gave me grief of heart; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit,
ver. 17. that is, this is all the consequence thereof: it cannot be
supposed that he was weary of his life for the same reasons that
many others are, who are deprived of the blessings of common
providence, and reduced to that condition that makes them
miserable, as to their outward circumstances in the world; but it was
the uneasiness he found in his own spirit, the secret wounds of
conscience and bitterness of soul, which arose from a sense of sin,
that made him thus complain.
And elsewhere, he seems to be sensible of his sin, in heaping up
vast treasures, which he calls loving silver; and adds, that such an
one, which seems very applicable to his own case, shall not be
satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance, with increase;
this is also vanity, chap. v. 10. that is, this had been an instance of
his former vanity: and he adds, The sleep of a labouring man is
sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the abundance of the rich
will not suffer him to sleep, ver. 12. If by this we understand that the
increase of riches sometimes gives disturbance to, and stirs up the
corruptions of those that possess them, and this be applied to
himself, it is an acknowledgment of his sin. Or, if we understand by it
that the abundance of a rich man will not give him rest at night,
when his mind is made uneasy with a sense of the guilt of sin, and
this be applied to his own case, when fallen by it; then it intimates
that his repentance gave him not only uneasiness by day, but took
away his rest by night; and it seems not improbable, that what gave
him farther occasion to see the vanity of his past life, was the sense
of mortality impressed on him; for he says, It is better to go to the
house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is
the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart, chap. vii. 3.
that is, he will, or ought to improve the sense of his own frailty,
which we may conclude he had done; and therefore adds, Sorrow is
better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance, the
heart is made better, ver. 3.
But if it be objected, that all these expressions are not applicable to
himself, and many others of the like nature, which might have been
referred to, which are expressive of his great repentance; though I
cannot but think that the contrary to this seems very probable; yet
there is something farther added, that he expressly applies to
himself, which refers to his unlawful love of women: I find more
bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares, and nets, and
her hands as bands. Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her, but
the sinner shall be taken by her: behold, this have I found, saith the
preacher, ver. 26, 27. If these things be not expressive of
repentance, it is hard to say what are.
And to this we may add, that as he expresses a grief of heart for
past sins; so he warns others that they may not be guilty of that
which he himself found more bitter than death; and accordingly,
having described the arts used by the wicked woman, to betray the
unthinking passenger, he cautions every one to take heed of
declining to her ways; inasmuch as the consequence thereof will be,
that a dart will strike through his liver, and he is as a bird that
hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life, Prov. vii.
23. compared with the foregoing verses. He also adds, That she
hath cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been
slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the
chambers of death, ver. 26, 27. So that we find in Solomon, two of
the greatest evidences that we can have of sincere repentance;
namely, a great degree of sorrow for sin, and an earnest desire that
others would avoid it, by giving those cautions that are necessary to
prevent their falling into the snare in which he had been entangled.
(3.) There is something spoken in Solomon’s commendation, after
his death, which may be gathered from what is said, that during the
three first years of Rehoboam’s reign, which God approved of he
walked in the way of David and Solomon, 2 Chron. xi. 17. where we
may observe, that Solomon is joined with his father David: so that as
there were abatements to be made for the blemishes in David’s
reign; the reign of Solomon had in it great blemishes: but as one
repented, so did the other, and therefore ought not to be reckoned
an apostate.
And to all this we may add, that he was a penman of scripture; and
it does not appear that God conferred this honour upon any that
apostatized from him; but on the other hand, they have this general
character given of them by the apostle Peter, that they were all holy
men of God, 2 Pet. i. 21. which we must conclude Solomon to have
been, till we have greater evidence to the contrary than they can
produce who deny it.
3. There are others mentioned in the objection, to wit, Hymeneus
and Alexander, whose apostacy we have no ground to doubt of; but
we cannot allow that they fell from, or lost the saving grace of faith.
It is one thing to fall from the profession of faith, and another thing
to lose the grace of faith; therefore, the only thing to be proved in
answer to this branch of the objection, is, that these persons, who
are described as apostates, never had the truth of grace; or that
they only fell from that visible profession which they made thereof;
whereby they were reckoned to be, what in reality they were not,
namely, true believers. Now that this may appear, let it be
considered,
That the apostle speaks of them as having departed from the faith,
viz. the doctrines of the gospel; and that was attended with
blasphemy, for which they were delivered unto Satan, which is a
phrase used by the apostle here and elsewhere, for persons being
cut off from the communion of the church; upon which occasion he
advises Timothy to hold faith and a good conscience, which some
having put away, concerning faith, have made shipwreck, as these
have done.
Now the main force of the objection seems to lie in this, that they
who have made shipwreck of faith, were once true believers;
therefore, such may apostatize, and so fall short of salvation.
To which it may be replied, that by faith here, is meant the doctrines
of the gospel, which are often styled faith: thus it is said, that the
apostle preached the faith which once he destroyed, Gal. i. 23. and
elsewhere, before faith came; that is, before the gospel-dispensation
began, and those doctrines were preached that were to be published
therein to the world, we were kept under the law, chap. iii. 23. And
again, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the
hearing of faith, ver. 2. that is, by hearing those doctrines that are
contained in the gospel. Therefore, that which he chargeth these
apostates with, is making shipwreck of faith, considered objectively:
they once, indeed, held the truth, but it was in unrighteousness;
they had right notions of the gospel, which they afterwards lost:
now the apostle advises Timothy not only to hold faith, that is, to
retain the doctrines of the gospel, as one who had right sentiments
of divine truths, but to hold it with a good conscience; for I take that
expression, hold faith and a good conscience, to contain an
hendyadis; and so it is the same as though he should say, Be not
content with an assent to the truths of the gospel, but labour after a
conscience void of offence towards God, that thou mayst have the
testimony thereof, that thy knowledge of divine truth is practical and
experimental, and then thou art out of danger of making shipwreck
of faith, as these have done, who held it without a good conscience.
It is not said they made shipwreck of a good conscience; for that
they never have had; but concerning faith, which they once
professed, they made shipwreck.
