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 fight 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 â—o pitch and rest it selfe for the next night yet behold how cheerfully doth this Bird sing when man and a Christian man that knows God to be his Father that hath not only crumbs of outward 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 caâ—led 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 aâ—d singiâ—g 〈◊〉 â—â—tâ—â—ng lâ—y â—t thâ— Leaâ—â— whâ—n â— Christian iâ—â—â—d and â—â—â—ing anâ—â—â—â—aâ—yin◠〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 in diâ—â—ontâ—nts and 〈…〉 bâ—comes not a Chrâ—â—â—ian Assâ—red Christians they shoâ—â—â— be cheerful Christâ—â—â—s Ninthly â—â—sured Châ—â—stians they should bâ—â—hankfull Christians Fâ—r one to give a man a proâ—â—â—e it is â—orth thanks but when a man shall not â—nly give but â—ssure that promise that he will mâ—ke iâ— good that is â—ore tâ—anks-worthy Beloved if God had only promisâ—d you a heaven and had given no assurance it was thanks-worthy but whâ—n God shall give thee his Broad Seal that shall seal thee up to the day of Redemption and wheâ— God shall give theâ— 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 kindness and thou hast marvellous loving kindnesse My soule bless 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 carfully to keep and preserve your assurance There is no less skill saith the Poet to be put forth in keeping vertue then in getting of it It is said of Hannibal he was a 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 therefore I am now to press that you would be carâ—full 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 doe and some things you must avoid and take heed of First There are some things you must do and those I shall comprize under two or three 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 godliness 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 only that you have life but that you might know it By reading the writings of John John tels them they might 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 veins of Scripture Not a Scripture almost you can read but there is a promise or support for your faith one way or other Thirdly Keep close to God in a constant and conscientious hearing of his Word and â—his is a great meanes to get assurance Luk. 1.76 Thou shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare hiâ— way that is thou shalt goe to prepare â—he peoples hearts that they may receive Jesus Christ that followâ—â—â—â—er This is â—poken of John Baptist And what was the effect of hearing John preach To give knowledge of salvation to his peâ—ple for the remission of their sins not only to give them salvation but to give them knowledge and assurance of this salvation O live under the Ministery and under Iohn 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 himself to be somewhat when he is nothing he deceiveth himself 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 meanes 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 holiness 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 sinne Iob 11.14 15. If iniquity be in thy hands put it far away if sinne be in thy conversation away with it Let not sinne be in thy
them by the word whether those saving effects which God doth work in an elect person be wrought in your soules or no and that is tâ—e way to come to a sure and certain knowledge of your elecâ—ion 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 tâ—stimony 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 go by in searching whethâ—r 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 shal content my self with the naming of six saving effects First every man that is elected sooner or later 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 Ghâ—st that is oâ—â— Gospel did not come in word onelâ— to affect youâ— eâ—rs and rest there but our word came with poweâ— being bâ—â—kâ— with the operation of the Spirit for your conveâ—â—ion This work all men that are elected sooner or later must come under to have the power of the word come with authâ—rity upon Conscience for his effectual calling So Rom. 8.30 Whom he predestinated whom he appointed to life tâ—eâ— he called And therefore Beloved who ever you are if you live and die without having the power of the Word to pass upon your soule for your â—ffectual Calling you may lay your hâ—arâ—s under this Conclusion that you are no elected by God to obâ—ain life and salvation For Whom he hath predestinated them he calls Secondly a man that is elected by God to life sooner or later God will sanctifie him by renewing and regenerating grace And this is onely different from the former in degree for calling is sanctificaâ—ion 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 your 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 foreseen but it is through it as a means whereby we are brought to salvation sanctificaâ—ion shâ—ll runne through our 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 doubtless 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 shal sooner or later be brought into a state of believing Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed No man that is ordained to eternal 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 only to them Fourthly That man that is elected sooner or later before he dies God will work in his heart a special 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 ye hear not his words To be of God that is to belong to God by election Now he that is of God God will in time make him hear his word with delight and love but he that takes no delight therein is noâ— elected of God 1 John 4.5 6. Fifthly The Lord will sooner or later work in the heart of an elect man love to the people of God and compassion to those who are not the elect and chosen one of God Col. 3.12 Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercy and loving kindness The Apostle there by the manner of phrase doth seem to intimate thus much Put on as the elect of God c. As if it were a thing ordained to and inseparable from an elect man after his effectual calling that he should have bowels of mercy towards those that are not called and that he should have loving kindness towards those that are called For a man that is once elected and hath the execution of that decree in effectual calling it is proper to him to have bowels of mercy Sixthly God will sooner or later work an elect man into a new course of living and of obedience from what he had in times past 1 Pet. 1.2 You are elected according to the foreknowledg of God through sanctification to obedience that though you were disobedient before serving divers lusts yet God if he hath chosen you will bring you in a course of obedience Rom. 8.29 He hath predestinated us What to doe that we might be conformable to the image of his Son God intends that that person whom he chooseth to life should be conformable to Jesus Christ and that he shall live another manner of life then before that though he hath formerly been subject to sinne and satan yet then he shall walk in waies of obedience to Jesus Christ Thus having briefly finisht these heads I have onely foure or five cautions to lay down to bound what hath been said within the limits of truth As First Take notice that these six defects do not extend to children who die while they are children but to men and women that are grown in years A childe that cannot act reason as he is a childe cannot have any of these particulars wrough in him at least in that way and manner men of years have A childe as it is an infant hath not conversion in that way a man hath though it hath somewhat equivalent to it as somewhat like sanctification and somewhat like that faith men of years have but what that is and how wrought man cannot determine In pressing of this therefore I
