their soules which words clearly import that men that draw back without returning they draw back to perdition to damnation but we are not of them saith the Apostle And here then beloved doth this word fall upon any man before God this day Hast thou left a course of strictnesse and fallen into a course of prophanenesse and loosenesse Hast thou fallen from thy God and never thinkest of a returning I shall not censure thee now but if thou livest and diest in this estate it is an undoubted argument thou art not within the compasse of Gods decree to save Secondly Men that doe make the mercies and goodnesse of God as arguments to embolden them the more in sinne such men are not likely to be the persons whom God hath elected to life and glory In the Epistle of Jude v. 4. It is spoken there of men that turned the grace of God into wantonnesse And what saith the Apostle of them they are men that are ordained of old to condemnation The Scripture there makes it the badge of a man ordained of old to condemnation when he shal persist in this sinfull temper to turn Gods grace into lasciviousnesse that is to take arguments from the grace and mercy and goodnesse of God to walk in waies of sinne And therefore look to it and with your hearts bewaile it all you that are apt to abuse doctrines of grace and because God is good you will be evil because God is mercifull therefore you will be sinful if you die in this temper the Scripture declares that you are the men ordained of old to condemnation Thirdly a man that doth walk in a course of sinne wilfully with malice and knowingly against conscience and obstinately without reluctancy and persist in this and live and die thus that man is not within the compasse of Gods election There is a phrase Psal 59.5 Be not mercifull O Lord unto wicked transgressors It is in some translations Be not mercifull to them that sinne of wicked malice or of malicious wickednesse Now there is this rule which Divines give that those prayers which were made by David they are rather Prophecies of what should be then meere prayers that this might be As David prayed against the Jewes Psal 69.22 that their table might be a snare to them and that they should alway bow down under their burden which was a prophecie and they did so And so he prayes here that God would not be mercifull to men that sinne of wicked malice which is as much as a prophecie that God will not be mercifull to men that sinne of malicious wickednesse And therefore beloved all you that so live and resolve you will die and haply doe die who sinne obstinately that let God command what he can you will do what you please let the Minister say what he will you will doe as you list that sinne against knowledge and against conscience and without any reluctancy resolve to live and die in a course of sinne the Lord be mercifull to such persons for certainly there must be no Bible if such men fall within the compasse of Gods election Fourthly That man that by living under the powerfull Ministry of the Word is more hard in heart and worse in life if a man grows thus it is an argument he is not within the purpose of Gods election Matth. 13.14 15. By hearing you shall heare but not understand by seeing you shall see but not perceive this peoples heart is waxed grosse their eares dull in hearing their eyes shut lest at any time they should see with their eyes heare with their eares understand with their hearts and be converted and I should save them Here is the judgement God laies upon such sinners that they shall have eyes and not see they shall be ignorant their hearts shall waxe grosse they shall be uncapable of taking any impression of the word upon them And what 's the end of all this lest they should be converted and I should save them implying that if God lets you that live under the Ministry to have dark eyes and hard hearts it is an argument God hath no intent to save you and therefore his purpose is to condemne you So John 12.40 He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and be converted Here it is laid down as an act of Gods that God did harden their hearts and God did blind their eyes lest they should be converted Implying that if men doe live and die in this temper that they have lived yeere after yeere under a powerfull Ministry and yet they grow more blind in judgement and more profane in life and more hard in heart after 20 30 40 yeeres hearing then they were before that the word doth but draw out their wickednesse and makes them more prophane and more to oppose godlinesse the Lord have mercy upon such soules for certainly if God leave you thus it is an argument he never intends to save you for the Lord doth thus with such that they might not be saved There is a passage Rom. 11.7 Israel hath not obtained that which he seeks for but the election hath obtained and the rest were hardned By election is meant the elected the Abstract put for the Concrete As often in Scripture Circumcision put for Circumcised and so here Election put for elected The elected have obtained it what did they obtaine they obtained salvation and glory but the rest that were not elected they were hardned The Lord there makes it the badge of them that are not elected that they are a blinded people and a hardned people Intimating that men that are not elected they shall live under the word yet shall be blind in mind shall be hard in heart shall be wicked in life and the Ministry of the word shall never reforme them And if any of you be such O that the Lord would make you tremble this day tremble lest you are not in Gods thoughts to doe you any good another day Fifthly when God doth give up men to strong delusions not onely to believe lies themselves but to teach lies to seduce others when the Lord leaves men to live and die in that estate the Scripture makes it an argument of them that are not chosen by God to life and glory You shall read therefore in that great delusion of Antichrist 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. God gave them up to strong delusions to believe lies that all might be damned that believe not the truth It is made a brand of damnation when God shall give them over to believe lies Though a godly man may die in a corrupt opinion for every errour is not a badge of damnation but errours that are fundamentall that strike at the foundation of Religion wherein men runne so far as never to repent of their errour that the Scripture makes the badge of a man whose soule is in a world of danger Read
that Text 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. There were false Prophets among the people like as there shall be false Teachers among you And who are they vers 2. They shall deny the Lord that bought them they shall bring in damnable heresies Every errour is not a heresie but these men shall bring in damnable heresies and many shall follow their pernicious waies Now what is their censure whose judgement now of a long time lingers not and their damnation slumbers not Their damnation was not asleep but for a long time damnation did attend them and they were in danger of it So that beloved it is great danger for men to be patrons of errour especially when they are grosse and palpable and when in Scripture language they may be called damnable heresies It is an argument if men live and die thus that they are not within the purpose of Gods Counsell to doe them good Sixthly Men that live and die in a continuall spurning and opposition against the Gospell and word of God powerfully preached it is a dreadfull signe they are not within the compasse of Gods election 1 John 4 5 6. You are not of God for you heare not his words So John 12. He that heareth the word is of God but you heare not his word therefore you are not of God Therefore you belong not to him But more pregnant to this purpose is that place Acts 13.46 47 48. It was necessary the word of the Lord should first have been spoken to you but seeing you put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles Now compare this with Vers 48. And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life believed The opposition lies thus As many as God purposed to save they glorified God for his word and they rejoyced and were glad in his word but those that were not decreed to salvation they put off from them the word of the Lord they spurned at it and opposed it and could not indure the word of the Lord. Therefore the Text saith The Jewes stirred up the devout and honourable women and they raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coast It was said to Amaziah 2 Chro. 25.16 By this I know that the Lord hath purposed to destroy thee because thou hast not hearkned to my counsell Thus you see the Scripture makes it the badge of a man that doth not fall within the compasse of Gods election to bring him to life and glory to live and die in opposition to the word of God Sevently and this we may speake more confidently and positively that that man is not within the compasse of Gods election who sinnes the sinne against the holy Ghost Matth. 12.32 He shall neither be forgiven in this life nor in the life to come This is an unpardonable sinne 1 John 5.16 Now I know there are many men who confine this sinne onely to the Pharisees as if they onely were guilty of it There are others that say this sinne is seldome committed and so many Divines speak favourably of it but Beloved I am perswaded this sinne is oftner committed then most men in the world dream of and many men are plunged into this sinne that think well of their own soules The sinne against the holy Ghost is onely this It is a wilfull and deliberate act in a professor of Religion whereby he doth not onely fall from his profession but he runnes into a course of sinne knowingly against conscience obstinately against counsell and maliciously against Jesus Christ This is briefly a description of this sinne Now I am perswaded there are many in the world that have professed Religion that are if not in this sinne yet at the very next doore to it And if a man be gone thus farre this is called in Scripture a sinne unto death a sinne which if a man fall into he may be sure he shall be damned And thus I have in briefe given you an account of these seven particulars whereby every man may give a guesse in his own thoughts whether he be within the purpose of Gods election to salvation or no. I have now from this sad Doctrine onely a few comfortable positions to lay down and so conclude As 1. That though these particulars may give you a guesse of those that are not within the compasse of Gods election yet no man is bound to make this sure to himselfe that he is not elected You are bound to make your election sure but you are not bound to make your reprobation sure For these heads I have given out not to make any godly man question his election but to startle wicked men who live quite contrary and opposite to the elect of God 2. That a man may come very nigh to the worst of these sins and yet may be an elect man We were saith Paul sometimes disobedient deceived and served divers lusts Titus 3.3 And Ephes 2.2 In times past you walked according to the course of the world according to the power of the Prince of the aire who worketh mightily in the children of disobedience In times past you were children of wrath as well as others In times past before calling you may come very neere to these evils yet be within the compasse of Gods election provided you doe not live and die in those evils For if so there is no hope of mercy 3. That for men to question their election meerly because they doe not finde the saving effects of election in their hearts and lives is rather an argument of their being then of their not being elected Because men not elected they never look after their election to make it sure they will trust all upon the mercy of God and grace of God and never look after holinesse sin never troubles them profanenesse never grieves them want of holinesse perplexes not them The questioning therefore of your election arising from the evils of your conversation is rather a signe that God hath chosen you to life and glory 4. Election it runnes often times to those that are the worst sort of men in the world Election runnes to them that have been worst in their lives before they were called And thereby God magnifies the riches of his grace Election passeth by civill honest men and ingenious tempered men and commonly runs to men that have been scandalous loose Atheisticall profane livers before they were called Matth. 21.31 Whores and Harlots shall come to Heaven before you Manasseh that was a cruell murderer and Idolater yet election ran to him Mary Magdalen a common strumpet out of whom Christ cast seven Divels yet election ran to her Rahab a Harlot Paul a persecuter a blasphemer a man injurious to the Saints yet Acts 9.15 He was a chosen vessell unto God and obtained mercy God to magnifie the riches of his free grace le ts election