The same thing may be said concerning Judas; he apostatized from
the faith, which he once made a very great profession of, being not
only one of Christ’s disciples, but sent forth with the rest of them, to
preach the gospel, and work miracles; yet it is evident, that he had
not the saving grace of faith. For our Saviour, who knew the hearts
of all men, was not deceived in him (though others were) inasmuch
as it is said, He knew from the beginning who they were that
believed not, and who should betray him, John vi. 64. However, the
principal force of the objection lies in this, that Judas must needs
have been a believer, because he was given to Christ; and our
Saviour says, that those who were given him were kept by him, and
none of them was lost but the son of perdition, chap. xvii. 12. His
being styled the son of perdition, argues him an apostate; and his
being given to Christ denotes that he was once a true believer;
therefore he fell totally and finally. In answer to which,
(1.) Some conclude, that they who are said to be given to Christ, are
such as were appointed, by the providence of God, to be his
servants in the work of the ministry. Now it is said concerning them,
that they were given to Christ, to be employed by him in this
service; and that all of them were kept faithful, except the son of
perdition. If this be the sense of their being given to him, it does not
necessarily infer their being made partakers of special grace: it is
one thing to be given to Christ, to be employed in some peculiar acts
of service, in which his glory is concerned; and another thing to be
given to him, as being chosen and called by him, to partake of
special communion with him: if Judas had been given to him in this
latter sense, he would not have been a son of perdition, but would
have been kept by him, as the other disciples were; but inasmuch as
he was only given to Christ, that he might serve the design of his
providence, in the work of the ministry, he might be lost, or appear
to be a son of perdition, and yet not fall from the truth of grace.
(2.) If, by being given to Christ, we understand a being given to him,
as objects of his special love, we must suppose, that all who were
thus given to him, were kept by him; in which sense Judas, who is
called the son of perdition, and was not kept by him, was not given
to him: accordingly the particle but is not exceptive, but adversative;
and it is as though he should say, All that thou gavest me I have
kept, and none of them is lost; but the son of perdition is lost, I
have not preserved him; for he was not the object of my special care
and love; he was not given me to save, therefore he is lost. Now it is
certain, that the particle but is used in this sense in many other
scriptures, particularly that wherein it is said, There shall in no wise
enter into it, that is, the heavenly Jerusalem, any thing that defileth,
neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they
which are written in the Lamb’s book of life, Rev. xxi. 27. q. d.
ungodly men shall not enter in; but they that are written in the
lamb’s book of life shall[93]. Thus much concerning this objection,
taken from particular persons, who are supposed to have fallen from
grace.
Obj. 2. The next objection is taken from what the apostle Paul says
concerning the church of the Jews, whom he describes as
apostatized from God; and it is evident, that they are, to this day,
given up to judicial blindness, and not in the least disposed to repent
of that crime for which they were cast off by him; concerning these
he says, that they once were holy; If the first fruit be holy, the lump
is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches, Rom. xi.
16. and afterwards he speaks of their casting away, and some of the
branches being broken off, because of unbelief, ver. 15, 17, 19, 20.
Now if the whole church apostatized, we must conclude at least, that
some of them were true believers, and therefore true believers may
fall from the grace of God.
Answ. That the church of the Jews apostatized, and were cut off for
their unbelief, is sufficiently evident: but we must distinguish
between the apostacy of a professing people, such as the church of
the Jews were, who first rejected God, and then were cast off by
him, and the apostacy of those who were truly religious among
them; the apostle himself gives us ground for this distinction, when
he says, they are not all Israel which are of Israel; neither because
they are the seed of Abraham are they all children, chap. ix. 6, 7.
And elsewhere he distinguishes between one who is a Jew, as being
partaker of the external privileges of the covenant, which that
church was under, and a person’s being a Jew, as partaking of the
saving blessings thereof; as he says, He is not a Jew which is one
outwardly, neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh;
but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the
heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men,
but of God, Rom. ii. 28, 29. A church may lose its external privileges,
and cease to have the honourable character given it; the greatest
part of them may be blinded, when, at the same time the election,
that is, all among them who were chosen to eternal life, obtained it,
as the apostle observes, chap. xi. 7. and thereby intimates, that
some who were members of that church were faithful; those were
preserved from the common apostacy, being converted to the
Christian faith. Their privileges, as members of a church, were lost,
but they still retained their spiritual and inseparable union with
Christ, which they had as believers, and not as the result of their
being the natural seed of Abraham, they were made partakers of the
blessings that accompany salvation; and therefore were not
separated from the love of God in Christ, whilst formal professors
and hypocrites, who were Abraham’s natural seed, but not his
spiritual, were cast off by Christ.
Obj. 3. It is farther objected, that there are some who have the
character of righteous persons, concerning whom it is supposed,
that they may fall away or perish; particularly those mentioned in
Ezek. xviii. 24. When the righteous man turneth away from his
righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doth according to all the
abominations that the wicked man doth, shall he live? All his
righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned, in the
trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned,
in them shall he die: And in Heb. x. 38. it is said, The just shall live
by faith; but if any man, or, as the word should be rendered, if he
draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Therefore, since
the righteous man may turn from his righteousness, and draw back
to perdition, the doctrine of the saints’ perseverance cannot be
defended.
Answ. 1. As to the former of these scriptures, we must consider the
sense thereof agreeably to the context, and the scope and design of
the prophet therein; he had often reproved them for those vile
abominations which they were guilty of, and had denounced the
threatnings of God, which should have their accomplishment in their
utter ruin; particularly, he fortels the judgments that should sweep
away many of them before, and others that should befal them in the
captivity: this is the subject principally insisted on by the prophets
Jeremiah and Ezekiel; whereupon sometimes they were represented
as disliking the doctrine, desiring that smooth things might be
prophesied unto them, and the holy one of Israel might cease from
before them. At other times they are represented as complaining of
the hardship of this dispensation, intimating that it was unjust and
severe, and, at the same time, justifying themselves, as though they
had done nothing that deserved it; but all this was to befal them for
the sins of their fathers, and accordingly there was a proverbial
expression often made use of by them, mentioned verse 2d of this
chapter, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth
are set on edge; by which they did not understand that we expect to
perish eternally for our fathers’ sins, in which sense it must be taken,
if this objection has any force in it: now God, by the prophet, tells
them that they had no reason to use this proverb, and so puts them
upon looking into their past conduct, and enquiring, whether they
had not been guilty of the same sins that their fathers were charged
with? which, if they could exculpate themselves from, they should be
delivered, and not die, that is, not fall by those judgments which
either should go before, or follow the captivity; for that seems to be
the sense of dying, according to the prophetic way of speaking, as
we have observed elsewhere.[94] For the understanding of this
scripture we must consider, that the prophet addresses himself to
the house of Israel, who are represented, ver. 25. as complaining,
that the way of the Lord was not equal; or, that God’s threatnings or
judgments, which were the forerunners of the captivity, were such
as they had not deserved; and therefore he tells them that he would
deal with them according to their deserts, ver. 24. When the
righteous, that is, one whose conversation before this seemed to be
unblemished, and he not guilty of those enormous crimes which
were committed by others (which may be supposed, and yet the
person not be in a state of grace) I say, when such an one turneth
away from his righteousness, and doth according to all the
abominations that the wicked man doth, that is, becomes openly vile
and profligate; shall he live? can he expect any thing else but that
God should follow him with exemplary judgments, or that he should
be involved in the common destruction? In his sin that he hath
sinned shall he die. And on the other hand, ver. 27. When the wicked
man turneth away from his wickedness; that is, they who have been
guilty of these abominations shall reform their lives, or turn from
their idolatry, murders, adulteries, oppressions, and other vile
crimes, that the people in general were charged with, by the
prophet, which are assigned as the reason of God’s sending this
dreadful judgment of the captivity; I say, if there be such an
instance of reformation, he shall save his soul alive; that is, either he
shall be delivered from the captivity, or shall be preserved from
those temporal judgments that either went before or followed after
it. This reformation, and deliverance from these judgments, includes
in it something less than saving grace, and a right to eternal life,
which is inseparably connected with it, so that if nothing else be
intended by the righteous and wicked man; and if the judgments
threatened, or their deliverance from them, in case of reformation,
includes no more than this, it is evident, that it does not in the least
suppose, that any true believer shall apostatize or fall from a state of
grace. As we may distinguish between eternal death and temporal
judgments; so we must distinguish between a person’s abstaining
from the vilest abominations, as a means to escape these
judgments; and his exercising those graces that accompany
salvation. There may be an external reformation in those who have
no special grace, if nothing farther be regarded than a person’s
moral character, or inoffensive behaviour in the eye of the world. If
we only consider him as abstaining from those sins which are
universally reckoned disreputable among those who make any
pretensions to religion, and in this respect he be denominated a
righteous man, such an one may turn away from his righteousness
and become immoral and profligate, and so be reckoned among the
number of apostates: nevertheless he cannot be said to apostatize
or fall from the grace of God, since moral virtue or the exercise of
righteousness in our dealings with men is as much inferior to saving
grace, as a form of godliness is to the power thereof.