merciful to men that sin of malicious wickednesse And therefore beloved all you that so live and resolve you will die and haply do die and yet sin obstinately that let God command what he can you wil do what you please let the Minister say what he will you will do what you lift that sin against knowledge and against conscience and without any reluctancy resolve to live and die in a course of sin the Lord be merciful 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 powerful 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 hear but not understand by seeing you shall see but not perceive â—his peoples heart is waxed gross their ears dull in hearing their eyes shut lest at any time they should see with their eyes hear with â—heir ears understand with their hearts and be converted and I â—hould saâ—e them Here is the judgement God laies upon such â—inneâ—s that they shall have eyes and not see they shall be igâ—orant their hearts shall â—axe grosse they shall be uncapable â—f taking any impression of tâ—e word upon them And whaâ—'s â—he end of all this left they should be converted and I should â—ave â—hem implying that if God lets you that live under the Miâ—iâ—â—ry to have dark eyes and hard hearts it is an argument God hath no intent to save you and therefore his purpose is to condemn you So John 12.40 He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and be converted Here 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 do live and die in this temper that they have lived year after year under a powerful Ministry and yet they grow more blind in judgement and more profane in life and more hard in heart after 20 30 40 years hearing then they were before that the word doth but draw out their wickedness and makes them more profane and more to oppose godliness 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 hardened 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 hardened The Lord there makes it the badge of them that are not elected that they are a blinded people and a hardned people Imitating 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 reform 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 do you any good another day Fifthly when God doth give up men to strong delusions not only to believe lies themselves but to teach lies to seduce others when the Lord leaves them 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 errouâ—s that are foundamental 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 soul is in a world of danger Read that Text 2. Pet. 2.1 2 3. There were false Prophets among the people like as their 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 an 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 Counsel to do them good Sixthly Men that live and die in a continual spurning and opposition against the Gospel and word of God powerfully preached it is a dreadful sign they are not within the compass of Gods election 1 John 4.5 6. You are not of God for you hear not his word So John 12. He that heareth the word is of God but you hear not his word therefore you are not of God Therefore you belong not to him But more pregnant to this purpose is that place Act. 13.46 47 48. It was necessary the word of God 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 eternal 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 endure 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 Chron. 25.16 By this I know that the Lord hath purposed to destroy thee because thou hast not harkned to my counsel Thus you see the Scripture makes it the badge of a man that doth not fall within the compasse of Gods election to bring
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 mountains of Gold and suppose things that never were nor never shall be in being bare suppositions put nothing in being so here that Moses makes a supposition in a pathetical 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 eternal councel and decree of God as Phil. 4.3 sometimes for the special providence of God over men in preserving them amongst 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 only 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 special 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 do not protect me any longer Again 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 Rev. 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 book God will blot him out of the book of life and will undoubtedly damn 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 clear 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 this 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 himself 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 needless 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 left 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 â—an should doe An elect man though he stand firme in Gods decree yet he should take heed all the dayes 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 several instances of the people of God that in former ages did sin against God As some that tempted Christ and fell in one day 23000. Others that fell to fornication and provoked him in the Wildernâ—sse 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 will not believe therefore I chuse him to damnation Whether I say doth God in his eternal decree elect any man to life upon foresight of works Here the Papists and Arminians joyn 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
it be true or no there may be an external Call when there is no inward calling by the operation of the Spirit upon your hearts In the managing of this Point I shal 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 â—ay be assured in your own hearts that you are effectually callâ—â— 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 memory and judgment to apprehend Onely in this description there are laid down foure differences to distinguish effectual Calling from that ordinary or outward Calling that wicked men have by the Ministry 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 conformity 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 wonderfull change in the heart but an external Calling no way reacheth the heart onely worketh some kind of civil or common alteration in the life 3. It 's said Effâ—ctual Calling is wrought by the inward operation of the Spirit accompanying the outward Ministry of the word whereas an External Call is onely by the word but no inward saving worke of the Spirit at all 4. It 's said of Effâ—ctual Calling that it is from the Dominion of sin but External Calling is onely 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 visâ—ble and external actings of sin but it no way works upon the inclination to