love Paul because Paul was the Minister that did convert him therefore he calls him 1 Tim. 1.2 Timothy his beloved son in the faith And hence it is that when the Apostle would draw love from the Corinthians to himself and the Ministers of Christ that were the means of their calling hee urgeth it upon this ground that they were the means that did beget them to Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 4. ver 1. compared with ver 15 16. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and as Stewards of the mysteries of God Why should men so account of them For ver 15. though you have ten thousand Instructors yet have you not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel Hereby he would draw out their love to him because he was the instrument that did first convert them Now then put these two together A man that is effectually called he doth both love the Word of Christ that was an instrument of his calling and the Minister that preach'd that word which was the means by which he was called and try your selves by these Many of you haply have some good wrought as you think upon you and some change in you but truly let me tell you this if you are persons that are out of love with the Word if you are out of love with those Ministers God made instrumental to convert you you have just cause to suspect your calling for you see thorowout the whole course of Scripture their hearts did cleave with love to them that called them And therefore they that can slight and contemn those Ministers by whose ministry they were brought home to Jesus Christ they have just cause of jealousie to suspect their Call Again 2. If God hath effectually called you he will by his Spirit bring you out of a state of ignorance and darknesse and give you some measure of knowledg to be acquainted both with the mysteries of God and Christ and the sinfulnesse of your selves more then ever you were before This the Apostle Peter intimates 1 Pet. 2. ver 9. You are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a peculiar people that you may shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light i. e. out of ignorance into a great measure of knowledg And it is called a marvellous light 1. Because it is marvellous if you compare that knowledg you shall have under the Gospel with what men had under the Law 2. It is marvellous because men are astonish'd that they should after so long a night of ignorance come to so great a measure of knowledg 3. It is called marvell us because it is so contrary to that condition they were formerly in As if a man that hath lain long in a dark dungeon should be suddenly called into a glorious Palace the Palace would seem more glorious because it is so contrary to the dark Prison So this work of God when he calls you it is called marvellous light because it is so contrary to the condition you were in before your calling Isa 30.26 Acts 26.18 He hath sent his word to call you from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan to God 4. It is a marvellous light because such as none but the Mediator could procure it Isa 42.6 7. I will give thee for a light to the gentiles 5. It is a marvellous light because a light that shines out of darknesse 2 Cor. 4.6 God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse 6. It is a marvellous light because it hath more force then any other light 't is called the light of life Joh. 8.12 Now this call from darknesse to light hath two Branches 1. A man shall have more light to have more acquaintance with and more clearnesse in the mysteries of Jesus Christ And 2. more light to know the sinfulnesse of himself First He shall have more light to know the mysteries of Jesus Christ And hence it is that Paul tels us Gal. 1.16 It pleased God to call me by his grace and to reveal his Son in me implying that where God by his grace doth call a sinner he doth reveal his Son unto him Wherefore Beloved if Jesus Christ be not made known to your souls if you have no competent measure of the knowledg of Christ you may be under this conviction that you are not yet called by Jesus Christ Nay further he doth not onely call you unto this light to manifest Jesus Christ to you in some dim way but you shall have a clear light 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts not in a dim but shining light to give us the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ that is you have a cleer light to know God in the face of Christ you cannot know God in himself but in the person of Christ you shall have light to know him This therefore is the first Branch That God will put a light into thy soul whereby thou shalt have a clear knowledg of the things appertaining to Jesus Christ Again Secondly This light shall not onely reveal Christ to thee but this light shall also reveal thy Self to thee the sinfulnesse of thy self It is observable of Paul that before his calling he was after the law blamelesse he thought himself to be a faultlesse man but when the word called him then he cryes out I see sin to be exceeding sinfull then he saw sin to be sin and himself to be a vile and wretched man And therefore Beloved any of you that have not this marvellous light in your souls neither to know God nor know Jesus Christ nor the matters appertaining to him nor to know the sinfulnesse of your own hearts take it from God you are not effectually called either these passages in Scripture must be rased out or else your calling must not be sound and therefore take heed I would fain make my Ministrie searching that hypocrites may not lie lurking under it You would be better Christians if you were better acquainted with all that unsoundnesse and that wretchednesse of heart that is in you and therefore I intreat you look about you Though I would have no godly man discouraged by this that is spoken but that you that are not yet called might have your hearts a little staggered by what is and will be said 3. A man effectually called is cast out of himself and cleaves to and closeth with Jesus Christ with more complacencie and contentment then ever he could do in all his life before John 6.45 Hee that hath heard and learned of the father shall come unto me he doth not say all they that hear of the father many men do heare the word but never close in with Christ but all they that have heard and by hearing have learnt and are called come unto mee and close
thy mouth Trust to that As if he should say Let no man think to know Gods decrees by going into heaven and there searching into Gods decrees for that he cannot doe but look upon the word and there he shall finde whom God hath elected and decreed to save 1 Cor. 2.16 No man can know by looking barely upon the decree but if we compare Gods decree with his word and from the word look upon them that are elected we may easily know whether we are elected or no. Which puts me upon the third head premised How a man may be assured in his own soule that he is elected to life and salvation by God the Father SERMON XIII 2 PETER 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure IN the prosecution of this subject you may remember the last Doctrine I drew forth was this That Christians should put forth a great deale of diligence to make this sure to their soules that they are eternally elected by God the Father In the handling of which I have shewn you 1. what election is 2. That the people of God may make sure their own election though done from all eternity I come now to shew you how the people of God may be assured in their own hearts that they are eternally elected And here to compasse this knowledge or assurance of our election I doe not onely carry it so farre as the Papists doe that say you may have a perswasion which they call fides conjecturalis a conjecturall faith or hope you may be saved but will not come up so farre as the words of my Text to be sure of it Now should a man use no more then the words of the Text in that it is pressed as a command it is an argument it may be made sure to a mans own selfe For no man is bound to an impossible thing Nemo tenetur ad impossibile and in that it is a thing required to be assured of our election the Scripture would never oblige our obedience to that which is impossible in it selfe I doe not drive so farre onely but further What should an elect man doe to be certainly perswaded that he is eternally elected by God to obtain life and salvation I am now handling a doctrine to be trembled at while you are attending to it And in the resolving of this query you must take this rule that you cannot get assumnce by ascending into Gods decree but by descending into your own hearts searching them by the word whether those saving effects which God doth work in an elect person be wrought in your soules or noâ— and that is the way to come to a sure and certain knowledge of your election The knowledge of your election is not attainable by ascending into Gods decree for who hath made you his Counsellors Nor is it enjoyned you by way of Revelation That is an unsure ground and you may runne into Enthusiasme as well as perswasion about your election It is not done by Revelation neither against nor without the word What ever testimony there is if it come not from the word you may suspect it to be a delusion Now the safest way though I know much cried down for you to goe by in searching whether you are in the number of Gods elect is to search into your own hearts whether those things be wrought in you which are wrought in those whom God hath elected to life and salvation And here I shall content my selfe with the naming of six saving effects First every man that is elected sooner or latter shall be effectually called and savingly converted by the power of the word This the Apostle laies down 1 Thes 1.4 5. Knowing brethren beloved your election of God How should this be known Vers 5. For our word came not to you in word onely but in power and in the holy Ghost that is our Gospel did not come in word onely to affect your eares and rest there but our word came with power being backt with the operation of the Spirit for your conversion This work all men that are elected sooner or latter must come under to have the power of the word come with authority upon Conscience for his effectuall calling So Rom. 8.30 Whom he predestinated whom he appointed to life them he called And therefore Beloved who ever you are if you live and die without having the power of the Word to passe upon your soule for your effectuall Calling you may lay your hearts under this Conclusion that you are not elected by God to obtaine life and salvation For Whom he hath predestinated them he calls Secondly a man that is elected by God to life sooner or latter God will sanctifie him by renewing and regenerating grace And this is onely different from the former in degree for calling is sanctification begun Now when God elects a man he doth not onely begin the work of grace but he carries it on in a course of sanctification And of this you read 2 Thes 2.12 13. We are bold to give thanks to God alwaies for you beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the truth If God hath from the beginning chosen a man to salvation the Lord doth it through sanctification not for sanctification as the Papists say or for faith forseen but it is through it as a means whereby we are brought to salvation sanctification shall runne through your lives as water through a channel So 1 Pet. 1.2 They that are elected according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by Christ through sanctification So 2 Tim. 2.21 And therefore beloved if men live and die and have not the power of sanctifying grace upon their hearts and consciences and working in their lives doubtlesse those men are not elected because this you see clearly that at one time or other God will work this in such men Jude 4. Thirdly men elected by God to life and salvation shall sooner or latter be brought into a state of believing Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternall life believed No man that is ordained to eternall life but shall be brought to a believing estate And therefore men living and dying in a state of unbeliefe are not elected Hence you read Tit. 1.1 it is called the faith of Gods elect implying that all that are elected before they die shall have faith and none shall have faith but onely they and therefore in a peculiar manner called the faith of Gods elect appropriated onely to them Fourthly That man that is elected sooner or latter before he dies God will work in his heart a speciall delight in and an intire love to the word preached This you have expressed John 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word therefore ye are not of God because you heare not his words To be of God that is to belong to God