2. As to the other scripture, mentioned in the objection, it is
generally urged against us as an unanswerable argument, taken
from the express words thereof, to prove the possibility of the saints’
apostacy; and our translation is charged with a wilful mistake, to
serve a turn, and make the text speak what it never intended, since
all who understand the original must allow that it ought to be
rendered, If he draw back, which supposes that the just man may
apostatize, or draw back unto perdition. To which it may be replied,
(1.) That though the words, according to the form in which they are
laid down, contain a supposition, it does not infer the being or reality
of the thing supposed[95]; but only this, that if such a thing should
happen, it would be attended with what is laid down as a
consequence thereof. This is very agreeable to our common mode of
speaking, as when we say; if a virtuous person should commit a
capital crime, he will fall under the lash of the law as much as
though he had made no pretensions to virtue; nevertheless, it does
not follow from hence, that such an one shall do it, or expose
himself to this punishment; or, on the other hand, if a king should
say to a criminal, as Solomon did to Adonijah, ‘If he will shew
himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the
earth,’ it cannot be concluded from hence, that he will behave
himself so as that his life shall be secured to him. The proposition is
true, as there is a just connexion between the supposition and the
consequence; yet this does not argue that the thing supposed shall
come to pass. Now to apply this to the scripture, under our present
consideration; the proposition is doubtless true, that if the just man
should draw back, so as to become a wicked man, if he should lose
the principle of grace which was implanted in regeneration, and
abandon himself to the greatest impieties, he would as certainly
perish as though he had never experienced the grace of God; but it
must not be inferred from hence, that God will suffer such an one,
who is the object both of his love and care, thus to fall and perish,
so that his soul should have no pleasure in him.
(2.) If we suppose the person here spoken of, whom we consider as
a true believer, to draw back, we may distinguish between
backsliding or turning aside from God, by the commission of very
great sins; and apostacy. Or between drawing back, by being guilty
of great crimes, so as to expose himself to sore judgments; and his
drawing back to perdition. The just man in this text, is said, indeed,
to draw back, but he is distinguished from one that draws back to
perdition; as it is said in the following verse, ‘We are not of them
who draw back to perdition, but of them that believe, to the saving
of the soul.’ Such a drawing back as this, though it shall not end in
perdition, inasmuch as the person shall be recovered and brought to
repentance; yet it shall be attended with very great marks of God’s
displeasure against believers, for those sins which they have
committed, as well as others; accordingly, his soul having no
pleasure in them, denotes that he would, in various instances, reveal
his wrath against relapsing believers, as a display of his holiness,
who shall nevertheless be recovered and saved at last. If these
things be duly considered, the objection seems to have no weight in
it, though it should be allowed, that the words upon which it is
principally founded, are not rightly translated.
However, I cannot see sufficient reason to set aside our translation,
it being equally just to render the words, if any man draw back[96];
since the supplying the words any man, or any one, is allowed of in
many other instances, both in the Old and New Testament.
Therefore there is not the least incongruity in its being supplied in
the text under our present consideration[97]; and, if it be, the sense
that we give of it, will appear very agreeable to the context;
accordingly the meaning is, ‘The just shall live by faith,’ or they who
‘know in themselves that they have in heaven a better and an
enduring substance,’ as in one of the foregoing verses: These shall
live by faith, but as for others who do not live by faith, having only a
form or shew of religion, ‘whose manner is to forsake the assembling
of themselves together,’ as in verse 25. these are inclined to draw
back; therefore, let them know that if any one, or whosoever draws
back, it will be at their peril; for it will be to their own perdition; yet
saith the apostle, that true believers may not be discouraged by the
apostacy of others, let them take notice of what is said in the
following words, ‘We are not of them who draw back unto perdition,
but of them that believe, to the saving of the soul.’ These things
being duly considered, it will be sufficiently evident that this text
does not militate against the doctrine of the saints’ perseverance.
Obj. 4. There is another objection brought against the doctrine we
have been endeavouring to maintain, taken from what the apostle
says in Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. ‘It is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made
partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God,
and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to
renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to
themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.’
The force of this objection lies in two things, viz. that they are
described as total and final apostates; and also, that according to
the account we have of their former conversation, they appear then
to have been true believers.
Answ. This is thought, by some, who defend the doctrine of the
saints’ perseverance, to be one of the most difficult objections that
we generally meet with against it; especially they who cannot see
how it is possible for a person to make such advances towards true
godliness, and yet be no other than an hypocrite or formal professor,
are obliged to take a method to set aside the force of the objection,
which I cannot give into, namely, that when the apostle says, It is
impossible that such should be renewed again to repentance; the
word impossible denotes nothing else, but that the thing is
exceeding difficult, not that they shall eventually perish; because
they are supposed to be true believers; but their recovery after such
a notorious instance of backsliding, shall be attended with difficulties
so great that nothing can surmount, but the extraordinary power of
God; and though he will recover them, yet they shall feel the smart
thereof as long as they live; they shall be saved, yet so as by fire[98].