take off the affection from sin whereas the 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 First Because there are many professing the Gospel that do harbour ungrounded perswasions that they are effectually called when they are not Now if any men be deceived why may not you And if any 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 confuts 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 Devil Thus many men run into these grosse mistakes to beleive 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 businesse Secondly Because there is this natural aptnesse in all of us in things that are of any value concerning the body you will be sure to make sure of them It may be if you have Brasse and Pewter or baser Mettals your Kitchin shall 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 will 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 body 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 Glory Glory 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 Testimony of Christs Spirit in your own spirit by the word to evidence unto you upon good ground that the Ship shall be safe and the Commodities brought secure to the Haven that Ship Body Soul and all shall come safe to Heaven Beloved if men will 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 â—urned 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 twenty and being ask'd the reason Why he would do so O saith he it is good to be sure Why Beloved shall a Usurer in all his wayes be so secure and so heedful in all his disbursments that he could say It is good to be sure and may not I much more say to you It is good to be sure of Heaven it is good to be sure you are effectually called by Jesus Christ it is good to be sure that you are Christians in truth not in name onely that you are Christians in Deed not in Profession onely O it is good to make your Calling and Election sure Thirdly Christians should labour to assure this because the more assured you are of your Effectual Calling the more it will heighten and increase your inward peace and Comfort 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory It is very observable that in all the Epistles of the new Testament where the Apostle speaks of their effectual calling to be Saints in the very next verse he salutes them with these words Grace and Peace be towards you 1 Cor. 1.2 You are called to be Saints
love the Word of Christ that was an instrument of his calling and the Minister that preach'd that word which was the meanes 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 throughout 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 3. If God hath effectually called you he will by his Spirit bring you out of a state of ignorance and darkness and give you some measure of knowledge 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 praise of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light i.e. out of ignorance into a great measure of knowledge And it is called a marvellous light 1. Because it is marvellous if you compare that knowledge you shal 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 knowledge 3. It is called marvellous 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 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 Satan 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 John 8.12 Now this call from darkness to light hath two branches 1. A man shal have more Light to have more acquaintance with and more clearness in the mysteries of Jesus Christ And 2. more Light to know the sinfulness of himself First He shal 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 soules if you have no competent measure of the knowledge of Christ you may be under this conviction that you are not yet called by Jesus Christ Nay further he doth not only call you unto this Light to manifest Jesus Christ to you in some dim way but you shal have a clear light 2 Cor. 4.6 For Gâ—d 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 knowledge of the things appertaining to Jesus Christ Again Secondly This shall not only reveal Christ to thee but this light shal also reveal thy Selfe to thee the sinfulness of thy self It is observable of Paul that before his calling he was after the law blameless he thought himself to be a faultless man but when the word called him then he cries out I see sin to be exceeding sinfull then he saw sin to be sin and himâ—elfe 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 to 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 callâ—ng must not be sound and therefore take heed I would fain mâ—ke my Ministry searching that hypocrites may not lie lurking under it You would be better Christians if you were better acquainted with all that unsoundness and that wretchedness 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 wil 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 He that hath heard and learned of the father shal come unto mâ— he doth not say all they that hear of the father many men doe hear the word but never close in with Christ but all they that have heard and by hearing have learnt and are called come unto me and close in with me and cleave to me and take content and delight in me Beloved there are many that hear the word yet never goe out of themselves and never close in with Christ yea but all they that hear and learn that hear and are called by hearing they all come in to Jesus Christ Wherefore all you that in hearing cannot finde your hearts in love with Christ cannot finde your hearts to close in with Christ and believe in Christ you have just cause to suspect your call that your calling is not effectual 1 Cor. 1.24 The Apostle tels you there were other men counted Christ foolishness but to you that are called Christ is the power and wisdome of God that is you do acknowlâ—dge and you do conceive of Jesus Christ that he hath as much power as God hath in him and as much wisdome as God hath in him and you close in with Chrrst for that end when other men think Christ to be
the company of godly 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 godly man this a wicked man may do 3. They may write Letters of commendation in the behalf of a godly 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 this 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 behalfe of Paul to Felix the Governour 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 they did grow and count Paul their enemy for telling them the truth 5. They may expresse such love that in times of danger they may take care of the safety of godly men So Acts 23.27 Claudias Lâ—sias when he heard Paul was in danger of his life he came with an Army 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 godly 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 godly 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 godly 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 Iohn did not love the Lady because she was a Lady or because she was a goodly woman but for the riuths sake that dwelt in her Whereas wicked men they love a godly man but not as godly under that notion Therefore you shal see the difference between Iohns love to a godly 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 godly 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 Matth. 