are to pre

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I The doctrine of the faint

verance is so plainly intimaz preceding veries of this trust in the Lord fbal e z which cannot be reme ever. As the mountai rufalem, so the Lor ple, from hencefort

that truft in the zbelievers, men

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Tremellius; and neither the one nor the other regard the spiritual, but temporal welfare of God's people Ifrael; nor do they contain a wish for that, but a declaration, or an affeveration of it, on condition of their obedience to God's commands. The paffage in Hof. xi. 8. which is fometimes joined with this, is an human way of speaking, as R. Aben Ezra on the place, obferves; and expreffes God's compaffionate concern for the temporal welfare of Ephraim and Ifrael, and not transports of affection, and defire after the fpiritual welfare of any, much lefs of all mankind.

NU MB. VIII. Pfal. cxxv. 3.

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, left the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

T

HESE words are made ufe of a to

" prove, that faints, or true believers, or men once truly good, may ceafe to be fo; for 'tis faid, that they seem plainly to infinuate, that great and long oppreffions might have this effect upon them, and furely that which God is thus careful to prevent, might poffibly befal the righteous;

• Whitby, F. 436.

there

there being no need of care to prevent that which he hath abfolutely engaged to preferve them from"; ftrange! feeing,

I. The doctrine of the faints final perfeverance is fo plainly intimated in the two preceding verfes of this pfalm; They that truft in the Lord fhall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerufalem, fo the Lord is round about his people, from henceforth even for ever. If they that truft in the Lord, who are faints, true believers, men truly good, are as mount Zion; then they cannot be removed, neither from the heart of God, nor out of the hands of Chrift, but will abide there for ever, and confequently cannot cease to be what they are. If, as the mountains are round about Jerufalem; fo the Lord is round about the fame perfons before defcribed, who are his people, and that even for ever; how is it poffible that they should ever perish?

II. Thefe words are ftrictly connected with the former, and exprefs a certain effect that should furely follow from the fafe state and happy fituation of fuch who truft in the Lord; for, or because it is fo and fo with them; therefore the rod of the wicked, the tyrannical government, oppreffions and perfecutions

E 4

fecutions of wicked men, to which the faints are often fubject, shall not reft, always continue and abide, upon the lot, not the back, as Dr. Whitby cites the words, of the righteous, meaning either their persons or their goods, left the righteous, who are made fo by the righteoufnefs of Chrift, put forth their hands unto iniquity, h. e. left, through the oppreffions of wicked men, the inftigation of Satan and their own hearts, they thould be moved to that which would difhonour God, bring a reproach on his ways, and wound their own fouls all which they may do, and yet not cease to be faints, true believers, truly good men; as the inftances of David, Peter, and others, fully make appear. The righteous may put forth their hands unto iniquity, and fall into great fins, and yet not totally fall away, or fo fall as to be loft and perish; total apoflacy is not intended by putting forth their hands unto iniquity.

III. 'Tis ftranger ftill, that the care of God to prevent the righteous putting forth their hands unto iniquity, fhould be improved into an argument against their perfeverance, and in favour of their apoftacy. It will be readily allow'd, that what God is thus careful to prevent, even fuppofe a to tal apoftacy was meant, might poffibly befal the righteous, fhould they be left to

them

tection of God; DI VA

INN. bility of its being where he is care and power of God use & gay m ploy'd about their prevation to amnas fible that it hould be them

IV. 'Tis an egregious miitake to my, that there is no need of care to prevent that which he (God) abfolutely hath engaged to preserve them from "; fince God's engagement to preferve his people, is the true reafon of the employment of his care about them; which is neceflary to prevent their doing the iniquity, which otherwite would be done by them; God having ablolutely refolved, determined, and engaged, that those that truft in him fhould not be removed, but abide for ever; therefore he will be round about them for ever, and wis care of them that nothing hurt or debog them; he will keep them by his youn through faith unto falvedon.