But notwithstanding the word impossible may be sometimes taken
for that which is very difficult, I cannot but conclude that the apostle
is here speaking of that which is impossible, with respect to the
event, and therefore, that he is giving the character of apostates
who shall never be recovered. This appears, not only from the
heinousness of the crime, as they are said to crucify to themselves
the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame; but from
what is mentioned in the following verses, in which they are
compared to the earth that bringeth forth thorns and briars, which is
rejected, and nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned; and
from their being distinguished from those who shall be saved,
concerning whom the apostle was persuaded better things, and
things that accompany salvation; therefore he is speaking here
concerning a total and final apostasy.
But that this may not appear to militate against the doctrine we are
maintaining, I shall endeavour to shew, that notwithstanding the
character the apostle gives of the persons he here speaks of they
were destitute of the truth of grace, and therefore nothing is said
concerning them, but what a formal professor may attain to: That
this may appear let it be considered,
1. That they are described as once enlightened; but this a person
may be, and yet be destitute of saving faith. If by being enlightened
we understand their having been baptized, as some critics take the
word, which was afterwards, in some following ages, used in that
sense, it might easily be alleged, that a person might be baptized
and yet not be a true believer: But since I question whether baptism
was expressed by illumination in the apostles age[100], I would rather
understand by it, their having been convinced of the truth of the
gospel, or yielded an assent to the doctrines contained therein. Now
this a person may do, and yet be destitute of saving faith, which is
seated not barely in the understanding, but in the will, and therefore
supposes him not only to be rightly informed, with respect to those
things which are the object of faith, but to be internally and
effectually called, from whence saving faith proceeds, as has been
before observed.
2. They are said to have tasted the good word of God; which agrees
with the character before given of those who had a temporary
faith[101], who seemed, for a while, pleased with the word, and their
affections were raised in hearing it; as Herod is said to have heard
John the Baptist gladly, and to have done many things; like those
whom our Saviour compares to the seed sown in stony ground,
which soon sprang up, but afterwards withered away. This a person
may do, and yet not have saving faith; for it is one thing to approve
of, and be affected with the word, and another thing to mix it with
that faith which accompanies salvation. A person may entertain
those doctrines contained in the word which relate to a future state
of blessedness with pleasure; as all men desire to be happy, and at
the same time be far from practising the duties of self-denial, taking
up the cross, and following Christ, mortifying indwelling sin, and
exercising an intire dependance upon, and resignation to him in all
things: This contains much more than what is expressed by tasting
the good word of God.
3. They are farther described as having tasted the heavenly gift, and
being made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and of the powers of the
world to come; all which expressions, I humbly conceive, carry in
them no more than this, that they had been enabled to work
miracles, or that they had a faith of miracles, which has been before
described[102], and proved to fall very short of saving faith[103].
Therefore these characters given of them do not argue that they
were true believers, and consequently the objection, which depends
on the supposition that they were, is of no force to prove that saints
may totally or finally fall from grace.
Obj. 5. The next objection against the doctrine we have been
maintaining, is taken from Heb. x. 29. Of how much sorer
punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy, who hath
trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of
the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and
hath done despite unto the spirit of grace. The crime here spoken of
is of the heinous nature, and the greatest punishment is said to be
inflicted for it: Now, inasmuch as these are described as having been
sanctified by the blood of the covenant, it follows, that they were
true believers, and consequently true believers may apostatize, and
fall short of salvation.
Answ. The force of the objection lies principally in those words, the
blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified; which
expression is taken, by divines, in two different senses.
1. Some take the word he in the same sense as it is taken in the
objection, as referring to the apostate; and then the difficulty which
occurs, is how such an one could be said to be sanctified by the
blood of the covenant, and yet not regenerate, effectually called, or
a true believer: To solve this, they suppose, that by sanctification we
are only to understand a relative holiness, which such have who are
made partakers of the common grace of the gospel: Thus it is said,
Israel was holiness unto the Lord, Jer. ii. 3. or, as the apostle Peter
expresses it, an holy nation, 1 Pet. ii. 9. as they were God’s people
by an external covenant relation, and by an explicit consent to be
governed by those laws which he gave them when they first became
a church, Exod. xxiv. 3. and publicly avouched him to be their God,
and he avouched them to be his peculiar people, which was done
upon some solemn occasions, Deut. xxvi. 17, 18. Nevertheless, many
of them were destitute of the special grace of sanctification, as it
contains in it a thorough and universal change of heart and life.
Moreover, they suppose that this privilege of being God’s people, by
an external covenant-relation, together with all these common gifts
and graces that attend it, was purchased by, and founded on the
blood of Christ, which is called the blood of the covenant, inasmuch
as he was given for a covenant of the people, Isa. xlii. 6. and
pursuant hereunto, he shed his blood to procure for them the
external as well as the saving blessings of the covenant of grace; the
former of these, the persons here described as apostates, are
supposed to have been made partakers of, as the apostle says, To
them pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and
the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises,
Rom. ix. 4. they worshipped him in all his ordinances, as those
whom the prophet speaks of, who seek him daily, and delight to
know his ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not
the ordinance of their God; they ask of him the ordinances of justice,
and take delight in approaching to God; and yet these things were
not done by faith, Isa. lviii. 2. In this respect persons may be
sanctified, and yet afterwards forfeit, neglect, despise and forsake
these ordinances, and lose the external privileges of the covenant of
grace, which they once had, and so become apostates. This is the
most common method used to solve the difficulty contained in the
objection. But I would rather acquiesce in another way, which may
be taken to account for the sense of those words, the blood of the
covenant wherewith he was sanctified. Therefore, let it be
considered,
2. That the word he may be understood, not as referring to the
apostate, but our Saviour, who is spoken of immediately before: thus
the apostate is said to ‘trample under foot the Son of God, and count
the blood of the covenant wherewith He, that is, Christ, ‘was
sanctified, an unholy thing.’ That this sense may appear just, it may
be observed, that Christ was sanctified or set apart by the Father, to
perform all the branches of his Mediatorial office, in two respects.
(1.) As he was fore-ordained or appointed, by him, to come into the
world to shed his blood for the redemption of his people: thus his
undertaking to redeem them is called his sanctifying, or devoting
himself to perform this work, as he says, ‘For their sakes I sanctify
myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth,’ John
xvii. 19. this he did in pursuance of the eternal transaction between
the Father and him, relating hereunto. But it will be said, that this
was antecedent to his dying for them; and therefore, properly
speaking, he could not be said, in this respect, to be sanctified by
the blood of the covenant; therefore, to this we may add,
(2.) That he was also sanctified, or set apart by the Father, to apply
the work of redemption after he had purchased it; which
sanctification was, in the most proper sense, the result of his
shedding his blood, which was the blood of the covenant; so that as
he was ‘brought again from the dead,’ as the apostle speaks,
‘through the blood of the everlasting covenant,’ Heb. xiii. 20. all the
blessings which he applies to his people as the consequence hereof,
are the result of his being sanctified, or set apart to carry on and
perfect the work of our salvation, the foundation whereof was laid in
his blood.