5.46 47. If ye love them that love you what reward have you doe not even the Publicans so So that you see a wide difference between the love of a godly 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 ' â—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 Suffer one with another love as Brethren This shews your love to be true when it hath pity and compassion to attend it I passe now to a third delusion which indeed is a main delusion and hath deceived many specially those that professe 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 dayes past and hereby the Devil 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 ye are washed c. Now this being so universal a delusion amongst 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 enlarge my self in speaking of this particular and shall lay down six or seven particulars wherein I shall shew that this ground taken in general is no infallible evidence of a mans effectual calling First Because there are many gradual changes which do not come up or amount to a saving change or alteration of the heart of man As there as a change from a Pagan to a Christian so was Julian chang'd yet a man never called by Jesus Christ Thâ—n there is a change from a persecuter to be a countenancer of Religion so we read Valerius Maximinus was changâ—d who was the vilâ—st persecuter of all men in his time and the hand of God lying so sore upon him for that sin that his very bowels rotted within him and the very worms crept out of them and in horrour of conscience he cryed out to his Nobles about him perswading them by his example to take heed never to persecute the Christians more Now both these were great changes and yet they are but gradual changes that leave men abundantly short of those saving changes that God works in them that are effectually called Thirdly There is a change from prophanenesse to profession and yet this is a step below a saving change Fourthly there is a step from profession into sincerity into a real possession of Iesus Christ Now those three steps they fall short of a saving change and therefore every change of life doth not not argue a man to be effectually called because there are many gradual changes that do not amount to so high a pitch as this to be savingly changed Secondly There may be a change in the life when there is no change in the nature or in the heart Matth. 23. they may wash the outside of the cup when within it is full of pollution The
example both in life and worship we finde in Scripture to be a very efficatious meanes 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 means oftentimes to convince 1 Pet. 3.16 They shall be ashamed to speak evil 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 ashaemed 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. 14.23.25 If there comes an unbeliever among you and 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 unbeleiver 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 unto your husbands what then that your husbands that 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 efficatious 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 poor 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 some Chapters in the Bible or some other holy mans book and that made me first to hate sin and love the waies 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 tyed 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 unto 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 cheifly 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 our 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 control 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 shal 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. Austine 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 drunkeness not in chambering and wantounesse and the reading of this verse wrought upon him I have read of Cyprian that he was converted by reading the Prophesie of Jonas hearing of Gods mercy to save such a wicked people and of Gods mercy to Jonas when he was in so pettisâ— 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 and hath been a famous Minister since for the conversion of many hundreds to Jesus Christ Junius was converted by reading the first of John so the Eunuch was converted by reading Isa 53.7 Beloved God is not bound to any one way in saving man He that wrought upon Austin by a verse reading and upon another by a Sermon he can do so by thee Reading is an ordinance of God and God is not bound up but may use that as a means of thy effectual call likewise Thirdly Yea but saith another doubting soul Peradventure I was never wrought upon neither by seeing godly people among whom I lived and observing their example nor was I wrought upon by reading good books but I was first wrought upon by hearing such a Minister that I now see is run into error or a Minister that is grown loose in his practice hapily in these present times gone to joyn with the enemy against the Kingdom and become a vile liver and the Minister being bad that wrought upon me makes me question whether the work be not an unsound and bad work also and this gravels many a Christian likewise To which I answer briefly First That suppose the Minister were bad that wrought upon thee yet the badnesse of the Minister is no just ground of making us suspect our calling For then we should never be sure of our call A man may be sure of his own conversion though a man may not be sure of the conversion of him by whose means he was called Secondly Again in is clear in Scripture God may use Ministers that are wicked themselves to convert others The Ministers of the seven Churches of Asia doubtlesse some of them were bad men Paul tells you 1 Cor. 9.17 I keep under my body lest when I preach to others I my self may
the very word emports 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 Devils at the day of judgment 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 eternal life and salvation therefore called ordination to eternal life Act. 13.48 Secondly Whether may a Christian in this life be assured of his eternal Election forasmuch 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 councel how can it be said that we may know and be assured of our Eternal 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 predestinated 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 conjectural assurance or some kinde of hopes of salvaiton 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 several places of Scripture Read Luke 10.20 Rejoyce not saith Christ to his disciples that you have power to cast out Devils that they are subject to you but rather rejoyce in this that your names are written in the book of life That is rejoice 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 Thess. 