meet withall concerning their own Election First A poor soul may be thus tempted that it is an impossible thing for it to attaine to the knowledge of Gods love this is a secret this is that which was transacted in Heaven and therefore sure it is not possible for me to attain to the knowledge of this that the Lord hath loved me and hath written my name in the book of life Men may have some good hopes of it but surely saith the temptation it is presumption for any man to think or say he may come to assurance that the Lord hath written his name in the Book of life for there are these two things against it First Secret things belongeth to God Secondly No eye hath seen what is done in Heaven and if eye hath not seen it how shall I attaine to the knowledge of it In Answer to this temptation know and consider that many of the Saints of God hath attained to the knowledge of Gods eternall love and hath risen to this assurance that the Lord hath loved and will love with an everlasting love The Apostle Paul did attaine to it and he gloryes in it yea then when he speaketh in the person of all the Elect of God Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth Vers 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Vers 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ He stands up to challenge all the world and the powers of darknesse who dare lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect And in the 38. verse see what he further saith For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principallities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come Vers 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So then you see it is a thing not impossible to attaine to the knowledge of Gods eternall electing love Nay it is laid upon all the Saints as a duty to seek after the knowledge of it 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things ye shall never fall So then election may be made sure and it is a duty which lyeth upon all believers to strive after that they may make their calling and election sure Now if it be so that this is a thing that may be attained unto and that the Saints hath attained unto and a duty which all the children of God are put upon then certainly this is a temptation and know it is a temptation that it is an impossible thing for any to attaine to the knowledge of Gods electing love But Secondly The second temptation concerning our election may be this a poor soul may be thus tempted it is true there may be the knowledge of Gods love and many of the Saints have attained to this knowledge but as for me I have no certainty I have striven and I have waited upon God and sought for assurance but I have not attained it and therefore I am ready to conclude surely the Lord hath not loved me others sought and they have attained and have assurance I have sought and I cannot meet with assurance of the love of God and therefore certainly the Lord hath not loved me I Answer to this temptation know that thou canst not conclude that God hath not called thee effectually because thou hast not assurance and if thou canst not conclude that God hath not called thee effectually because thou hast not assurance much less canst thou conclude that God hath not chosen thee from eternity because thou hast not assurance But Secondly In answer to this temptation hath not the Lord given thee a heart to close with Christ as held forth in the Gospel to poor lost sinners hath not God made thee willing to accept of Christ hath not the Lord in some measure inabled thee to cleave to Christ and dost now resolve to cast thy self upon Christ to venture all upon Christ even thy eternity why then know here is that which gives the essence the being of faith this accepting of Christ held forth in the Gospel with thy resting upon him it is the being of faith and this faith is no other but the faith of Gods elect the fruit of Gods electing love it springs from that eternall love which chose his people unto salvation through faith and therefore though there be not the comfort of faith assurance is the comfort of faith the flower that grows upon the fruit of faith yet if there be that which gives the being of faith thou mayst not conclude that the Lord hath not loved thee because thou hast not assurance Thirdly In answer to this temptation thou sayst thou hast no assurance of Gods electing love and therefore thou concludest that God doth not love thee As thou hast no assurance that God hath chosen thee so thou hast no knowledge of the contrary and mayest not conclude the contrary that God hath not chosen thee for if thou shouldst so conclude thou mayest lye against the truth and therefore cease to draw any conclusions of that which is not knowne to thee and give up thy self to doe the revealed will of God and what is that but that thou take hold of the offer of salvation and receive Christ that you believe in the name of his Son for this is his commandement 1. Joh. 3. 18. But Thirdly this temptation may arise in the soul namely a desire that God would give it a signe an extraordinary signe it resolves it cannot believe and will not believe unless God give itâ— signe This is a temptation that some of Gods people hath met withall To answer this temptation know that it is not Gods ordinary way to give satisfaction to the soul concerning his love by giving an extraordinary signe it is true the Lord may sometimes in some cases condescend to his people and may give an extraordinary signe yea the Lord may and hath prevented his people sometimes with an extraordinary signe to prevent their unbeleefe when they have not asked a signe You have heard of that woman that sometime lived in Cambridge that was many yeares in a tempted condition and being sorely afflicted one day she took up a glasse in her hand and cast it against the ground with this expression I am as surely damned as this glasse is broken and it pleased God so to order it that the glass was not broke which was to the conviction of her unbeliefe I say the Lord may give a signe yea when it is not asked but it is not Gods ordinary way but now for a soul to stand it out with God that it cannot beleeve unless God