Moreover, that they who are here described as apostates, had not
before this, the grace of faith, is evident from the context, inasmuch
as they are distinguished from true believers. The apostle seems to
speak of two sorts of persons, to wit, some who had cast off the
ordinances of God’s worship, ‘forsaking the assembling of
themselves together,’ who are distinguished from those whom he
dehorts from this sin, who had the grace of faith, whereby they were
enabled to ‘draw near to God in full assurance thereof, having their
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and their bodies washed
with pure water;’ concerning these he says, ‘We are not of them
who draw back to perdition, but of them who believe to the saving
of the soul,’ chap. x. 39. Therefore we must conclude that others are
intended in the text under our present consideration, who were not
true believers, and consequently it does not from hence appear that
such may totally, or finally, fall from a state of grace.
The apostates spoken of in this and the foregoing objection, were
probably some among the Jews, to whom the gospel was preached,
who embraced the Christian faith, being convinced by those miracles
which were wrought for that purpose, but afterwards revolted from
it, and were more inveterately set against Christ and the gospel than
they had been before they made this profession; and accordingly as
they had formerly approved of the crimes of those who crucified
Christ, in which respect they are said to have crucified him; now
they do, in the same sense, crucify him afresh. And as they had
been made partakers of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost;
afterwards they openly blasphemed him, and this was done with
spite and malice. These texts therefore not only contain a sad
instance of the apostasy of some, but prove that they were
irrecoverably lost; and this comes as near the account we have in
the gospels of the unpardonable sin, as any thing mentioned in
scripture: nevertheless, what has been said to prove that they never
were true believers, is a sufficient answer to this and the foregoing
objection.
Objec. 6. Another objection against the doctrine of the saints’
perseverance, is taken from 2 Pet. ii. 20-22. For if after they have
escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and
overcome; the latter end is worse with them than the beginning;
and they are said in the following verse, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them; which is compared to the dog
turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed, to her
wallowing in the mire.
Answ. To this it may be replied, That though every one must
conclude, that the persons, whom the apostle here speaks of, plainly
appear to be apostates; yet there is nothing in their character which
argues that they apostatized, or fell from the truth of grace; and it is
only such whom we are at present speaking of. It may be observed,
that the apostle is so far from including these apostates in the
number of those to whom he writes this, with the foregoing epistle,
whom he describes as elect, according to the fore-knowledge of God
the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, and as having been begotten
again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an
inheritance reserved for them in heaven, and as such, who should
be kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation, 1 Pet. i.
2-5. that he plainly distinguishes them from them. For in verse 1, of
this chapter, from whence it is taken, it is said, ‘There shall be false
teachers among you, and many shall follow their pernicious ways;’
he does not say many, who are now of your number, but many who
shall be joined to the church, when these false teachers arise. These
persons, indeed, are represented as making a great shew of religion,
by which they gained reputation among some professors, whom
they seduced which otherwise they could not have done; and
therefore it is said, ‘They had escaped the pollutions of the world,
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,’ and
that they had ‘known the way of righteousness.’ Such might indeed
be joined to the church afterwards; but they did not now belong to
it; and what is said concerning them, amounts to no more than an
external visible reformation, together with their having attained the
knowledge of Christ and divine things; so that they were enlightened
in the doctrines of the gospel; though they made it appear, by the
methods they used to deceive others, that they had not experienced
the grace of the gospel themselves, and therefore they fell away
from their profession, and turned aside from the faith, which once
they preached. It is one thing for a formal professor, who makes a
great show of religion, to turn aside from his profession, to all excess
of riot; and another thing to suppose a true believer can do so, and
that to such a degree as to continue therein; this the grace of God
will keep him from.
Objec. 7. Another objection against the doctrine of the saints’
perseverance, is taken from the parable of the debtor and creditor, in
Matt, xviii. 26, &c. in which it is said, ‘The servant fell down and
worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay
thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion,
and loosed him, and forgave him the debt;’ but afterwards, upon his
treating one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a very
inconsiderable sum, with great severity, his lord exacted the debt of
him, which he had before forgiven him, and so delivered him to the
tormentors, till he should pay all that was due to him: ‘So likewise,’ it
is said, ‘shall my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye, from your
hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses;’ from
whence it is inferred, that a person may fall from a justified state, or
that God may forgive sin at one time, and yet be provoked to alter
his resolution, and inflict the punishment that is due to it, at
another; which is altogether inconsistent with the doctrine of the
saints’ perseverance in grace.
Answ. In answer to this we must observe, that our Saviour’s design
in his parables, is not that every word or circumstance contained in
them, should be applied to signify what it seems to import, but there
is some truth in general intended to be illustrated thereby, which is
principally to be regarded therein. Thus in the parable of the judge,
in Luke xviii. 2, &c. ‘which feared not God, neither regarded man,’
who was moved, by a widow’s importunity, to ‘avenge her of her
adversary;’ which after a while, he resolved to do, because the
widow troubled him. This is applied to ‘God’s avenging his elect, who
cry day and night unto him;’ where we must observe, that it is only
in this circumstance that the parable is to be applied to them without
any regard had to the injustice of the judge, or his being uneasy, by
reason of the importunity which the widow exprest in pleading her
cause with him.
Again, in the parable of the steward, in Luke xvi. 1, &c. who being
accused for having wasted his lord’s goods; and apprehending that
he should be soon turned out of the stewardship, he takes an unjust
method to gain the favour of his lord’s debtors, by remitting a part of
what they owed him, that by this means they might be induced to
shew kindness to him when he was turned out of his service. It is
said indeed, verse 8. that ‘the lord commended the unjust steward,
because he had acted wisely;’ whereas, our Saviour does not design,
in the account he gives of his injustice, to give the least countenance
to it, as though it were to be imitated by us; nor by his lord’s
commending him as acting wisely for himself, does he intend that it
is lawful or commendable for wicked men to pursue the like
measures to promote their future interest. But the only thing in
which this parable is applied, is, that we might learn from hence,
that ‘the children of this world are, in their generation wiser than the
children of light;’ and that men ought to endeavour, without the
least appearance of injustice, to gain the friendship of others, by
using what they have in the world, in such a way, as that they may
be induced, out of gratitude for those favours, which they conferred
upon them, to shew respect to them; but principally, that in
performing what was really their duty, they might have ground to
hope that they shall be approved of God, and received into
everlasting habitations.
Now to apply this rule to the parable from whence the objection is
taken, we must consider, that the design hereof is not to signify that
God changes his mind, as men do, by forgiving persons at one time,
and afterwards condemning them, as though he did not know, when
he extended this kindness to them, how they would behave towards
others, or whether they would improve or forfeit this privilege; since
to suppose this would be contrary to the divine perfections.