souls that they are effectually called and eternally elected Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Now I cannot handle this Doctrine in the bulk of it but must of necessitie take it into parts and handle it piece by piece that so I may give you the strength of the whole Observation in the Application of it And seeing Calling lies in the front I shall in a few Sermons treat of that And the Point from thence will be this That Doctr. Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls that they are effectually Called Beloved This is a very material Point I am now upon especially in this deceitful age wherein men plunge themselves into a gulph of presumption wherein many times men take faith upon trust and Christ upon trust It is meet that you that live under the Gospel should trie your Calling by the Gospel whether it be true or no there may be an external Cal when there is no inward calling by the operation of the Spirit upon your hearts In the managing of this Point I shall shew you these three things First What Effectual Calling is Secondly Why you are required to put forth a great deal of diligence to make your Calling sure to your souls Thirdly By what Characters or Discoveries you may be assured in your own hearts that you are effectually called First What Effectual Calling is You say we must make it sure therefore what is the nature of it For answer you may take this description of it Effectual Calling is the fruit of Gods Election whereby God of his free grace works a wonderful change in the heart of an Elect person by the inward operation of the Spirit accompanying the outward Ministry of the word by vertue of which the soul is brought from under the dominion of sin and Satan into a state of grace and so made meet for the enjoyment of God in glory Now I shal not take this apart but commit it to your memorie and judgment to apprehend Only in this description there are laid down four differences to distinguish effectual Calling from that ordinary or outward Calling that wicked men have by the Ministrie of the Word As 1. Effectual Calling in the description is said to be a fruit of Gods Election but outward or general Calling is a fruit only of common providence God by an over-ruling providence sends the Gospel among a people and thereby calls them to an outward compliance and conformitie but effectual Calling is a fruit of Gods Election 2. It is said in the description that Effectual Calling it changes the heart whereby God works a wonderful change in the heart but an external Calling no way reacheth the heart only worketh some kind of civil or common alteration in the life 3. It 's said Effectual Calling is wrought by the inward operation of the Spirit accompanying the outward Ministry of the word whereas an External Call is only by the word but no inward saving work of the Spirit at all 4. It s said of Effectual Calling that it is from the dominion of sin but External Calling is only from the external acts of sin Indeed by an external calling the word may have that power over a man as to restrain and keep in the visible and external actings of sin but it no way works upon the inclination to take off the affection from sin wheras this effectual Calling works upon the heart and works to the subduing and destroying of the power of sin as well as the actings of it Secondly Why doth God require that we should put forth such great diligence in making sure that we are effectually called by the Spirit of Jesus Christ in the Gospel There are three Reasons why this should be Reas 1 First Because there are many professing the Gospel that do harbour ungrounded perswasions that they are effectually called when they are not Now if many men be deceived why may not you And if many are apt to be deceived about this matter have not you great cause to be diligent lest you are deceived also The Jewes of old they boasted of their Calling and said We have Abraham to our father but Christ confutes that If you were Abrahams children saith he you would do the works of Abraham but you seek to kill me which Abraham did not But then they go higher John 8.46 they were effectually called For God is our Father No saith Christ You are of your father the Divel Thus many men run into these gross mistakes to believe they are effectually called when they are not Many are called outwardly that are not called effectually Matth. 22.14 And therefore it concerns you not to be deceived in this great business Reas 2 Secondly Because there is this natural aptness in all of us in things that are of any value concerning the bodie you wil be sure to make sure of them It may be if you have Brass and Pewter or baser Mettals your Kitchin shal serve for that but things of greater value as Pearls and Diamonds they must be in the Closet and in a Cabinet in that Closet you wil be sure to ensure them Why how much more should you ensure this great and precious Jewel of Effectual Calling that so much concerns your immortal souls When you buy Land you will be sure your Title is good to draw up your evidences so as to be firm in Law You know Merchants if they venture a great or most part of their estate at sea where happily there may be hazard in the Voyage they will run speedily to ensure a great part of their Commodities Beloved this should you do this bodie of yours is the Ship and the Merchandize and Freight in this Ship is your souls and this Ship is going a great Voyage to Glorie Glorie is the Port whither this Ship is to come you shall meet with many dangers in your way haply with storms and tempests of temptation yea haply you may run upon the rocks of presumption or quick-sands of despair O now run to the ensuring Office what 's that why run to seek the Testimonie of Christs Spirit in your own Spirit by the word to evidence unto you upon good ground that the Ship shal be safe and the Commodities brought secure to the Haven that Ship Bodie Soul and all shal come safe to Heaven Beloved if men wil thus ensure their Estates you have much more reason to ensure your souls For believe it if you make not sure your souls if you suffer shipwrack ye are turned Bankrupts presently bankrupt to God you lose him for ever It is said of an old Usurer That when any man came to borrow money of him he would hardly trust one in twentie and being ask'd the reason Why he would do so O saith he it is good to be sure Why Beloved shal an Usurer in all his ways be so secure and so heedful in all his disbursments that he could say
we can go one step higher We do not onely delight to hear the Word but we love the godly who are effectually called to grace and glory and if we love them we hope it is an Argument that we also are called and they urge that Scripture for it We know that we are translated from death to life if we love the Brethren 1 Ioh. 3.14 Now to speak to this I answer It is clear in Scripture that every kind of love to the people of God is no Argument of effectual calling but there may be a fained and a counterfeit love as wel as any other grace Hence the Apostle presses Rom. 12.9 Let your love be without dissimulation importing that men may dissemble their love as wel as any grace else 1 John 3.18 Let us not love in word and in tongue onely but in deed and in truth So 1 Pet. 1.22 Let there be unfained love to the Brethren intimating that there may be a fained and false love So that every kind of love is no evidence of effectual calling And this I shal make out by this demonstration Because there are several acts or expressions of love that men who are not effectually called may shew to godly men Now if a man uncalled may shew many expressions and acts of love to a man converted then meer shewing love to a godly man is no Argument of your effectual calling I shal reduce what I have to say unto six Heads As 1. A man may be frequently in the companie of godlie men yet not be effectually called and so Demas was a companion with Paul in the Gospel yet he not called but imbraced the world and fel away 2. They may speak wel of the people of God And this John tels us 1 John 3.18 Let us not love in word or in tongue This loving in word and tongue was to speak wel of a godlie man this a wicked man may do 3. They may write Letters of commendation in the behalf of a godlie man And so you read of Pilat's Wife which the Scripture gives as no evidence of her Conversion Mat. 27.19 She wrote a Letter to her Husband in the morning before he was to arraign Christ and told him Have nothing to do with the blood of that just man Here you see she wrote in the behalf of a good man of Jesus Christ And so we read of Claudius Lysias that he wrote a Letter in the behalf of Paul to Felix the Governor here were great acts of love yet these no evidence of their effectual calling Nay 4. They may think nothing too much to give to good men yet not be called And so did the Galathians whose calling Paul questions Gal. 4.15 They would pull out their own eyes and not think them too dear for Paul Yet at length how cold did they grow and count Paul their enemy for telling them the truth 5. They may express such love that in times of danger they may take care of the safetie of godlie men so Acts 23.27 Claudius Lysias when he heard Paul was in danger of his life he came with an Armie of men to rescue him that they should not take away his life from him and yet Claudius Lysias lived and died a Heathen for ought the Scripture mentions Lastly They may relieve the necessities of the godlie yet not be effectually called Now here are high expressions of love yet it is evident all these may be where calling is not But now its true in some cases love to the people of God may prove a good evidence of ones effectual call to wit if it have these four qualifications 1. If you love the people of God under this notion because godlie it is an evidence of your effectual call because there is good in them more then because you receive good from them Hence it is John tels us wicked men may love a godlie man because they have good from him 2 John 1. To the elect Lady whom I love in the truth for the truths sake dwelling in her John did not love the Ladie because she was a Ladie or because she was a goodlie woman but for the truths sake that dwelt in her Whereas wicked men they love a godlie man but not as godlie under that notion Therefore you shal see the difference between Johns love to a godlie person and Claudius Lysias a man unconverted Acts 23.27 Claudius Lysias tels you there that Paul was in danger of his life and with an Army I rescued him Now why was it he did so did he love Paul because a godlie man no for mark the next words With an Army I rescued him because it was told me he was a Roman He loved Paul for his Nation not for his conversion had he loved Paul as Paul Paul as a Christian this were an Argument of grace but to love Paul as a Roman because of Country and Nation sake this was no evidence of his call So Mat. 5.46 47. If ye love them that love you what reward have you do not even the Publicans so So that you see a wide difference between the love of a godlie man and of a wicked man 2. To measure your love to them by their graces that you love that man most that hath most grace that 's an Argument of effectual calling because it is grace in the man and nothing else you love 3. If your love be universal to all that are godly of what sort or condition soever they be this is an evidence of your effectual calling for then 't is evident that grace as grace is the object of your love Lastly To love a man so as to carry compassion in your brests towards him to have a sympathizing heart with him in his sufferings 1 Pet. 3.8 Sufferone with another love as Brethren This shewes your love to be true when it hath pity and compassion to attend it Delus I pass now to a third delusion which indeed is a main delufion and hath deceived many specially those that profess the Gospel to make them believe they are effectually called when they are not And that is because they discern a change in their conversation that they are not the same men they were in days past and hereby the Divel props up this perswasion that surely they must needs be effectually called and he alledges Scripture for it 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Such were some of you but yee are washed c. Now this being so universall a delusion among most men in the world that if they have hopes of Heaven it is upon this ground that they are not the same now they were in times past I shall therefore a little inlarge my selfe in speaking of this particular and shall lay downe six or seven particulars wherein I shall shew that this ground taken in generall is no infallible evidence of a mans effectuall calling First Because there are many graduall changes which do not come up or amount to a saving change or alteration
and that first wrought upon me Or saith a third It may be if it was the Word it was the Word preached by a wicked man that is now turned either erroneous in judgement or prophane in practice and this occasioneth a great deal of Jealousie The Word preacht by the mouth of a godly Minister is Gods ordinary way but I was altogether out of this way and therefore this doth make him suspect the truth of his effectual calling Now Beloved I beseech you lend me your thoughts a little for I would fain make this Doctrine as comfortable to every called one as I can I shall speak of all these in order and shew you that put case either of these have been the means of thy calling yet thou hast no reason to doubt of thine effectual calling First thou suspectest thy call because the meanes hath been sayest thou not by hearing a Sermon or the Word preacht but by living among good Christians and seeing their example and their living thou camest by this meanes to love the wayes of God and this was the first meanes that converted thee Beloved I doubt not but I speak to a great many that cannot say a Sermon ever converted them but onely that they were gained to Gods wayes to imbrace the truth this way now what shall I say to such men as these why I would say thus much that though the Lord did not use his Word preached the ordinary meanes of converting soules in calling thee yet God is not tied and bound up to his Word preacht but he may use other meanes to convert thy soule Secondly and more particularly that living among good people and seeing of their example both in life and worship we finde in Scripture to be a very efficacious means oftentimes to convince sometimes to convert and if you can finde out this in Scripture you may have abundance of comfort It hath been a meanes oftentimes to convince 1 Pet. 3.16 They shall be ashamed to speak evill of you while they behold your conversation in Christ When they shall see that you live in Christ and walk according to Christ they shall be ashamed ashamed of what they have done and what they have spoken it shall convince them So 1 Pet. 2.15 And the Apostle when he speaks of the orderly and regular managing the worship of God 1 Cor. 14.24 25. If there comes an unbeliever among you he sees your order saith he he shall fall down in the midst of you he shall be convinced and shall say Of a truth God is among you Seeing this saith the Apostle godly men holy in their lives and holy in their worship though he be an unbeliever he shall fall down and say Of a truth God is among you that is by way of conviction