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 spiritual blessings in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation 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 clear yet there are some objections that seemingly oppose this truth which I must satisfie The Papists as far 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 seemes to make against it The first Text they urge is 1 Pet. 1.17 Passe the time of your sojourning here in fear This Scripture say they bids us passe our time in fear and if so then we cannot be assured of our Election but we must fear all the daies of our life whether we are elected or no. To this I shall answer briefly You must know the fear that the holy Ghost here presseth that men should passe their time in fear is not meant of a fear about our election but it is meant of a feare of sin 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 appear 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 blood and so by consequence knew their Election Therefore the Apostle did not presse a fear to beat down the knowledge of their election bâ—t passe your time in fear i.e. fear to offend God and fear to sin against him Another objection they urge â—s this The Scripture say they doth often commend feare to us and surely fear and assurance cannot stand together Prov. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Now if a man must alwaies fear then the mâ—st a man can have is hope and so hang between hope and fear all our daies To which I answer That the fearing alwaies iwhich Solomon annexed blessednesse unto is not meant of the fear about a mans election but only a fear to sin against God And if you ask me how that appeares read the whole verse Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes but he thaet hardens his heart shall run into mischiefe Now mark by the Antithesis it is apparent that fear there is not a fear of our everlasting estate but onely a feare in opposition to hardnesse of heart in wicked men that go 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 carnal 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 sin 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 ask how I make it appear that this is the intendment and scope of the place I answer by the Context Read the foregoing verse Let us not tempt Christ as they tempted him let us not us murmur as some of them murmured for these thingâ— hapned to â—hâ—m for ensamples and are written for our admonition Therefore let him
that thiâ—keth 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 soâ—e men tempt Christ this shoâ—â—â— make you afraid lest you fall into sinne and suffer the punishment they did But what is this â—o the denying of assurance that mâ—n cannot be assured of their Election Another place thâ—y urge also is Phil. 2.12 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Now say they if a man must work out and caâ—ry on the business of his salvation with fear and trembling then â—urely a man can never be assured in this life of his election To which I answer That fear aâ—d trembling â—here spoken of is not a fear and trembling in opposition to the assurance of our election but in opposition to that carnal 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 fear and tremble in that regard Secondly fear 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 fear 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 fear I will worship towards thine holy Temple Here is fear 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 perfect love casteth out feare I answer that though Iohn saith perfect love casteth out fear 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 makâ—s nothing against us but that â— man may have a grounded assurance of his eternal Election Another place they object is Rom. 11.20 Be not high minded but fear To this I answer These words are not spoken of feaâ—ing our Election that we should fear whether we are elected or no. But serves to beat down any opinion of our own â—ighteousness as if we were therefore accepted of God and to keâ—p us from insulting over the rejected Jewes now that we are taken in in their room One Scripture more which indeed is the main Pillar they rest upon is Rom. 11 34. Who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour Here say the Papists the Scripture challengeth any man in the world to come forth and say that he knows 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 knowes the minde of God then certainly none know their own Election for that is Gods minde and Gods decree this they hold an undeniable Argument And here to satisfie you in this Scripture I shall lay down â—hree things First When it is said No man knows the minde of God nor no man is his Counsellour this doth hold true that no man knows the minde 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 Iewes were damned men and they censured and vaunted over them Now saith Paul None knows Gods minde concerning others whether â—hey 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 Iudas no man knows the reason of Gods decree and of his wayes 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 is nigh thee even in 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 Pet. 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 deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls 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 owne Election though done from all eternity I come now to shew you how the people of God may be assured in their owne hearts that they are eternally elected And hâ—râ— 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 conjectural faith or hope you may be savâ—d 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 self For no man is bound to an impossible thing 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 far 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 handing a doctrine to be trembled at while you are attending to it And in the resolving this quere you must take this rule that you cannot get assurance by ascending into Gods decree but by descending into your own hearts searching
him to life and glory to live and die in opposition to the word of God Seventhly and this we may speak more confidently and positively that that man is not within the compasse of Gods election who sinnes the sin 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 sin 1 John 5.16 Now I know there are many men who confine this sin only to the Pharisees as if they onely were guilty of it There are others that say this sin is seldome committed and so many Divines speak favourably of it but Beloved I am perswaded this sin is oftner committed then most men in the world dream of and many men are plunged into this sin that think well of their own souls The sin against the holy Ghost is only this It is a wilful and deliberate act in a professor of Religion whereby he doth not onely fall from his profession but he runns into a course of sin knowingly against conscience obstinately against counsel and maliciously against Jesus Christ This is briefly a descrption of this sin Now I am perswaded there are many in the world that have professed Religion that are if not in this sin yet at the very next door to it And if a man be gone thus farre this is called in Scripture a sin unto death a sin which if a man fall into he may be sure he shall be damned And thus I have in breif 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 unto salvation or no. I have now from this sad Doctrine only a few comfortable positions to lay down and so conclude As 1. That though these partâ—culars 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 elected man We were saith Paul sometimes disobedient deceived and served divers lusts Titus 3.3 And Eph. 