Robert Traill (Sermons from 1 Peter 1:1-4), Works 4:109:
Many of the elect of God have been oftentimes even on the brink of the pit, but the secret cords of electing grace have taken hold of them, that they have not fallen in. Saith our Lord, Matt. 24:24, They shall deceive, if it were possible, the very elect. The devil shall never have this to boast of, that he ever prevailed against any one of God’s elect. He may prevail against many rotten professors, but for an elect person, a true believer on Jesus Christ, a member of Christ’s body, the devil shall never be able to twit Christ with this: “Here is one of thine, that I am now master of.” Electing grace goes through a world of impediments, and that is the glory of it. Oh how great is the depth both of the knowledge and wisdom of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Known unto God are all his works, even from the beginning. We are surprised, we are amazed, we are stumbled by a great many things that come to pass, but there is nothing new in the world to God. All things are as he hath appointed them, as he hath foreseen them, and as he hath determined them.
Many of the elect of God have been oftentimes even on the brink of the pit, but the secret cords of electing grace have taken hold of them, that they have not fallen in. Saith our Lord, Matt. 24:24, They shall deceive, if it were possible, the very elect. The devil shall never have this to boast of, that he ever prevailed against any one of God’s elect. He may prevail against many rotten professors, but for an elect person, a true believer on Jesus Christ, a member of Christ’s body, the devil shall never be able to twit Christ with this: “Here is one of thine, that I am now master of.” Electing grace goes through a world of impediments, and that is the glory of it. Oh how great is the depth both of the knowledge and wisdom of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Known unto God are all his works, even from the beginning. We are surprised, we are amazed, we are stumbled by a great many things that come to pass, but there is nothing new in the world to God. All things are as he hath appointed them, as he hath foreseen them, and as he hath determined them.
