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but, which is much more, to feed and to drink deep of the heavenly gift, and of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come; so as to digest them unto the very changing and transforming them, by the renewing of their minds, Rom. xii. 2, and unto the sanctifying of them throughout in their whole man, both in spirit, soul, and body, 1 Thess. v. 23; so that Christ is indeed formed in them, and they are become new creatures, 2 Cor. v. 17; being made partakers of the divine nature, 2 Peter i. 4.

Now concerning these: it is not possible that any of them should fall away, either wholly or for ever.

(3.) How far a Christian may decline in grace, and the causes thereof.

Yet it must be granted, that they may decline and fall back so far, as to grieve the good Spirit of God, and to offend and provoke God very much against them, and to make themselves deserving of eternal death. They may fall so far as to interrupt the exercise of their faith, Psa. xxxii. 3, wound their conscience, Psa. li. 8 - 11, and may lose for a time the sense of God's favour, and may cause him, like a wise and good father, in his just anger, to chide, correct, and threaten them, so that they may have cause to think that he will utterly reject them, and never receive them into his heavenly kingdom; until, by renewing their faith and repentance, they return into the right way, and do recover God's loving kindness toward them again.

That you may understand and believe this the better, consider what grace God gives unto his elect, and how, and from what they may fall: also you must observe well the difference there is between the sinning of the regenerate and unregenerate, together with the different condition wherein they stand, while they are in their sins.

In the first act of conversion, I speak of men of years and discretion, God by his word through his Holy Spirit does infuse a habit of holiness, namely, a habit of faith, and all other saving graces; thus, every child of God receives that holy anointing of the