Electing love walk worthy of it improve this your mercy that great mercy the knowledge which God hath given you of his love in Christ improve it let it be an engagement upon you to duty To what duty doth this Love of God engage unto First Let this love of God to you engage you to a holy confidence to a holy trust in the Lord and a stedfast relyance upon Christ and his grace in every state and condition the Lord would have you make this improvement his love is discovered for this end that your faith may be strengthned and your hope strengthned and made more firm and lively Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth c. Rom. 8. 33. Thus doth the Apostle improve it If God be for us who shall be against us I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nay saith he in all these things we are more then Conquerours Christ would have his people improve this love for the casting out of fear perfect love casteth out fear it is casting out fear though it hath not cast out fear Fear not little flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom he would strengthen them against fear by setting before them the Father 's Electing love it is the Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdome O that we might improve this for the strengthening of our confidence Secondly If the Lord hath discovered his love know that it is an engagement as to Confidence so to Holiness a holy and unblameable walking before God The adversaries of this Truth pretend that this is a Doctrine of Liberty Ah! but there is no such tendency Put on as the Elect of God bowels of mercy If you be the Elect of God put on bowels of mercy and so be you like to Christ I say know that this is the end of God's Electing love God hath chosen you wherefore hath he chosen you Eph. 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love This is the great end of God's love and the discovery of it that you may be holy O! Know that if God hath loved you you should be holy Thridly Know that you are engaged to walk humbly Who put the difference What was it that made the difference This Doctrine of free Electing love hath taught you that it is grace that hath made the difference not your free will and improvement but it is free grace that made the difference The Lord saw us so far from improving of that which he gave us as any other and therefore this may silence all flesh before the Lord let not flesh glory Why what hast thou to glory in If thou be better then others whence was it It was from free love and therefore it engageth thee to walk humbly with thy God Fourthly It is an engagement to Love O! love the Lord dearly if the Lord hath made out his Electing love you are engaged to love him again shew forth much love love to Christ and love to the Image of Christ love to the way of Christ love to the Truth of Christ love to the Ordinances of Christ love to the Saints of Christ As I have loved you saith Christ so ought you to love one another John 13. 34. As I have loved you as much as if Christ should say this is the greatest argument that I can propound to you to move you to love one another I have loved you If the Lord have loved you with this electing love and hath discovered that his love to you you are engaged to love him and his people and whatever hath the Image of God and of Christ upon it And so I have done this point this great mysterie this Doctrine of Election I desire not to read this Verse again there is one thing more which I shall but touch and so conclude I am not sent but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel The House of Israel What is the House of Israel Why the seed of Abraham the posterity of Jacob whose name was Israel the twelve Tribes they are the House of Israel they were the peculiar people that God chose out of all the Nations he left other Nations and he chose them for his peculiar people he chose them to be his House when he took them into Covenant with himself and they took hold of his Covenant they became a Church of Christ and this Church of Christ is the House of God Israel is God's House That 's the Point that I shall but touch and so shut up all Every true Church of Christ is the House of God They are a House and they are the House of God What was spoken of that Church may be said of every true Gospel Church they are a House and God's house they are God's Houshold they are called the Houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. And so again in Ephes 2. 19. Now therefore ye are no more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God And this is prophesied of by the Prophet Micah chap. 4. vers 2. And many Nations shall come and say Come Let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob speaking of Gospel-times the Churches of the Lord are called the House of God Christ as a Son over his own House whose House we are c. Heb. 3. 