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 ye were children of wrath as well as others In times past before calling you may come very neer to these evils yet be within the compass of Gods election Provided that you do 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 do 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 holiness sin never troubles them profaneness 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 sign 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 civil honest men and ingeniouâ—â—emperate mâ—n and commonly runns to men that have been scandalous loose Atheistical profane livers before they were called Matth. 21.31 Whores and Harlots shall come to Heaven before you Manasseh that was a cruel murderer and Idolater yet election ran to him Mary Magdalen a common strumpet out of whom Christ cast seven Devils 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 vessel unto God and obtained mercy God to magnifie the riches of his free grace le ts election 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 with Jesus Christ and look 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 run unto men as bad as you and though you may be now men profane in your lives yet you may be objâ—cts of Gods election SERMON XIV 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure THe last Doctrin I drew from these words was this That Christians should put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls 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 universal 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 counsel 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 lift whether this doctrine will favour this desperate conclusion yea or no First whether election be universal or no This is that the Arminians and Papists do mightily drive at And here they lay down this conclusion which they make unquestionable That there is such a thing as a certain universal 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 universal redemption Now against this I shall lay down several Scriptures and then take off the objections that seems to strengthen this opinion First for Scripture 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 obtain what they sought for but the elect obtained it and the rest were hardened 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 counsel 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 off some with an overlooking of others But now let us view a little the Arguments of Scriptâ—â—es they abuse to strengthen this unsound opinion of theirs ur One is 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive Now say they Every man did die in Adam every mothers childe by Adams fall became subject to death even so in Christ shal 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 universal phrase of making alive hath not reference to the saving of the soul but to the resurrection of the body And so the sence is this That as in Adam by vertue of his sin every man came to die a natural 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 appear to be the intendment of the Text. I answer the words themselves will make it plain 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 proof of the 21. verse Intimating that this being made alive hath no reference to the life of the soul but onely to the Resurrection of the body that as Adam by his sin 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 bear no more but this that all that are damned are damned as in Adams loines and all that are saved shall be saved as in the loins of Jesus Christ And so make nothing at all to prove this which they call universal election Another Scripture undeniable they think is Rom. 11.32 where it said God hath concluded all men under unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all Now say they If God did do an act to make men see their unbeliefe and did intend by this action to have mercy upon all then God in his counsel 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 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 clear Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all men under sin The very words forequoted But what 's the limitation Shall all men be saved No For mark the next words The Scripture hath concluded all men under sin that 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 places So that it is clear That he might save all or have mercy upon all It is not meant all universally but all with limitation of Paul here all them that believe Again Another objection or Scripture they abuse is 1 Tim. 2.4 Who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth This Text Origen doth grosly abuse holding hence that it is the intendment and will of God that all men should be saved Now to take off this objection We must first distinguish here of Gods will and then of this phrase All. Who will have all men to be saved First of Gods will and the Schoolmen give this distinction about it That there is a will of Gods good pleasure and there is God signifying will Now the will of Gods good pleasure is that real purpose in God to save a man And there is no man that in this sence God wills to be saved but he must be saved but in this sence God wills not all men to be saved But secondly there is Gods significative will that is wherby in Scriptures God tenders salvation to every man that will lay hold upon Jesus Christ and so Godâ— signifying will excludes no man from salvation but the Ministers if they preach to ten thousand people they must tender Christ universally to all because they know not which of them are elect and which reprobate which of them shall be saved and which damned This is Gods signifying will and though God by this will tell you what Ministers must do to tender Christ and salvation to all yet this doth no way follow that the determinate will of Gods good pleasure is involved under this as if all men should be saved Perkins in his writings hath this distinction of it That there is Gods absolute will and so he wills not all men to be saved and Gods conditionate will that in case every man did believe they should be saved for God envies no mans salvation there is grace enough in God to save every man in the world But secondly there may be more distinct answer given to this place God will have all men to be saved All is taken sometimes in a destributive sence and sometimes in a collective sence In a destributive sence for every man under heaven and so God wills not all men to be saved But secondly in a collective sence for all sorts and degrees of men and so God intends to save all that is some of all sorts and of all degrees of men in the world And this appears if you mark the context He will have all men to be saved that is some of all sorts Some Kings some great men some rich and some