Therefore the only design of the parable is to shew, that they who
now conclude that God has forgiven them, ought to forgive others,
or else they will find themselves mistaken at last: and though
according to the tenor of the divine dispensations, or the revealed
will of God, which is our only rule of judging concerning this matter,
they think that they are in a justified state, it will appear, that the
debt which they owed was not cancelled, but shall be exacted of
them to the utmost, in their own persons; so that all that can be
proved from hence is, that a man may fall from, or lose those
seeming grounds, which we had to conclude that his sins were
forgiven: but we are not to suppose that our Saviour intends hereby
that God’s secret purpose, relating to the forgiveness of sin, can be
changed; or that he, who is really freed from condemnation, at one
time, may fall under it at another: therefore, what is said in this
parable, does not in the least give countenance to this objection, or
overthrow the doctrine we are maintaining.
Objec. 8. There is another objection, taken from what the apostle
Paul says concerning himself, in 1 Cor. ix. 27. I keep under my body,
and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away. Now it is certain
that the apostle was a true believer; yet he concludes, that if he did
not behave himself so as to subdue or keep under his corrupt
passions, but should commit those open scandalous crimes, which
they would prompt him to, he should, in the end, become a cast-
away, that is, apostatize from God, and be rejected by him.
Answ. To this it may be replied, That though the apostle had as good
ground to conclude that he had experienced the grace of God in
truth, as any man, and was oftentimes favoured with a full
assurance hereof; yet he did not attain this assurance by immediate
revelation, so as he received those doctrines which he was to impart
to the church as a rule of faith; for then it would have been
impossible for him to have been mistaken as to this matter: and if
this be supposed, then I would understand what he says concerning
his being a cast-away, as denoting what would be the consequence
of his not keeping under his body; but not implying hereby that
corrupt nature should so far prevail, as that he should fall from a
sanctified state. Now if he did not attain this assurance by
immediate revelation, then he had it in the same way as others
have, by making use of those marks and characters which are given
of the truth of grace; and accordingly he argues, that though, at
present, he thought himself to be in a sanctified state, from the
same evidences that others conclude themselves to be so; yet if
corrupt nature should prevail over him, which it would do, if he did
not keep his body in subjection, or if he were guilty of those vile
abominations which unregenerate persons are chargeable with, then
it would appear, that this assurance was ill grounded, his hope of
salvation delusive, and he no other than an hypocrite; and so,
notwithstanding his having preached to others, he would be found,
in the end, among them who were false professors, and accordingly
rejected of God: therefore we may observe, that it is one thing for a
person to exercise that caution, and use those means to prevent sin,
which, if he should commit, would prove him an hypocrite; and
another thing for one that is a true believer, to be suffered to
commit those sins whereby he would apostatize from God, and so
miss of salvation.
And this will serve to answer another objection that is usually
brought against the doctrine we are maintaining, as though it were
inconsistent with that holy fear which believers ought to have of
falling, as an inducement to care and watchfulness in the discharge
of their duty; as it is said in Prov. xxviii. 14. Happy is the man that
feareth always; inasmuch as we must distinguish between that fear
of caution, which is a preservative against sin, and includes a
watchfulness over our actions, that we may not dishonour God
thereby; and an unbelieving fear, that though we are in a state of
grace, and are enabled to exercise that diligence and circumspection
that becomes christians, yet we have no foundation whereon to set
our foot, or ground to hope for salvation. Or, it is one thing to fear,
lest we should, by giving way to sin, dishonour God, grieve his Spirit,
and wound our own consciences, and do that which is a disgrace to
the gospel, through the prevalency of corrupt nature, whereby we
shall have ground to conclude that we thought ourselves something
when we were nothing, deceiving our own souls; and another thing
to fear that we shall perish and fall, though our hearts are right with
God, and we have reason to expect that we shall be kept by his
power, through faith, unto salvation.
We shall conclude this answer with some few inferences from what
has been said, to prove the doctrine of the saints’ perseverance as
contained therein. And,
1. Since we do not pretend to assert that all who make a profession
of religion are assured that they shall never apostatize, but only true
believers, let unbelievers take no encouragement from hence to
conclude, that it shall be well with them in the end. Many are
externally called who are not really sanctified; and presume that
they shall be saved, though, without ground, inasmuch as they
continue in impenitency and unbelief; such have no warrant to take
comfort from the doctrine we have been maintaining.
2. We may, from what has been said, observe the difference
between the security of a believer’s state, as his hope is fixed on the
stability of the covenant, and the promises thereof, relating to his
salvation, together with the Spirit’s witness, with ours, concerning
our own sincerity; and that which we generally call carnal security,
whereby a person thinks himself safe, or that all things shall go well
with him, though he make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts
thereof: This is an unwarrantable security in a state of unregeneracy,
or licentiousness, which this doctrine does not in the least give
countenance to.
3. From what has been said concerning the apostasy of some from
that faith which they once made a profession of, we may infer; that
it is only the grace of God experienced in truth, that will preserve us
from turning aside from the faith of the gospel. The apostle speaks
of some who, by embracing those doctrines that were subversive of
the gospel, are fallen from grace, Gal. v. 4. that is, from the
doctrines of grace; concerning whom he says, that Christ profited
them nothing, or was become of no effect to them, chap. v. 2, 4.
that is, the gospel, which contains a display of the glory of Christ,
was of no saving advantage to them. All the sad instances we have
of many, who are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, and
are made a prey to those that lie in wait to deceive, proceed from
their being destitute of the grace of God, which would have a
tendency to preserve them from turning aside from the faith of the
gospel.
4. Let us be exhorted to be as diligent and watchful against the
breakings forth of corruption, and endeavour to avoid all occasions
of sin, as much as though perseverance in grace were to be ascribed
to our own endeavours, or as though God had given us no ground to
conclude that he would enable us to persevere; and yet, at the same
time, depend on his assistance, without which this blessing cannot
be attained, and hope in his mercy and faithfulness, and lay hold on
the promises which he has given us, that it shall go well with us in
the end, or that we shall have all joy and peace in believing.
5. Let us not only endeavour to persevere, but grow in grace; which
two blessings are joined together; as it is said, The righteous also
shall hold on his way; and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger
and stronger, Job xvii. 9.
6. This doctrine has a great tendency to support and fortify
believers, under the most adverse dispensations of providence,
which, at any time, they are liable to; and to comfort them under all
the assaults of their spiritual enemies; since though they may be
suffered to discourage or give them interruption in the exercise of
those graces which they have experienced, yet grace shall not be
wholly extinguished. And sometimes, by the over-ruling providence
of God, those things which in themselves have a tendency to
weaken their faith, shall be ordered as a means to increase it; so
that when they can do nothing in their own strength, they may be
enabled, by depending on Christ, and receiving strength from him,
to prevail against all the opposition they meet with, and come off
more than conquerors, at last, through him that loved them, Rom.
viii. 37.