Nay further sometimes God doth blesse the gracious lives and blamelesse example of Christians to be a means to convert some when the Gospel cannot do it and you would think this very comfortable could it be made good I would commend but one Text of Scripture to you to prove what a blessing it is to live in a good family where either husband or wife or any one in the family is godly 1 Pet. 3.1 Wives be subject to your husbands what then that your husbands who are not wonne by the Word may be wonne without the Word whilest they behold the conversation of their wives A notable text There were many wicked Husbands that all the Sermons they heard would not convert them yet the Apostle tells them that if the wife did live a godly and holy life their lives sometimes should be more efficacious to convert their Husbands then the Word should be And this Beloved doth clearly take off this first plea of yours that because you were converted by example and by living among good Christians and seeing their walkings this gained upon you this is no cause of discouragement because sometimes I say the Lord doth blesse examples of gracious lives to make them winne and gain upon men that are brought home to Jesus Christ Secondly they go yet further There is another poore soul brought home to Jesus Christ and what saith he I do misdoubt the means of my call for a Sermon never wrought upon me the first thing of all that ever gained upon me it was the reading of some Chapters in the Bible or some other holy mans book and that made me first to hate sin and love the wayes of God and look after his Word for my salvation And here I doubt not but many Christians have found the Word read the first means of gaining upon their hearts And therefore to take off this likewise I shall speak two or three things in way of Answer As First that God is not tied to any means but can work with the meanest means to bring home people to Jesus Christ If Peters conversion was by a Cock a Cock crowing and a look of Christs eye why may not Christ use the Scriptures read to be a means of a mans call If from stones God can raise up children to Abraham why cannot God do it by the Word also to make the Word read a means in his own hands to effect it God that can do all things with nothing without means can bring to passe great things by weak means Secondly and more particularly That though ordinarily preaching and hearing of the Word preached be ordained by God and crowned by him chiefly to be a means instrumental to convert souls yet God sometimes hath blessed the reading of the Word to be a means of converting souls likewise Yet Beloved I would not do as the Prelates did who would fain have brought in reading to justle out preaching Preaching is the more noble work and must be highest in our thoughts yet if God will go out in an unusual way who can controll him If God will do it by a Chapter read when not by a Sermon preached who can resist God if he will shew his power by weaker means Who shall gainsay it God sometimes honours the reading of the Word to give encouragement to reading to be a means of some mens call I have read of S. Austin that he was converted not by hearing a Sermon but by opening the Bible and reading that place Rom 13.13 Let us walk honestly as in the day time not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse and the reading of this verse wrought upon him I have read of Cyprian that he was converted by reading the Prophecie of Jonas hearing of Gods mercy to save such a wicked people and of Gods mercy to Jonas when he was in so pettish a mood as to be angry with God I have known likewise another famous Minister that going by a Book-binders shop he was converted by reading a Sermon of Repentance that cost but two pence hath bin a famous Minister since for the conversion of many hundreds to Jesus Christ Junius was converted by reading the first
read 1 Pet. 3.8 9. Be pitiful be compassionate to your Brethren love as Brethren Now upon what ground doth the Apostle presse this compassion Read verse 9. Knowing saith he that you are hereunto called that you should inherit a blessing As if he should say upon this ground I woo you to be compassionate because you are called to inherit a blessing that is you know and are assured that you are a blessed people and you shall be a saved people therefore have compassion on your brethren who are tempted and troubled that you might bring them to the same pitch of comfort you are brought to Eighthly Assurance should be managed with chearfulnesse of heart Assured Christians should be chearful Christians We read Nehem. 2.1 2. That Nehemiah all the while he was before the face of the King and in the presence of the King the Text saith Nehemiah for a long time was not sad the Kings presence did so cheare up Nehemiahs heart Now to this I would allude If the presence and face of King Artaxerxes did make Nehemiah that for a long time he was not sad before him Oh how much more should the face of God and the presence of God in a mans soul and the favour of God towards a man how much more should this keep thee from being sad in Gods presence from a lumpish and Melancholy and sad spirit Thou art in the presence of a King in the favour of God and this should keep thee from being sad and heavy None in the world have greater grounds of joy then those that live in a constant assurance of the love of God towards them It is for condemned men that are condemned to the Gallows to hang down their heads and wring their hands but let the pardoned people of the Lord rejoyce The man that is condemned he hangs down his head but the man that comes pardoned from the barre with what a chearful countenance will that man come you are all a people pardoned by your God you may well be a rejoycing people I remember a passage I have read in D. Halls Works in his Meditations upon the Creatures speaking of a little Bird called Robbin-red-brest that when he was in his study came chirping at the window and leaping upon his book and singing a great while together upon this sight he breaks out into this contemplation O this little silly Bird that doth not know where to pick up the next crum that doth not know where to pitch and rest it selfe for the next night yet behold how chearfully doth this Bird sing when man and a Christian man that knows God to be his Father that hath not only crumbs of ourward blessings but whole morsels of inward comfort and can drink draughts of inward consolation Christians that have a God and a heaven that have Christ and glory yet they cannot be merry as a poor Bird can be and truly it is a good Meditation Many times people that are called by Jesus Christ and have ground and assurance of their everlasting happinesse by him yet they cannot be so merry as a poor Bird will be Birds in the morning will be chirping and singing as if nothing lay at the heart when a Christian is sad and vexing and wearying out his life in discontents and sorrowes this becomes not a Christian Assured Christians they should be chearful Christians Ninthly Assured Christians they should be thankful Christians For one to give a man a promise it is worth thanks but when a man shall not onely give but assure that Promise that he will make it good that is more thanks-worthy Beloved if God had only promised you a heaven and had given no assurance it was thanks-worthy but when God shall give thee his Broad Seal that shall seal thee up to the day of Redemption and when God shall give thee an assurance in thy own brest thou shalt go to heaven and go to God this should much more make thee in thy Spirit blesse thy God It is a speech of the Prophet David My soule blesse thou the Lord for his marvellous loving kindnesse Thou hast kindnesse and thou hast marvellous loving kindnesse My soul blesse God for this David would not keep back Gods praises seeing God would not keep back Davids comforts In heaven we shall break forth into admiration because we have good things in possession here we should break forth into thanksgiving because we have them in expectation And thus I have done with the first part of my direction to you that are assured Christians you should labour first rightly to use your assurance Secondly All you that are assured Christians you are to be directed carefully to keep and preserve your assurance There is no lesse skill saith the Poet to be put forth in keeping vertue Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri then in getting of it It is said of Hannibal he was a skilful souldier to get victories but he had no skill to keep them when gotten It may be said so of us Christians can get assurance but they have not the skill to keep it when they have got it This therefore I am now to press that you would be careful to preserve your assurance And here in speaking of this I shall lay down two particulars that in case you would keep your assurance there are some things you must do and some things you must avoid and take heed of First There are some things you must do and those I shall comprize under 2 or 3 heads First In case you would keep assurance you are to keep close in communion with your God in the exercise of the duty of godlinesse The more you keep grace the more you will keep your comforts And here that I may branch out this direction I shall comprize these duties under four heads and shew you from Scripture that keeping close to God in the use of four duties will be a ready way to keep your assurance in you As first keep close to God in the duty of prayer John 16.24 Ask saith Christ and your joy shall be full Ask that your joy may be full implying that if you keep close to God in the duty of prayer after assurance your spirits shall be compleat and full Secondly Keep close to God in the duty of reading the Word often By often reading the Word you will often meet with Promises and supports for your comfort That 's the reason men lessen in comforts because men do not frequently read the Word you cannot read a Chapter but you will finde there a prop for faith and a prop for assurance Keeping constant to the Word and that 's the way to keep your assurance 1 John 5.13 These things have I written to you that believe that you might know that you have eternal life These things have I writ not onely that you have life but that you might know it By reading the writings of John John tells them they might
There are many profitable points to be handled in the dispatch of this Doctrine I shall onely in this remnant of time prosecute a few And first I shall shew you what election is Secondly whether a man may be sure of his own election seeing election is an act from eternity How can a man be sure of that which was done in Gods counsell before we had a being Thirdly by what discoveries may a man infallibly judge that he is elected Q. 1 In the discussion of this doctrine I begin with the first What election is A. Which that you may know I shall lay down this briefe description of it Election is an eternall decree or purpose of God whereby he hath freely chosen out of the masse of mankind a small company of men and women that shall come to everlasting life and salvation by Jesus Christ This is election And here in this description there are these things to be taken notice of First I call it an eternall purpose because though a man be not justified from eternity yet he is elected from eternity God from eternity had a purpose that man should be justified and should be called and should be saved Election is from eternity though vocation justification and glorification be not so Hence you read in Scripture when it speaks of election Eph. 1.4 He hath elected us in Christ before the foundation of the world But it is never said so of Justification God had a purpose to make us happy and a purpose to call us in time and a purpose to justifie us from eternity though the acting of this purpose is in due time fulfilled Secondly I call it a purpose whereby he doth freely chuse And this I doe in opposition to that Papisticall Tenet that God doth predestinate or elect men to salvation upon the foresight of good works A most abominable opinion and takes off the freeness of this act of Gods election 2 Tim. 1.9 Not according to our works but according to his own purpose grace Eph. 1.5.11 so I say thirdly Whereby God doth freely chuse out of the masse of mankind a few to obtaine life and salvation In opposition to those that hold for universall Redemption and universall Grace As Origen and from him many more have been tainted with this errour to hold Election universall And so many of the Papists Now the Scripture tels us that many are called but few are chosen Election signifies a choice now a choice the very word imports a rejecting of some and a culling out of others The word Election imports that all shall not be saved Origen held this that all men should be saved that Election shall extend to every man Yea the very divels at the day of judgement shall be saved which is an opinion among Christians not to be named for Election belongs but to a few Fourthly I say that t is to bring them to eternall life and salvation therefore called ordination to eternall life Act. 13.48 Q. 2 Secondly Whether may a Christian in this life be assured of his eternall Election for as much as Election was done in the decree of God before ever he had a being or the world was Therefore seeing we are not privy to Gods decree and counsell how can it be said that we may know and be assured of our Eternall Election Indeed the Papists they beat down this doctrine And hence it is that in the Councell of Trent there was this Canon made that if any man should say he was bound to believe that he was of the number of them that God