6. Now in a house there is a Master of the Family why the Master of this Houshold is Christ every houshold hath a Head a Master the Lord of the Family Christ is the Master of this Family he is the Lord the Head of the Church If they call the Master of the house Beelzebub saith Christ how much more shall they call them of his houshold Matth. 10. 25. Christ is the Head and the Lord and he is the Master of his House of his Church the Master of the great Family Secondly The Members of this house they are fellow Brethren fellow Servants sometimes they are called Children Members of a Family they are either Children Servants or Friends that dwell in the Family The Lord calleth his people his children his servants somtimes his friends still he owns them the members of his house are fellow brethren and fellow servants Thirdly In a great Houshold you have Officers and Stewards Great Families they have their Stewards they are under their Lord to oversee the house and to look to the wayes of the house and to make provision for the house and to give them their meat in due season In this House of Christ and in every Gospel Church Christ hath appointed
Spirit is not given to discover any thing that is beside the rule that Christ hath left he shall guide you into truth ah but how he shall lead you to the rule and guide you into truth for he shall not speak of himself but what Christ hath spoken and what is written in the Word of the Lord and the Spirit is given to speak it with power and life and efficacy He shall take of mine and shew it to you no new thing but what is mine my Truth my Gospel he shall take of mine and shew it to you Object But you will say If the Spirit of the Lord be in me surely the Spirit need no rule to walk by but the Spirit of the Lord is in all the Saints what need have they of any other rule Answ I answer The Spirit needs no rule ah but the Lord saw that we needed a rule to walk by we were apt to be deceived to call darkness light and light darkness the Lord saw we had need of a rule and that rule is the Word of the Lord which is given us as our rule and no other rule but only the Word of the Lord And therefore be not deceived upon any pretence whatsoever take heed you be not drawn off from the Institutions of Christ from the Word of Christ the rule that Christ hath left all his people to walk by for if you be you will exalt something of your own something that you will place your Righteousness in and oh how provoking is that to Christ for a people that do so they cannot and shall not injoy the spiritual presence of Christ such as forsake Christs Rule and set up their own rule that Christ never made a rule they shall not injoy the presence of Christ no more then Christ afforded his presence with the Scribes and Pharisees And therefore doe but wait upon the Lord cleave to the Lord and hold fast his Rule and you shall see that the Lord will make it evident to all the world that he hath left them though they are never so seemingly high and spiritual yet it will appear that such as forsake him Christ will forsake them they are left of Christ in their judgements already and wait upon the Lord and you shall see that the Lord will leave them to corrupt themselves by a corrupt conversation for what way of Christ will not men only forsake but blaspheme and what sins so great will not such a man as leaves the rule be drawn to the commission of For if the Word be not the rule but a strong impulse of Spirit what impulses may not a man have he may have the strongest impulse to the greatest evil whatsoever if the Lord hath not yet left yet he will leave such a people to the commission of great evil As I remember the history of some of the low Countries they had such a pretence that the Word was not to be their rule but they were led by the impulse of the Spirit of God and I remember in that history it is recorded that many grievous wickednesses they did commit they came to marry many wives and one of the chief of them cuts off one of his wives heads And another upon a time he calls his kindred together and he in the presence of them all takes away the life of one of his brethren and said now the will of the Lord is done And what wickedness is it that men may not fall into by a strong impulse But so much for that I will give you but one hint more in that 21. v. â—esus went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon You â—ee from whence Christ came which was from the â—arts of Judea and the occasion of Christs deâ—atture because they rejected his Word But wheâ—â—er came Christ He departed into the coast of Tyre and Sidon A word or two of that and so â—onclude The coasts of Tyre and Sidon First They were the uttermost parts of the â—and of Canaan Secondly It was a very dark place a place full 〈◊〉 darknesse and ignorance a people that were â—ixed with the heathen and had learned their sinâ—â—l customes and yet the Lord Christ when he goes â—â—om Jerusalem he goes into the parts of Tyre and â—â—don Briefly observe this The faithfulness of Christ 〈◊〉 his Fathers work and the love of Christ to the 〈◊〉 of men Tyre a hundred miles from Jerusaâ—â—m and yet Christ undertook this journey Oh 〈◊〉 faithfulness of Christ in his Fathers work he â—â—ares no labour no travel from place to place â—â—om City to City to the uttermost parts of the â—â—nd and all was to do his Fathers work Oh the â—â—ithfulness of Christ And take notice of the love of Christ to the â—â—uls of men it was in compassion to a poor woâ—â—n of Canaan that Christ took this journey she 〈◊〉 known to the Lord before and in compassion â—â—do her soul good and to release her daughter 〈◊〉 was possest with a Devil Christ takes this â—â—urney See the love of Christ to the souls of