 Quest. LXXX.

Quest. LXXX. Can true believers be infallibly assured that they are
in the estate of grace, and that they shall persevere therein unto
salvation?
Answ. Such as truly believe in Christ, and endeavour to walk in all
good conscience before him, may, without extraordinary
revelation, by faith grounded upon the truth of God’s promises,
and by the Spirit, enabling them to discern in themselves those
graces to which the promises of life are made, and bearing
witness with their spirits, that they are the children of God, be
infallibly assured that they are in a state of grace, and shall
persevere therein unto salvation.

Having before considered a believer as made partaker of those

graces of the Holy Spirit that accompany salvation, whereby his state
is rendered safe, and also that he shall not draw back unto perdition,
but shall attain the end of his faith, even the salvation of his soul; it
is necessary for the establishing of his comfort and joy, that he
should know himself to be interested in this privilege. It is a great
blessing to be redeemed by Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit; but it
is a superadded privilege to know that we are so, or be assured that
we are in a state of grace, which is the subject insisted on in this
answer: In which we are led,
I. To speak something concerning the nature of assurance, and how
far persons may be said to be infallibly assured of their salvation.
II. We shall endeavour to prove that this blessing is attainable in this
life.
III. We shall consider the character of those to whom it belongs.
And,
IV. The means whereby it may be attained.
I. Concerning the nature of assurance, and how far persons may be
said to be infallibly assured of their salvation. Assurance is opposed
to doubting; which is inconsistent therewith; so that he who has
attained this privilege, is carried above all those doubts and fears
respecting the truth of grace, and his interest in the love of God,
which others are exposed to, whereby their lives are rendered very
uncomfortable: It may also be considered as containing in it
something more than our being enabled to hope that we are in a
state of grace; for though that affords relief against despair, yet it
falls short of assurance, which is sometimes called a full assurance
of hope, Heb. vi. 11. and it certainly contains a great deal more than
a probability, or a conjectural persuasion relating to this matter;
which is the only thing that some will allow to be attainable by
believers, especially they who deny the doctrine of the saints’
perseverance, and lay the greatest stress of man’s salvation on his
own free-will, rather than the efficacious grace of God. All that they
will own as to this matter is, that persons may be in a hopeful way
to salvation, and that it is probable they may attain it at last. But
they cannot be fully assured that they shall, unless they were
assured concerning their perseverance, which, they suppose, no one
can be; because the carrying on of the work of grace depends on
the free-will of man, as well as the first beginning of it; and
according to their notion of liberty, as has been before observed
under another answer[104], viz. that he who acts freely may act the
contrary; and consequently, since every thing that is done in the
carrying on of the work of grace, is done freely; no one can be
assured that this work shall not miscarry; therefore none can attain
assurance; this is what some assert, but we deny. And it is observed
in this answer, that believers may not only attain assurance that they
are in a state of grace, and shall persevere therein unto salvation,
but that they may be infallibly assured hereof, which is the highest
degree of assurance. How far this is attainable by believers, may be
the subject of our farther inquiry.
It is a matter of dispute among some, whether assurance admits of
any degrees, or whether a person can be said to be more or less
assured of a thing? or whether that which does not amount to the
highest degree of certainty, may be called assurance? This is denied,
by some, for this reason; because assurance is the highest and
strongest assent that can be given to the truth of any proposition;
accordingly the least defect of evidence on which it is supposed to
be founded, leaves the mind in a proportionable degree of doubt, as
to the truth of it; in which case there may be a probability, but not
an assurance. If this method of explaining the meaning of the word
be true, then it is beyond dispute, that they who have attained
assurance of their being in a state of grace, may be said to be
infallibly assured thereof: Whether this be the sense of that
expression in this answer, I will not pretend to determine; neither
shall I enter any farther into this dispute, which amounts to little
more than what concerns the propriety or impropriety of the sense
of the word assurance. All that I shall add concerning it, is, that
according to our common mode of speaking it is reckoned no
absurdity for a person to say he is sure of a thing, though it be
possible for him to have greater evidence of the truth thereof, and
consequently a greater degree of assurance. Thus the assurance
that arises from the possession of a thing cannot but be greater than
that which attends the bare expectation of it: Therefore whatever be
the sense of that infallible assurance, which is here spoken of; we
cannot suppose that there is any degree of assurance attainable in
this life, concerning the happiness of the saints in heaven, equal to
that which they have who are actually possessed of that
blessedness; to suppose this would be to confound earth and
heaven together, or expectation with actual fruition.
As to what relates to our assurance thereof, there is another matter
of dispute among some, which I am not desirous to enter into;
namely, whether it is possible for a believer to be as sure that he
shall be saved, as he is that he exists, or that he is a sinner, and so
stands in need of salvation? or whether it is possible for a person to
be as sure that he shall be saved, as he is sure of that truth which is
matter of pure revelation, viz. that he, that believes shall be saved?
or whether it is possible for a person to be as sure that he has the
truth of grace, as he may be that he performs any actions, whether
natural or religious; such as speaking, praying, reading, hearing, &c.
or whether we may be as sure that we have a principle of grace, as
we are that we put forth such actions, as seem to proceed from that
principle, when engaged in the performance of some religious
duties? If any are disposed to defend the possibility of our attaining
assurance in so great a degree as this, as what they think to be the
meaning of what some divines have asserted, agreeably to what is
contained in this answer, that a believer may be infallibly assured of
his salvation, I will not enter the list with them; though I very much
question whether it will not be a matter of too great difficulty for
them to support their argument, without the least appearance of
exception to it.