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 sins 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 pass by moral and civil 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 â—arlots believed Those Pharisees that did depend upon their own righteousness and their own goodness 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 sinnâ—rs 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 Again 2. The second delusion whereby the devil makes men think they are elected by God is drawn from their external 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 bottome 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 tâ—eir 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 natural temper and therefore think they I having vocation this is an evidence to me of my election To this delusion I shal 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 calls 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 Mat. 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 profanesse to profession from the world into the Church as Simon Magus was yet not elected but remain in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity Thirdly A third delusion whereby men are deceived by the Devil to think they are elected when they are not is this If they cannot plead their education and moral manner of living or if they cannot plead their vocation their last plea is the mercy of God they hope God is a merciful God and God made them not all to damn 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 answer in two particulars First when as men say God is a merciful God therefore they hope they are elected I answer It is true God is a merciful God yet God is as just as merciful he is mercifully just and justly merciful his mercy cannot intench upon his Justice nor shâ—ll his Justice intrench upon his mercy one Attribute shall not clash with another he is no more merciful then he is just nor is he more just then he is merciful Secondly though God be a merciful God yet Gods saving mercy is not so large as to extend to all creatures that live that he hath made You read Isay 27.11 This is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy upon them and be that formed them will shew them no favour Here you see the Prophet tels them that that God that made them will damn them and that God that formed them that God will shew them no favour So that Gods mercy extends not so far as to reach to all the works of his hands for if so the devils might claim 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 several Sermons I have finished the Doctrines of Effectual Vocation and Eternal Election I will now a little illustrate the point by laying down â—en Propositions which will serve to clear 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 minde that all mankind should be saved nay the very devils 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 compass 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 obain 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 objects of his election God in his owne councel hath elected to life and salvation the fewest sort of mâ—n and women in the world And this is a very dreadful 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 civil 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 hâ— 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 Camel to go
thorouâ—h â— Nâ—edles eye aâ— for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God As easie for a Camel It is not meant in this sense as some expound it That there was a gate in Hierusalem called the Needles eye a little and low gate which their Camels being ladâ—â— could not go through and therefore they must unload the burden and the Camel stoop before they could enter Some â—hink 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 proverbial 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 doâ—e 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 civil honâ—st men doe fall within the compasse of Gods choice to save Moral men that trust upon their civility and moral 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 do not saith Christ Thirdly That though God in his own counced hath determined or made choice but of the fewest number of men women men 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 appear 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 plaine by this comparison Suppose forty 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 and if God cull out any of the mass 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 maintain 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 overthowing 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 indead 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 no the cause for which he 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 works then it would follow that infants dying in infancy were not within the compasse of Gods election because an infant so dying could not perform any good works and so their case would be most miserable Besides we are not justified by actual works 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 do it for the sake of Jesus Christ himself 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 meer 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 means 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 eternal but the merits of Christ were not so Again Christ was elected himself 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 tells 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 members 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 speaks thus 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 thereiâ— 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 Sixthly 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 be also called and Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal 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 therefore men remaining unconverted uncalled unbelieving they are not the obiects 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 â—en that have least natural endowments least moral excellencies least worldly gallantry ordinarily election runs that way God hath chosen the poor things of this world and things dispised and things that are not hath be chosen 1 Cor. 1.27 Jam. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith Ordinarily the Lord chuseâ—h poor and mean men that have no natural or moral excellencies Hence it was that when Christ left the learned Pharisees and Doctors among the Jewes the ignorant and poor people they flocked after Jesus Christ they looked after Jesus Christ when the rich and great men of the world had no shâ—re in him Eightly that a man may be an elect childe of God and yet not expresse the fruit of his election in many years 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 tells us he was a chosen vessel Acts 9.15 and yet Paul lived many years before the fruit of his election appeared in him Some Historians say Paul lived 37. the least say 30 years before the fruit of election appeared in him for he was converted the very year 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 vessel that was so vile as he he was a blasphemer a persecuter injurious to the Church â—aled 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. years together and yet this man was an elect vessel then So the Thiefe upon thâ— Crosse an elect childe of God yet did not expresse the fruit of his election in repentance and conversion until the last hour 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 years 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 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 not God left us a small remnant we had been like Sodome yea like unto Gomorrah Had not God left a handful of his elect and godly men