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guilt of eternal death, yet this guilt is not accounted, neither does it redound to the person of the truly regenerate, as it does to the others; because Christ Jesus has so satisfied, and does make intercession for his own, that his death is made effectual for them, but not for the others, John xvii. 9, 15, 20. Their justification and adoption by Christ remain unaltered; although many benefits flowing from thence are, for a while, justly suspended; they remain children still, though under their Father's anger; as Absalom remained a son uncast off, not disinherited by David, when yet his father would not let him come into his presence, 2 Sam. xiv. 24. This spiritual leprosy of sin, into which God's children fall, may cause them to be suspended from the use and comfortable possession of the kingdom of God, and from the enjoyment of the privileges thereof, until they be cleansed of their sin by renewed faith and repentance. Yet, as the leper in the law, had still right to his house and goods, although he was shut out of the city for his leprosy; so the truly regenerate never lose their right to the kingdom of heaven by their sins, Lev. xiii. 46; 2 Chron. xxvi. 21. For every true member of Christ is knit unto Christ by such everlasting bonds, whether we respect the relative union of Christ with his members by faith to justification, which, after it is once made by the Spirit of adoption, admits of no breach or alteration by any means, Rom. viii. 15 - 17, 35; or whether we respect the real union of the Spirit, whence flows sanctification, which though it may suffer decay, and admits of some alteration of degrees, being not so strong at one time as at another, yet can never quite be broken off, as has been proved, 1 John ii. 27, iii. 9; these bonds, I say, are so strong and lasting, that all the powers of sin, Satan, and hell itself, cannot separate the weakest true member from Christ, or from his love, or from God's love towards him in Christ, Rom. viii. 33 to the end.

This strength of grace, that keeps men from falling totally or finally from Christ, does not depend upon the strength or will of him that stands, but on the