hath predestinate or elected to life let him be an accursed man They did endeavour to beat down assurance and held that all that a man could have must be onely a conjecturall assurance or some kinde of hopes of salvation and no other Now that you might not erre in this point see what the Scripture speaks in this case That though Election be an act of God from eternity yet a believer may firmly and fully know his own election And this I shall make good by severall places of Scripture Read Luke 10.20 Rejoyce not saith Christ to his Disciples that you have power to cast out divels that they are subject to you but rejoyce rather in this that your names are written in the book of life That is rejoyce not that you can work miracles that wicked men can doe that are not elected but rather rejoyce that your names are written in the book of life that is that in Gods decree you are elected to salvation Now how could they rejoyce unlesse they knew this So 1 Thes 1.4 Knowing brethren beloved your election of God The Apostle takes it for granted that believers did know they were elected So Ephes 1.3 4 5. The Lord hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the soundation of the world was having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ Many more Scriptures I might urge but in the mouth of two or three witnesses it is enough to confirme every truth But now though the Scripture be thus cleare yet there are some objections that seemingly oppose this truth which I must satisfie The Papists as farre as I have read in their writings I finde five objections they draw from Scripture against this truth that a man may be assured of his Election for say they it was an act of Gods done before we had a being and how can we be assured of that I will therefore beloved first produce those Scriptures that they pretend wil overthrow this point and then take off what seems to make against it The first Text they urge is 1 Pet. 1.17 Passe the time of your sojourning here in feare This Scripture say they bids us passe our time in feare and if so then we cannot be assured of our election but we must feare all the daies of our life whether we are elected or no. To this I shall answer briefly You must know the feare that the holy Ghost here presseth that men should passe their time in feare is not meant of a feare about our election but it is meant of a feare of sinne that we must not sinne against God but feare God and feare to provoke God by our sinne And if you ask how this appeares I make it appeare plainly thus for vers 18. it is said Knowing beloved that you are not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious blood of Christ c. Now this verse proves clearly that they knew they were redeemed by Christs bloud and so by consequence knew their election Therefore the Apostle did not presse a feare to beat down the knowledge of their election but passe your time in feare i. e. feare to offend God and feare to sinne against him Another objection they urge is this The Scripture say they doth often commend feare to us and surely feare and assurance
cannot stand together Prov. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Now if a man must alwaies feare then the most a man can have is hope and so hang between hope and feare all our daies To which I answer That the fearing alwaies which Salomon annexed blessednesse unto is not meant of the feare about a mans election but onely a feare to sinne against God And if you ask me how that appeares read the whole verse Blâ—ssâ—d is the man that feareth alwaies but he that hardens his heart shall runne into mischiefe Now mark by the Antithesis it is apparent that feare there is not a feare of our everlasting estate but onely a feare in opposition to hardnesse of heart in wicked men that goe on in a course of sin Another place they urge is 1 Cor. 10.12 Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall Now say they the Scripture tells us that every man though never so firm as he thinks about his election yet he must take heed he may fall from grace and be damned for all this Now by way of answer to this I would lay down two things First The Apostle doth not speak of men that have a grounded assurance of their election but to men that lie in carnall security and have deluded perswasions of their good estate and this appeares by the Text for he saith let him that thinks he stands He doth not say let him that stands for he cannot fall but he that thinks he stands Those men that nourish presumptuous and ungrounded perswasions that they are in a good estate and in a happy condition let them take heed lest they fall Secondly the falling here is not meant a falling away from grace or a falling away finally after election for that is impossible but it is onely meant of a falling into sinne and so the meaning is this Let him that thinks he stands i. e. that thinks he is strong in grace and stands upon his own legs let that man take heed lest he fall into sinne Now a man may take heed of falling into sinne yet no way question his assurance And if you aske how I make it appeare that this is the intendment and scope of the place I answer by the Context Read the foregoing verse Let not us tempt Christ as they tempted him let not us murmur as some of them murmured for these things hapned to them for ensamples and are written for our admonition Therefore let him that thinketh he stands take heed lest he fall As much as if he should say you have here seen some men fall into sinne you have heard some men murmur some men tempt Christ this should make you affraid lest you fall into sinne and suffer the punishment they did But what is this to the denying of assurance that men cannot be assured of their election Another place they urge also is Phil. 2.12 worke out your salvation with feare and trembling Now say they if a man must work out and carry on the businesse of his salvation with feare and trembling then surely a man can never be assured in this life of his election To which I answer That feare and trembling there spoken of is not a feare and trembling in opposition to the assurance of our election but in opposition to that carnall security and sinfull dependance upon our own strength This is apparent in the next words For it is God that worketh in you the will and the deed And therefore because you have no strength of your own and no power of your own to doe any thing therefore feare and tremble in that regard Secondly feare and trembling may very well be consistent with this grace of assurance for we read Psal 2.11 Rejoyce in the Lord with trembling You may feare and yet rejoyce also So Psal 5.7 As for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare I will worship towards thine holy Temple Here is feare and confidence in the mercies of God joyned together to shew that feare and assurance may very well be consistent each with other But then they object how can this be for John saith that perfect love casteth out feare I answer that though John saith perfect love casteth out feare yet John doth not say that imperfect love casteth out feare Now in this life our love is imperfect and therefore mixt with feare but in heaven our love is perfect and so casts out all feare So that still this makes nothing against us but that a man may have a grounded assurance of his eternall election Another place they object is Rom. 11.20 Be not high minded but feare To this I answer These words are not spoken of fearing our election that we should feare whether we are elected or no. But serves to beate down any opinion of our own righteousnesse as if we were therefore accepted of God and to keep us from insulting over the rejected Jewes now that we are taken in in their room One Scripture more whch indeed is the main pillar they rest upon is Rom. 11.34 Who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor Here say the Papists the Scripture challengeth any man in the world to come forth and say that he knowes Gods mind by Gods mind is meant Gods decree And here Paul challengeth all that no man knows the decree of God from eternity Therefore if no man knows the mind of God then certainly none know their own election for that is Gods mind and Gods decree this they hold an undeniable argument And here to satisfie you in this Scripture I shall lay down three things First When it is said No man knows the mind of God nor no man is his Counsellor this doth hold true that no man knows the mind or decree of the Lord touching other mens election The Apostle doth not speak this as if no man knew Gods minde about his own but about other mens election who are elected and who are not for that is the scope of the place The Gentiles they thought all the Jewes were damned men and they censured and vaunted over them Now saith Paul None knows Gods mind concerning others whether they shall be saved or damned while they are in this world Secondly no man knows the mind of the Lord in this sense that is so as to give a reason of Gods decree why God did decree this and decree that why God did chuse Peter and not elect Judas no man knows the reason of Gods decree and of his waies Thirdly No man knows the mind of the Lord that is no man knows Gods decree by looking upon it alone but by bringing down Gods secret will to his revealed will and so we may know his decree I may make use of that place Rom. 10.8 Let no man say I will ascend up to heaven to fetch Christ thence but what saith the word the word is night thee even in
run to the worst of men that are in the world And this should be great comfort to you though you have been drunkards and though you have been Sabbath breakers and adulterers and though you have been profane yet if you can but now close in with Jesus Christ and looke after heaven if you can but now mourn over your condition and repent of your former failings and come in to Jesus Christ Election hath runne unto men as bad as you and though you may be now men profane in your lives yet you may be objects of Gods election SERMON XIV 2 PETER 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure THe last Doctrine I drew from these words was this That Christians should put forth a great deale of diligence to make this sure to their soules that they are eternally elected by God to life and glory In the prosecution of which I have gone over some queries There are four difficulties or queries I am further to insist upon in treating of this point As namely First whether this election be universall or no Secondly whether a man that is once elected by God to salvation may come to be damned yea or no Thirdly whether God in electing a man to life and glory doth it out of any foresight of faith or any other grace he sees in man And fourthly whether this doctrine of election that God in his own counsell hath determined who shall be damned and who saved doth not take men off from any endeavours after their own salvation to make them desperate and neglect the use of means that they shall say if I shall be damned I shall be damned and if saved I shall be saved let me live as I list whether this doctrine will favour this desperate conclusion yea or no First whether election be universall or no This is that the Arminians and Papists doe mightily drive at And here they lay down this conclusion which they make unquestionable That there is such a thing as a certain universall election of God without limitation or restraint of persons whereby God did determine to save all mankind by Christ who were fallen in Adam This opinion was first drawn from Origen who held that all creatures should be saved and the Papists and Arminians mincing the matter to make it a little more plausible then he did they say that God in his purpose did intend to save all mankind by Jesus Christ but man falling away and walking contrary to their principles the defect lies in them that they are not saved and this Divines call universall redemption Now against this I shall lay down severall Scriptures and then take off the objections that seems to strengthen this opinion First for Scriptures In the Epistle of Jude vers 3. you read of some that were ordained of old to condemnation Therefore sure all could not be saved 1 Thes 5.9 Some men are appointed to wrath but we to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ Therefore all men could not be within the purpose of Gods first intention to save Matth. 