amongst them all the rest had been destroyed So Esa 65.8 And the Lord said destroy not the people for a blessing is among them That is my people is among them and my elect is among them therefore destroy them not God did not destroy the Nation of the Jewes because God had his own people mixed among them Lo Job 22.30 And this conclusion administers matter of thankfulnesse to all men upon earth to make you blesse God that he keeps his people alive among you for it is for the elects sake you have all the outward blessings and mercies you do enjoy Tenthly and lastly take in this conclusion That this world shall continue no longer then till the number of Gods elect be accomplished when God hath accomplished and brought in to Christ the number of his elect the world shall not stand one minute longer after this work is done God doth but uphold the world till the full numbers of Jewes and Gentiles be come in If the number were filled Jesus Christ would surrender up the Kingdome to his Father The Heavens should gather together like a scrowle and the Elements should melt with fervent heat and this world should come to a dissolution It is the elect in the world that keep up the world that it doth not fall about our ears And thus having spent these 16 Sermons touching mans Effectual calling and eternal Election I have now brought all unto a conclusion And I earnestly intreat you let it be your work to put forth your diligence to make this sure to your own soules that you are effectually called and that you are eternally elected to obtain life and salvation by Jesus Christ FINIS The Table A WE must give diligence to gain Assurance of our calling p. 21. and why p. 22. seq Whether Assurance of our calling be attainable in this life p. 93. seq Two extreams about this p. 17. Hindrances to be removed in getting Assurance of our Calling p. 115. seq Means to be used to get Assurance p. 119. seq At what time God fils his people with most Assurance p. 128. seq Difference between Assurance and groundless presumption p. 121. seq Directioâ—n to such as have Assurance p. 144 How to use Assurance p. 145. seq How to preserve Assurance p. 152. seq what must be done ibid. what avoided p. 154. seq How to improve Assurance p. 157. seq How to recover Assurance when t is lost p. 166. seq What sins chiefly forfeit our Assurance p. 161 Comforts to those that want Assurance p. 180 We should use diligence to get Assurance of Election p. 165 whether it be attainable in this life p. 166. seq objections against it answered p. 167 Not to be gotten by ascending into Gods decree but descending into our own hearts p. â—73 Afflictions no argument that we are
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 general 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 noâ— doe it upon foresight of good works and then lay down reasons and after that take off 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 will Gods meer good will was the impulsive cause of mans eâ—ection and nothing in man So likewise Rom. 2.11 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 owne purpose and grace Upon his good pleasure and his good will to mankinde upon that ground election stands But now to adde some reasons why it cannot be that God should determine in his own councel to save man upon the foresight of his works I shall name four or five Aâ— First because the inferiour priviledges that God bestowes upon his peoples as vocation and justification are not for their good works though they are in actual being therefore much lesse is election for good works onely foreseen First for Vocation 2 Tim. 1.19 We are called not according to our owne works but according to the purpose of his own grace And then for Justification we are not justified for works neither Rom. 3.24 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 being actually in us Secondly because then it would follow that children dying in infancy could not be elected for the childe being in the mothers wombe if it hath life it hath a soule and so must either be saved or damned But a childe while it is in the wombe neither acts good or evil 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 claim to salvation from him If God were bound to chuse 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 â—hus would poor man boast against his Maker Fourthly Because God hath elected the worst of men when others that have more natural 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 weak 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 wisedome and natural abilities that most excelled in outward strictnesse and moral 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 clear 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 unto we are elected to eterâ—al glory but our works are finite imperfect no more then our duty yea not done by our own strength but by the power of Gods grace and therefore cannot be that which moveth God to elect us Sixthly because God doth not chuse men to life for the sake of Jesus Christ therfore much less for their works sake It is true and mistake me not I confesse and so all Divines that are confesse this that God saves a man for Christs sake but God elects not a man for Christs sake but meerly for his own good pleasureâ— sake God in chusing a man to life hath no reference to Christ as if Christ were the motive Christ was predestinated himselfe therefore could not be the cause of our predestination 1 Pet. 1.20 We are chosen in him its true Eph. 1.4 as the common person God elected Christ first in order and all believers in him but it is not for Christs sake but according to his own will As suppose a Kingdome to be newly set up a King is chosen and his suecessors to follow after why then all the succeeding Kings are chosen in him that was first elected so are we chosen in Christ God doth chuse a man as freely as if Christ did never die and yet God saves none but for Christs sake and this makes election on Gods part most free God doth not consider Christ nor the good works we have but t is only his own good will engages him to save some and neglect others And thus much for proving this point There are some objections now that lie in the way which must be removed God say they doth elect men upon the foresight of their good works and they alledge four Scriptures to prove this James 2.2 Hath not God châ—sed the poor of this world to be rich in faith now say they their laying out their estates for good uses and so becoming poor that is the reason why God chuseth thâ—m and neglects richer men To which I answer That poor here is onely spoken of as the quality of the persons that are chosen not as the cause wherefore they are chosen And this answer Mr. Perkins gives that poverty is not the cause why but the description of the persons that are chosen that Gods decree of election doth commonly run among the poorer sort of men the more to advance his own grace that man shall not say election is intailed upon works for if poverty should be the cause of their election then all that are poor should be elected which is false Again further they object 2 Thes 2.13 God from the beginning hath chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth Now say they sanctification and faith is made as the channel through which elâ—ction