Nevertheless, (that I may not extenuate or deny the privileges which
some saints have been favoured with, who have been, as it were, in
the suburbs of heaven, and not only had a prelibation, but a kind of
sensation, of the enjoyments thereof, and expressed as full an
assurance as though they had been actually in heaven); it cannot be
denied that this, in various instances, has amounted, as near as
possible, to an assurance of infallibility; and that such a degree of
assurance has been attained, by some believers, both in former and
later ages, will be proved under a following head, which, I am apt to
think, is what is intended in this answer, by the possibility of a
believer’s being infallibly assured of salvation. But let it be
considered, that these are uncommon instances, in which the Spirit
of God, by his immediate testimony, has favoured them with, as to
this matter, which are not to be reckoned as a standard, whereby we
may judge of that assurance which God’s children desire, and
sometimes enjoy, which falls short of it: Therefore, when God is
pleased to give a believer such a degree of assurance, as carries him
above all his doubts and fears, with respect to his being in a state of
grace, and fills him with those joys which arise from hence, that are
unspeakable, and full of glory; this is that assurance which we are
now to consider, which, in this answer is called an infallible
assurance; whether it be more or less properly so called, we have
nothing farther to add; but shall proceed,
II. To prove that this privilege is attainable in this present life; and
that it may appear to be so, let it be considered,
1. That if the knowledge of other things which are of less
importance, be attainable, then certainly it is possible for us to attain
that which is of the greatest importance. This argument is founded
on the goodness of God; if he has given us sufficient means to lead
us into the knowledge of other things, which respect our comfort
and happiness in this world; has he left us altogether destitute of
those means whereby we may conclude, that it shall go well with us
in a better? God has sometimes been pleased to favour his people
with some intimations concerning the blessings of common
providence, which they might expect for their encouragement, under
the trials and difficulties which they were to meet with in the world;
and our Saviour encourages his disciples to expect, that
notwithstanding their present destitute circumstances, as to outward
things; yet their Father, who knows that they had need of them,
would supply their wants; and therefore they had no reason to be
over-solicitous in taking thought what they should eat and drink, and
wherewithal they should be clothed, Matt. vi. 31, 32. and if God,
that he may encourage the faith of his people, gives them assurance
that no temptation shall befal them, but what is common to men; or,
that they shall not be pressed down, so as to sink and despair of
help from him, under the burdens and difficulties that, in the course
of his providence, he lays on them; I say, if God is pleased to give
such intimations to his people, with respect to their condition in this
world, that they may be assured that it shall go well with them, as to
many things that concern their outward circumstances therein; may
we not conclude from hence, that the assurance of those things that
concern their everlasting salvation may be attained? or, if the
promises that respect the one may be depended on so as to afford
relief against all doubts and fears that may arise from our present
circumstances in the world; may we not, with as good reason,
suppose, that the promises which respect the other, to wit, the
carrying on and perfecting the work of grace, afford equal matter of
encouragement; and consequently, that the one is as much to be
depended on, as the other; so that as the apostle says, they who
have fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before them, may
have strong consolation arising from thence, Heb. vi. 18.
Objec. It will be objected to this, that the promises that respect
outward blessings are not always fulfilled, and therefore we cannot
be assured concerning our future condition, as to outward
circumstances in the world; though godliness, as the apostle says,
hath the promise of the world that now is, as well as that which is to
come. This appears from the uncommon instances of affliction, that
the best men often meet with, which others are exempted from.
Therefore the promises which respect the carrying on and
completing the work of grace, will not afford that assurance of
salvation which we suppose a believer may attain to, as founded
thereon.
Answ. In answer to this it may be replied, that the promises of
outward blessings are always fulfilled, either in kind or value.
Sometimes the destitute state of believers, as to the good things of
this life, is abundantly compensated with those spiritual blessings,
which are, at present, bestowed on, or reserved for them hereafter;
and therefore, if their condition in the world be attended with little
else but affliction, they have no reason to say that they are
disappointed; for while they are denied the lesser, they have the
greater blessings instead thereof, so that their assurance of the
accomplishment of the promises of outward blessings, must be
understood with this limitation: but as to spiritual blessings, which
God has promised to his people, there is no foundation for any
distinction of their being made good in kind or in value; if the
promise of eternal life be not made good according to the letter of it,
it cannot be, in any sense, said to be accomplished: therefore, since
God gives his people these promises as a foundation of hope, we
may conclude from thence, that the assurance of believers, relating
to their salvation, is as much to be depended on as the assurance
they have, founded on the promises of God, concerning any
blessings which may tend to support them in their present condition
in the world.
2. That assurance of justification, sanctification and salvation, may
be attained in this life, is farther evident from the obligations which
persons are under to pray for these privileges, and to bless God for
the experience which they have of the one, and the ground which
they have to expect the other. That it is our duty to pray for them is
no less certain than that we stand in need of them; this therefore
being taken for granted, it may be inferred from hence, that there is
some way by which we may know that our prayers are answered,
the contrary to which would be a very discouraging consideration;
neither could the experience hereof be alleged as a motive to the
performance of the duty of prayer, as the Psalmist says, O thou that
hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come, Psal. lxv. 2. Nor could
any believer have the least reason to say as he does elsewhere,
Verily God hath heard me, he hath attended to the voice of my
prayer, Psal. lxvi. 19. And the apostle says, that if we ask any thing
according to his will, he heareth us, 1 John v. 14, 15. and this is said
in the following words, to be known by us, we know that we have
the petitions that we desired of him; therefore it follows, that we
may know from the exercise of faith in prayer, for the forgiveness of
sin, that our iniquities are forgiven; the same may be said
concerning the subject-matter of our prayer for all other blessings
that accompany salvation; and consequently it is possible for us to
know whether God has granted us these blessings or no.
But if it be replied to this, that it is not absolutely necessary that an
humble suppliant should have any intimations given him, that his
petition shall be granted; or that it would be a very unbecoming
thing for such an one to say, that he will not ask for a favour, if he
be not sure before-hand that it will he bestowed.
To this it may be answered, That we are not only to pray for saving
blessings, but to praise God for our experience thereof; as it is said,
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me, Psal. l. 23. and praise is comely
for the upright, Psal. xxxiii. 1. Now this supposes that we know that
God has bestowed the blessings we prayed for upon us. If the
Psalmist calls upon his soul to bless the Lord for forgiving him all his
iniquities, Psal. ciii. 2, 3. we must suppose that there was some
method by which he attained the assurance of the blessing which he
praises God for; which leads us to consider,
3. That some have attained this privilege, therefore it is not
impossible for others to attain it. That some have been assured of
their salvation, is evident from the account we have thereof in
several scriptures, Thus the apostle tells the church he writes to,
God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation, 1 Thes.
v. 7. and he says concerning himself, I know whom I have believed,
and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have
committed unto him, against that day, 2 Tim. i. 12.
Objec. To this it is objected, that though it is true, some persons of
old, have experienced this privilege, yet it does not follow from
hence that we have any ground to expect it; since they attained it by
extraordinary revelation, in that age in which they were favoured
with the spirit of inspiration, whereby they arrived to the knowledge
of things future, even such as it was impossible for them otherwise
to have known, at least, they could not without these extraordinary
intimations, have arrived to any more than a probable conjecture
concerning this matter; and this is not denied by those who oppose
the doctrine of assurance: whereas, to pretend to more than this, is
to suppose that we have it by extraordinary inspiration, which, at
present, can be reckoned no other than enthusiasm.
Answ. To this it may be replied, That though God does not give the
church, at present, the least ground to expect extraordinary
intimations concerning their interest in spiritual and saving blessings,
as he formerly did; yet we must not conclude that there is no
method whereby they may attain the assurance hereof in a common
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