22.14 Many are called but few are chosen So Rom. 11.7 The Jewes did not obtaine what they sought for but the elect obtained it and the rest were hardned 2 Tim. 2.20 There are vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour The Scripture makes it a discriminating act in God that some he chose to life and others from eternity in his councell he chose to wrath and condemnation And these Scriptures will fully overthrow this opinion And indeed the very word chusing confutes it which intimates a taking of some with an overlooking of others But now let us view a little the Arguments or Scriptures they abuse to strengthen this unsound opinion of theirs One is 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adant all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive Now say they Every man did die in Adam every mothers child by Adams fall became subject to death even so in Christ shall every man be made alive the Lord did intend that every man should have benefit by Jesus Christ Now to take off this I shall answer it in shewing you the true intent and scope of this Scripture This universall phrase of making alive hath not reference to the saving of the soule but to the resurrection of the body And so the sence is this That as in Adam by vertue of his sinne every man came to die a naturall death So in Christ shall all be made alive that is so by Christs power shall every man rise from the dead And if you aske how I make that appeare to be the intendment of the Text. I answer the words themselves will make it plaine Vers 11. It is said By man came death by man also came the resurrection from the dead that is as by that man Adam came death so by that man Christ shall come the resurrection from the dead for as in Adam all died c. so that here you see this is brought in as a proofe of the 21. verse Intimating that this being made alive hath no reference to the life of the soule but onely to the Resurrection of the body that as Adam by his sinne brought death to all men so Christ by his power shall raise all men from the dead every man in his own order However should this be granted that this making alive should have reference to the life of the soul it would beare no more but this that all that are damned are damned as in Adams loynes and all that are saved shall be saved as in the loynes of Jesus Christ And so make nothing at all to prove this which they call universall election Another Scripture undeniable they think is Rom. 11.32 where it is said God hath concluded all men under unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all Now say they If God did doe an act to make men see their unbeliefe and did intend by this action to have mercy upon all then God in his counsell intended to save all Now to this that he might have mercy upon all I answer This phrase all is not to be taken in an unlimited sence as if he would have mercy upon all mankind but it is to be taken in a restrained sence that God shut up all men in unbeliefe that is God made all believers see their own misery that he might have mercy on all them that believe And if you ask how I prove this to be the meaning of the Text I answer The Scripture makes it cleare Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all men under sinne The very words fore-quoted But what 's the limitation Shall all men be saved No. For mark the next words The Scripture hath concluded all men under sinne that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ should be given to them that believe Now though Paul doth not say thus to the Romans yet the words being the same the Restriction holds good in both
Gods decree be changeable Gods essence and nature were so also election being nothing else but God himselfe chusing for every thing in God is God And this the Scripture tels us is farre from him for there is no variablenesse or shadow of change in God Jam. 1.17 Isa 46.10 Mal. 3.6 Secondly if the elect could perish then Jesus Christ should be very unfaithfull to his father because God the father hath given this charge to Christ that whomsoever he elected Christ should preserve them safe to bring them to heaven Now should not this be accomplished Christ would be unfaithfull to his father John 6.39 This is the fathers will which hath sent me into the world that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but that I should raise them up at the last day This is the will of God to save many by Christ Now should not this be made good Christ must needs be unfaithfull to the Commission of his father Thirdly should this be true then Pauls golden chaine should be broken Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he calls whom he calls them he justifies whom he justifies them he glorifies Now should this chain break that whom he elects them he calls whom he calls them he justifies and there cease as the Papists hold and men be after damned then the great and many links would be lost that whom he justifies them he glorifies and so bring an absurdity upon the Scripture thereby Now to answer some texts of Scripture they abuse which at first view you would think very plausible to maintain that a man may be an elect man and brought into Christ yet afterward damned The first is John 6.70 Have not I chosen twelve and one of them is a divell Now say they there were twelve chosen or elected and one of them is a divel did perish intimating that men may be elected yet perish for all this To which I answer That there is a double electing First a chusing to some peculiar Office Secondly there is an electing to grace life and glory Now when Christ saith Have not I chosen you twelve it is meant of his chusing of them to an Office to the place of an Apostle to be his disciples Now it is true that man may be chosen to some peculiar office in the Church of God and yet be a perishing and damned man but this phrase hath no relation to the decree of God from eternity onely to a temporall electing of twelve men to a temporall Office to the Office of an Apostle Another Scripture they abuse is Exod. 32.32 it was Moses prayer If thou wilt not saith Moses to God forgive their sinnes then blot my name out of the book of life Now say they the book of life is Gods election and here Moses prayed that God would blot his name out of the book of life Intimating say they a man may be elected and written in that book and yet afterward blotted out and perish To which I answer That this prayer of Moses is onely a wish or supposition as Pauls was when he wisht he were accursed from Christ for his kindred in the flesh Now a man may suppose mountaines of Gold and suppose things that never were nor ever shall be in being bare suppositions put nothing in being so here that Moses makes a supposition in a patheticall prayer this doth no way argue as if his name could be blotted out of the book of life Secondly Rivet he expounds it thus that there is a double book of life The book of life being sometimes taken for the eternall counsell and decree of God as Phil. 4.3 sometimes for the speciall providence of God over men in preserving them among the living So we read Psal 139. In thy book saith David were all my members written meaning not in the book of Gods decree but onely in the book of his providence that all the members of Davids body they were all under the providence of God that none could hurt him And so Rivet with others think that by the book of life here is meant that God would blot out Moses from the book of his speciall protection and let him die as other men rather then this evil should come upon the people of Israel q. d. Destroy my name from among men and doe not protect me any longer Againe they object that in Psal 69.28 It is said Let them be blotted out of the book of life Now say they That is Gods election and to be blotted out implies that a man may be elected and yet perish To this I answer as formerly that the book of life in that place hath no reference to the decree of Gods election but onely to his book of providence that God would not protect wicked men as he doth his own people in a way of providence And other phrases in Scripture will somewhat favour this interpretation As Ezek. 13.9 They shall not be written in the writings of the house of Israel What 's that i.e. let them not any more be thought Israelites nor numbred among the people And Ainsworth I remember compares Psal 69.19 with this place in Ezek. 13.9 and he makes the sence to be one and the same that to be blotted out of the book of life is nothing else then to be out of Gods protection to be blotted out of the catalogue of the living and have ones life in danger to be brought to death And this wish David wished for those wicked men But then they object further from Revel 22.19 If any man shall take away from the words of this book God shall take away his part in the book of life Here say they by book of life is unquestionably meant Gods decree and the Scripture saith they that take any thing from this booke God will blot him out of the book of life and will undoubtedly damne him To which I answer I confesse in this place the book of life is taken for Gods decree and that a man may be said to be blotted out of this book and yet this no way follow that a man elected may be damned And here let me give you Austins words upon the place which is a very cleare and satisfactory answer That a man may be said to be blotted out of the book of life in two regards First it is equivalent to this phrase that his name shall never be written in the book of life And you have often such phrases in Scripture As it is said in Matthew He that doth evill himselfe and teacheth men so to doe he shall be least in the Kingdome of Heaven Intimating not as if he should come to heaven but that he should not come there at all To be least there is never to be there So here To be blotted out is equivalent to this that they were never in Secondly a mans name may be said to be blotted out of the book of life not as if it were there in deed and in
truth but in their own opinion they thought they were elected and thought their names were written there they had strong conceits of this and though they are now deluded and mistaken yet God will make them know one day when they are in hell that their names are blotted out of the book of life Again Another Scripture they abuse is 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall Now say they if it were not possible for a man elected to fall and fall finally to what end is this caution of the Apostle it were a needlesse caution were it not possible to come to passe To which I answer two things First the Apostle doth not say Let him that stands take heed lest c. but the Apostle saith Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall Intimating that men that think they are elected and think they are in a good condition they should take heed lest they miscarry to all eternity Secondly Take heed lest they fall This falling here is not meant a falling from grace finally and falling into hell and perishing but the falling here is onely a falling into sinne and so an elect man should doe An elect man though he stand firm in Gods decree yet he should take heed all the daies of his life that he fall not into sinne And if you aske me how I make that appeare I answer from the context This is a conclusion or caution the Apostle gives upon the enumeration of severall instances of the people of God that in former ages did sinne against God As some that tempted Christ and sell in one day 23000. Others that fell to fornication and provoked him in the wildernesse With many such sins reckoned up and the summe of all is this that seeing they that were Gods people fell into sinne and were punished therefore you that think you stand and think you are elected you should take heed you fall not into sinne as they did And thus I have done with resolving this second query Thirdly whether doth God elect any man to life and salvation upon foresight of his faith or good works foreseeing that this man will believe therefore I elect him to salvation and the other man doth not believe therefore I chuse him to damnation Whether I say doth God in his eternall decree elect any man to life upon foresight of works Here the Papists and Arminians joyne both together in maintaining of this The reason say they why God elects some and not others is because God did foresee from eternity that that man would be holy and would believe in Christ and therefore God elected him to salvation These are the hard imputations they lay to Gods charge And in the resolving of this I shall answer it in the Negative That God in electing a certain number of men to life and salvation did not doe it upon the foresight of any good works he saw would be in them whether Faith Repentance sanctification or any other grace Indeed it is true the Papists many of them doe not grosly say that it was foresight of good works in generall but the foresight of faith only and so the Arminians But now to overthrow this ungrounded opinion First I shall lay down Scriptures to confirm this that God in electing of men to salvation doth not doe it upon foresight of good workes and then lay down reasons and after that take those objections which seem to darken this truth First for the Scriptures that confirm this we have Rom. 11.5 He hath saved a remnant according to the election of grace Intimating that the remnant that are saved it is onely of grace not of foreseen works So Eph. 1.5 11. He hath elected us according to the good pleasure of his own will Gods meere good will was the impulsive cause of mans election and nothing in man So likewise Rom. 9.11 That Gods election might stand not according to our works but according to the good pleasure of him that called us So 2 Tim. 1.9 Not of works but according to his own purpose and grace Upon his good pleasure and his good will to mankind upon that ground election stands But now to adde some reasons why it cannot be that God should determine in his own counsell to save man upon the foresight of his works I shall name three or foure As First because the inferiour priviledges that God bestows upon his people as vocation and justification though they are in actuall being are not for their good works therefore much lesse is election for good works onely foreseen First for Vocation 2 Tim. 1.19 We are called not according to our own works but according to the purpose of his own grace And then for justification we are not justified for works neither Rom. 3.34 We are justified freely by his grace for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified Now if vocation and justification be not for works much lesse is election for works and for works foreseen not in being in us Secondly because then it would follow that children dying in infancy could not be electedâ— for the child being in the mothers wombe if it hath life it hath a soule and so must either be saved or damned But a child while it is in the womb neither acts good or evill Now if God did elect persons to life upon foresight of works then children dying in the wombe could not be elected because there are no works God could foresee in them And then this would be a very uncomfortable doctrine for parents that have children dying young Thirdly then would man have somewhat whereof to boast before his God as if he could lay claime to salvation from him If God were bound to choose men to salvation upon foresight of good works then man might say I thank not God but I thank my believing and thank my good works for these were the motives for which he chose me to glory and thus would poore man boast against his Maker Fourthly Because God hath elected the worst of men when others that have more naturall worth and goodnesse are passed by 1 Cor. 1.27 28. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world c. and base things of the world and things that are despised hath God chosen c. And Matth. 11.25 I thank thee O Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Those that had the greatest worldly wisdome and naturall abilities that most excelled in outward strictnesse and morall vertues are rejected when those that are but babes in understanding who many times are the worst for their moralities are elected which is a cleare demonstration that election is not grounded upon faith or works foreseen for then the best had been chosen before the rest Fifthly Our works carry no proportion to what God hath elected us
first that many men have had their lives free from grosse scandals and yet were men that were not elected by God to life and salvation Secondly that a mans conversation may be free from scandalous sinnes yet if this freedome from scandals proceed from a wrong principle it may be in a person not elected As I will make it appeare There may be a freedome from grosse sinnes proceeding from a threefold principle and yet a man be in a state of damnation and of reprobation As first There may be a freedome from scandals proceeding from religious education secondly from a naturall disposition and thirdly from the power of restraining grace First there may be a freedome from grosse sinnes proceeding from the power of education So the young man in the Gospell Matth. 19.18 19 20. when Christ told him what the Law was Thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not steale thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe thou shalt doe no murder thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. Saith the young man All these have I kept from my youth He was a Pharisee and his parents strict in their course of living and brought him up so from his youth and yet this man no elect man vers 22. Secondly a man may be free from scandalous sins arising from an ingenious naturall disposition A mans disposition may sometimes be utterly averse to some sinnes Plutarch a heathen could say this I had rather it were said there were no such man as Plutarch in the world then to say that Plutarch was unchaste Plutarch was a drunkard or Plutarch was a swearer Mans naturall temper may sometimes be free from grosse sinnes and yet he not an elect person for all this And then thirdly a man may be free from grosse sinnes as proceeding from the power of restraining grace Gen. 20.6 I also withheld Abimelech from sinning against me He was a heathen and a wicked man and yet God by the power of restraining grace did keepe Abimelech from running into that exorbitant course of sinning against him So that if a man be free from grosse sinnes and yet proceeding from false principles a man may not be an elect man for all this Unlesse your freedome from sinne proceed from a renewed nature from a sanctified heart and from the saving operation of the holy ghost unlesse it comes from these principles your freedome from grosse sinnes can be no pledge to your soules that you are elected by God to life Thirdly that a man having a good life free from scandalous sinnes if he have not a good heart that is no argument of a man that is within the compasse of Gods election Rom. 2.28 29. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is of the heart whose praise is not of men but of God Intimating that he is not a Christian he is not an elect Jew that was one outwardly that is that was conformable to the rites and customes of the Jewes but he was one that was one inwardly that had his sinnes mortified his nature changed and his heart cleansed he was an elect Jew So that to have a holy life if a man have not an holy heart is no sign that a man is within the compasse of Gods election Fourthly God in electing men to life doth passe by morall and civill honest men that trust and depend upon their own righteousnesse and strict living rather then any sort of men in the World Matth. 21.31 33. saith Christ John Baptist preached the Gospel of repentance but you believed not but publicans and harlots believed Those Pharisees that did depend upon their own righteousnesse their own goodnesse Christ did not call them Christ did not own them God made them not the objects of his election Hence it is said Matth. 9.13 Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance that is men depending upon their own righteousnesse and their own parts they are left out by Christ as if he came not for them but Christ came to call sinners that see their sinne and were vile in their own eyes Christ came to call such Againe 2. The second delusion whereby the divel makes men think they are elected by God is drawn from their externall vocation that they are not onely civilized and moralized ones but they finde the power of the word to call them and upon this vocation they bottom the hopes of their election And they have Scripture for it Rom. 8.30 Whom God predestinates he calls Now God hath called them by the word and they have found the word come with power upon their conscience to reforme the evils of their life And the power of vocation they deem higher as indeed it is then the power of education or naturall temper and therefore think they I having vocation this is an evidence to me of my election To this delusion I shall only say two things by way of answer First it is true indeed the Scripture saith all whom God predestinates he calls but the Scripture doth not say that all whom he calls he predestinates No man that God appoints to life but before he dies God will call him by the word but God doth not say any where that those whom he cals them he did predestinate to life Secondly many men are outwardly called by the word into a profession of Christ when they are not eternally elected by God to salvation Matth. 22.14 Many are called but few are chosen Many are called but all those that are externally called by the word are not chosen nor all ordained to life A man may be called from ignorance to knowledge yet not elected Heb. 6.4 After they were enlightned and had tasted the word of God and the power of the world to come yet they fell away A man may be called from profanenesse to profession from the world into the Church as Simon Magus was yet not elected but remaine in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity Thirdly A third delusion whereby men are deceived by the divell to think they are elected when they are not is this If they cannot plead their education and morall manner of living or if they cannot plead their vocation their last plea is the mercy of God they hope God is a mercifull God and God made them not all to damne them they are Gods creatures made by him and God that made them will save them and hereupon they fasten their hopes that they are in the number of Gods elect ones This is a strong delusion especially amongst ignorant people And to this I shall answer in two particulars First when as men say God is a mercifull God therefore they hope they are elected I answer It is true God is a mercifull God yet God is as just as mercifull he is mercifully just and justly mercifull his mercy cannot intrench upon his justice
nor shall his justice intrench upon his mercy one Attribute shall not clash with another he is no more mercifull then he is just nor is he more just then he is mercifull Secondly though God be a mercifull God yet Gods saving mercy is not so large as to extend to all creatures that live that he hath made You read Esay 27.11 This is a people of no understanding therefore hee that made them will not have mercy upon them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Here you see the Prophet tels them that that God that made them will damne them and that God that formed them that God will shew them no favour So that Gods mercy extends not so farre as to reach to all the works of his hands for if so the divels might claime salvation as well as man for God made them when they were glorious Angels as well as man and therefore if all the works of Gods hands should plead for salvation they might as well come within the compasse of Gods election as wicked men doe And thus you see in these severall Sermons I have finished the Doctrines of Effectuall Vocation and Eternall election I will now a little illustrate the point by laying down ten Propositions which will serve to cleare the Doctrine of Election in many points about it and so conclude First That all men are not the objects of Gods election or of Gods choice And this proposition doth confute the opinion of Origen Origen was of this mind that all mankind should be saved nay the very divels themselves they should all be saved by Christ A most groundlesse and unheard of opinion for all men are not elected to salvation Jude tels us in his Epistle there were some of old ordained to condemnation and if so surely they could not fall within the compasse of Gods election 1 Thes 5.9 There are some ordained to wrath but we are not amongst them saith the Apostle but we are ordained to obtaine salvation by Jesus Christ All are not objects of Gods election to life Secondly that the fewest sort of men and women that God hath made are the the objects of his election God in his own counsell hath elected to life and salvation the fewest sort of men and women in the world And this is a very dreadfull point Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22.14 Rom. 11.5 A remnant according to the election of grace And here in pursuing this head I shall lay down two things under this proposition First that there are but few rich men chosen by God to life and salvation Secondly there are but few civill honest men chosen by God to life and salvation There are but few rich men that fall within the compasse of Gods purpose to save 1 Cor. 1.26 Not many mighty he doth not say not any but not many mighty not many Noble not many great ones of the world are chosen You read Matth. 19.24 That it is as easie for a Camell to goe thorough a Needles eye as for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God As easie for a Camell It is not meant in this sence as some expound it That there was a gate in Hierusalem called the Needles eye a little and low gate which their Camels being laden could not goe through and therefore they must unload the burden and the Camell stoop before they could enter Some think Christs speech had relation to that Beza saith that instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Camel they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Cable which if untwisted may be put through the eye of a Needle but the knot is not untied but cut by this exposition But the words were a proverbiall speech among the Jewes who had this proverb amongst them that when any one spake things either unlikely or unprobable they would say This can be as easily done as a Camel can goe through a Needles eye And Christ alluding to this Proverb saith that rich men that dote upon their riches and cleave to their wealth and rather part with heaven and Christ and soule and all then part with their riches Christ makes it an unpossible thing for such rich men to come into heaven As I once told what Buchanan said lying upon his death-bed in a message to King James I am going to that place where few Kings come And beloved the speech is true for not many wise not many mighty not many Noble hath the Lord chosen Secondly few civill honest men doe fall within the compasse of Gods choyce to save Morall men that trust upon their civility and morall honesty and plain dealing few or none of these come to Heaven Publicans and Harlots shall come to Heaven before you Matth. 21.32 Whores and harlots believe in me when you doe not saith Christ Thirdly that though God in his own counsell hath determined or made choice but of the fewest number of men and women to life and salvation yet this doth no way intrench upon the mercy of God this doth no way lessen or impeach the mercy of God Men may think as if surely God had cast off all bowels and cast off all mercy What God make such a world of men as he hath done and save but a few of these Man might think as if God were a hard master that delighted in the destruction of man that had forgotten to be gracious such a hard charge will they be apt to lay upon God But now beloved that God hath elected so few a number to life this doth no way impeach the mercy of God And this I make appeare thus because God was bound to save none at all therefore you cannot challenge God either with unmercifulnesse or unfaithfulnesse if he should save none It was a meer act of his bounty and good will that he would save any Nay secondly there is that in man in the best of men that might justly provoke God not to save any And therefore if God save any it is of grace And this is a certain rule that God doth shew more mercy in saving of one then he would have done rigour of justice had he damned all As may be made plain by this comparison Suppose fourty men guilty of Rebellion were arraigned for their lives and were condemned to die by the Law if the Prince pardon foure of these forty he shewes more mercy in pardoning the foure then he doth rigour of justice in condemning the forty Why because the fact deserved death in all alike So it is with God every man upon earth deserves death and damnation if God cull out any of the masse of mankind to save them he shewes more mercy then he had done rigorous justice should he have destroyed all because he is bound to save none at all Fourthly God in electing a certain number to life doth it without foresight of any good works which he saw would be in them Indeed the Papists and Arminians joyn their
strength to maintaine this God say they foresaw men would believe in Christ and would be holy in their lives and therefore God did chuse them to life This you may remember I spent some time in overthrowing formerly and therefore pass it over now viz. That God did not chuse men to life with reference to any good works he foresaw in them This indeed is an undoubted truth All men whom God did elect to life he foresaw they would have good works in them but Gods foreseeing of this was not the cause for which God did elect them No the motive was his own will according to the pleasure of his own grace Rom. 9.11 and Rom. 11.5 A remnant are saved according to the election of grace for if it were of works grace is no more grace Were election upon foresight of good workes then it would follow that infants dying in infancy were not within the compasse of Gods election because an infant so dying could not performe any good works and so their case would be most miserable Besides we are not justified by actuall workes therefore not elected upon works foreseen Rom. 3.24 for there is the like reason of these two Fifthly That Gods election is so free that in chusing and electing men to life and salvation he doth not doe it for the sake of Jesus Christ himselfe Understand this well that therein you might both give Christ his due and God the father his due for mistake me not God doth save none but by Christ but God did elect men without reference to Jesus Christ as the motive of election meerly according to the purpose of his own will All modern and latter Divines lay down this for a truth that it was the meere pleasure and good will of God to man that was the motive of Gods electing us and not Christ Christ could not be the cause because he was the effect Now what is the effect cannot be the cause Gods love in electing mankind did produce Jesus Christ to be the meanes of our salvation and of bringing about Gods election therefore he being the effect of election cannot be the cause The cause of election was eternall but the merits of Christ were not so Again Christ was elected himselfe 1 Pet. 1.20 He was preordained of God before the World was Now he that was elected himself could not be the cause of our election Besides the elect are said to be given to Christ to be saved John 17.2 therefore he was not the cause of our election It is true the Scripture tels us Eph. 1.4 We are elected in Christ i. we are elected in Christ as a common person God first chose Christ and then believers in Christ as menbers of his body But God elects no man for Christs sake but man is chosen meerly of Gods bounty without reference to Jesus Christ And here Divines say Gods love in electing man to life was as free as if Christ had never died and it was so free that man was not beholding to Christ for his election and yet Christs sufferings were so full as if men were not bound to God for their election Thus they are pleased to expresse it And the reason why the Scripture speakes thâ—s that we are onely chosen in Christ not for Christ is to give God the Father his due in electing men to life that God did it meerly of his own grace and therein Gods love and favour is apparent to all the world that he did elect man without Christ as the motive of his election and yet Jesus Christ being come into the world he carries on our salvation and he is the cause of it though he was not the cause of Gods first thoughts in electing man to life 6. All men that are elected by God to life and salvation shall sooner or later before they die be called into a state of conversion and believing Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternall life believed So that God the father in ordaining man to life hath ordained this also that before they die they shall be a converted and believing people and therfore men remaining unconverted uncalled unbelieving they are not the objects of Gods election Seventhly that God in chusing or electing men to life doth let his election runne ordinarily unto the meanest and unto the worst sort of men in the world men that have least naturall endowments lest morall excellencies least worldly gallantry ordinarily election runs that way God hath chosen the poore things of this world and things despised and things that are not hath he chosen 1 Cor. 1.27 Jam. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poore of this world to be rich in faith Ordinarily the Lord chuseth poor and meane men that have no naturall or morall excellencies Hence it was that when Christ left the learned Pharisees and Doctors among the Jewes the ignorant and poore people they flocked after Jesus Christ they looked after Jesus Christ when the rich and great men of the world had no share in him Eighthly that a man may be an elect child of God and yet not expresse the fruit of his election in many yeeres here in the world and this is a very comfortable point An instance you have of this in Paul It is observable of Paul the Scripture tels us he was a chosen vessell Acts 9.15 and yet Paul lived many yeeres before the fruit of his election appeared in him Some Historians say Paul lived 37. the least say 30 yeers before the fruit of election appeared in him for he was converted the very yeere after Christs death and all the while before he did expresse fruit that was seemingly repugnant to an elect estate as if a man could not be an elect vessell that was so vile as he he was a blaspheme a persecuter injurious to the Church haled men to prison mad with rage against the professors of Jesus Christ Nay he was a man that had a hand in putting Steven the first Martyr to death So long he lived in a course of iniquity for 30. yeeres together and yet this man was an elect vessell then So the Thiefe upon the Crosse an elect child of God yet did not expresse the fruit of his election in repentance and conversion untill the last houre of his life So that I say a man may be an elect childe of God and yet not expresse the fruit of his election in his life for many yeeres Ninthly that God for the great love he beares to his elect that are in the world lets Reprobates and wicked men enjoy many mercies and outward deliverances for their sakes Mark 13.19 20. There shall be tribulation saith Christ such as was not from the beginning of the world nor shall be to the end thereof but for the elect sake those daies shall be shortned For his elect sake God did mitigate did shorten God did take away that trouble from them So Esa 1.9 Had
the better know they should live for ever and everlastingly be saved Keep close to God in reading his written Word and this will be of great use Because there are Promises scattered throughout the veines of Scripture Not a Scripture almost you can read but there is a promise or support for your faith one way o◠other Thirdly Keep close to God in a constant and consciencious hearing of his Word and this is a great means to get assurance Luke 1.76 Thou shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way that is thou shalt go to prepare the peoples hearts that they may receive Jesus Christ that followes after This is spoken of John Baptist And what was the effect of hearing John preach To give knowlege of salvation to his people for the remission of their sins not onely to give them salvation but to give them knowledge and assurance of this salvation O live under the Ministery and under John Baptists Ministery that preacheth repentance and humiliation and that is the Ministery will give most assurance of your salvation Fourthly Keep in communion with God in a daily trying and examining your own hearts Gal. 6.4 If any man think himselfe to be somewhat when he is nothing he deceiveth himselfe but let every man prove his own works and then he shall have rejoycing in himselfe That is let a man examine himselfe and prove his heart and this will be a means to work joy in the heart that they shall have comfort and joy in themselves in the assurance of their happiness Beloved what 's the reason you do not keep assurance the reason is you keep not close to God in a way of communion in these duties of holinesse you keep not to God in a way of prayer and reading and examining your hearts and proving your comforts and your own estate and that 's the reason you are no more full and no more firm Secondly if you would keep your comforts keep your conscience clear from harbouring the guilt of linne Job 11.14 15. I iniquity be in thy hands put it far away if sinne be in thy conversation away with it Let not sinne be in thy heart nor in thy house then shalt thou list up thy face to God without spot thou shalt be stedfast before him and not fear This will ballance thy spirit and keep thy heart from fear and keep thee in a stedfast assurance if thou keep thy conscience clear Thirdly If thou wouldst keep assurance gather and heap together all the experiences thou hast had of God in thy heart in times past I called to remembrance the dayes of old Psal 77.7 Call to remembrance all the experiences thou hast had of God and had of Christ and of thy own grace and the fruits of Gods Spirit in thy own soul and this will wonderfully keep up thy assurance Rom. 5.4 The Apostle tels us Experience worketh hope The more experimental you are and the more you gather experience together the more you strengthen hope and the more hope is strengthened the more assurance is gained These are the particulars you must practise in case you would preserve in your brest this assurance of your effectual calling Secondly There are some things you are to avoid and take heed of in case you would perpetuate assurance in your hearts and those I shall comprize under six heads First Take heed you do not wallow in and give your selves to sensual joy and pleasure There is nothing in the world will more eat out spiritual joy and that effectual assurance in your hearts then giving your selves too much to carnal joy and sensual pleasure which takes away the heart The more your joy runnes in that channel after sensual pleasure the less it runs towards God and the comforts that are above godly sorrow is the seed plot of spiritual joy Secondly The evill of earthly mindedness take heed of that if ever you would keep your comforts There is nothing in the world will more blast your comforts then an earthly minde to be still poring upon the things of the world What the Philosophers say of the Eclipse of the Sun that it is occasioned by the intervening of the Moon between the Sun our sight is true in this case The Moon is an emblem of the world If the world get between Christ the Sun of Righteousnes and our sight it will darken our sight of Jesus Christ and bring eclipses upon our comforts and graces Those men that dig deepest into the bowels of the earth they are oftentimes choaked and stifled by damps that come from the earth So it is with Christians those that will be ever poring and digging about the things of this world it is a thousand to one if from worldly things a damp doth not arise to smother their comforts and quench their graces the world pierceth with sorrow therefore must needs damp your joys A candle though it may shine to the view of all yet put it but under ground and though there be not a puffe of winde the very damps will stifle the light of the flame Beloved though you shine like candles in your comforts yet bring them but under the earth and a clod of earth will stifle your candle will damp your comforts There is nothing laies a Christian under more losse in his assurance then worldly-mindedness Thirdly Avoid remisseness in religious duties If you slack in duties you will slack in comforts lesse duties and lesse comforts go together If a man doth let loose the tacklings of his ship and let slack the sailes that ship cannot go with so swift a motion specially if winde and tide be against it the ship must needs go backward Believers that are assured Christians they are like a ship under saile you go against winde and tide against nature and against corruption against Temptation and the devil and all now if you let slack your sailes and grow remisse in duties you will quickly slack in your comforts whatever weakens your graces and straitens your duties will impaire your assurances and eclipse your comforts and therefore take heed of remisseness in a way of duties oh do not less work when you have most encouragement Fourthly Take heed of spiritual pride If once you begin to admire your selves you then lose your selves If once you are proud of your graces it is a provocation to make God take away your comforts and to make you lose your graces I mean lose them not in the very being but in the comfort and exercise of them pride it is the great murderer of a Christians comforts Fifthly Take heed of grieving the Spirit of God Grieve not the holy Spirit saith the Apostle whereby you are sealed to the day of Redemption The Spirit of God is a sealing Spirit O grieve not this Spirit Ità nos tractat Spiritus sicut tractatur The Spirit deals with us as we deal with