â—â—or creatures Christ knew the worth of a soul the preciousness of a soul what would it advanvantage a man to gain the whole world and loose his soul Why in compassion to this womans soul Christ takes this great journey And by way of Application Oh that we might learn of Christ to be faithful in that work which the Lord hath committed to us and to expresse more love to our own souls and the souls of others What a great way did Christ go to doe good to one soul if there be but one woman 〈◊〉 Canaan if but one woman of Samaria for Christ to preach to he takes that occasion Whatever work the Lord puts into our hand in the service 〈◊〉 our generation and for compassion to souls look 〈◊〉 Christ he thought no labour too much to do goâ—â— to the soul of one woman Secondly This was a very dark place the darknesse of ignorance and sin did abound in theâ—â— parts in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon and yet 〈◊〉 Christ goes from Jerusalem he departs into theâ—â— coasts You see the Lord hath some in every place no place so dark and sinful but there 〈◊〉 be some that may belong to the Lord and wheâ—â— there are any that do belong to the Lord in 〈◊〉 part of the world though never so dark yet 〈◊〉 Lord will send from heaven and visit them if 〈◊〉 one poor Canaanitish woman that belongs to thâ— Lord Christ will take care of that woman 〈◊〉 comes into these dark places that so he migâ—â— make known the light of the Gospel that this 〈◊〉 woman might believe where there are any 〈◊〉 belong to the Lord the Lord will find 〈◊〉 way to find them out he will visit theâ— with the discoveries of his Grace and Love by the declaration of the Gospel of Christ And oh that we might observe the wonderful dispensations of the grace of the
towards him And when the Captains went forth to battel David gave this charge that they should deal gently with him for my sake Thus you see how the hearts of parents works towards their children Fourthly That natural affection that God hath planted in the hearts of parents towards their children doth teach them to accept willingly any service that is done by their children though it be never so weakly done yet if the Father sees that the child hath done its good will in obedience and in love O! how acceptable is the least piece of service done by such a child And therefore the Lord taketh an argument from this to strengthen his peoples faith I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. Fifthly Natural affection will teach the parents to supply all the wants of the children O! what care doth parents take to supply their childrens wants that they may want nothing that is good for them They shall have that which is sutable to them Ye that are evil know how to give good gifts to your children What care do parents take of their children while young to supply their wants And what care do they take to make provision for their children when they are dead and gone Nay do not many a poor parent undoe himself to make provision for his children that he may make them great in this world and leave them something when he be dead and gone Sixthly and lastly to name no more The love that is in parents makes them exceeding unwilling to part with their children it is the greatest affliction in the world they had rather loose all their estates then loose their children Nay though parents many times be so poor as they cannot keep their children yet how loath are they to part with their children The poor Widdow we readâ—â— 2 King 4. 1. all her estate was gone nothing left her but her two sons the creditor came to take unto him her two sons from her but how loth was she to part with her two sons Nay how hard is it for parents to part with their children when God takes away their children by death You know that Instance of Job Job 1. he did bear very well all the afflictions and losses that he met withall till he came to loose his children the messengers came and told him that all his estate was taken away and you read of nothing that Job said but when they come and told him his children were slain then Job rent his mantle and fell down upon the ground and worshipped To loose his estate was nothing but to hear that all his children were slain he rent his mantle and fell down upon the ground a token of his great sorrow And you know how David was affected when they brought him word that Absolom was killed he went up to the chamber over the gate and he wept as he went saying O my son Absolom would God I had died for thee A most pathetical complaint that this poor man makes when his child was taken away though he was a wicked child and one that sought his fathers life Thus you see the first part of the Doctrine that God hath planted natural affection in the hearts of parents to their children But secondly I shall shewe you that where there is faith natural affection cannot work alone but faith will rectifie natural affection faith will teach Parents to love their children aright Natural affection will teach them to love their children ah but spiritual love that springs from faith will teach them to love their children aright Quest But you will say to me when may Parents be said to love their children aright or how shall we know that the love of Parents to their children is not only the working of Natural affection Answ First where there is faith it will teach Parents to love the souls of their children Nature will teach to provide for the body but the Spirit of the Lord that teaches Parents to look after the souls of their children now when the soul is loved and respected more then the body then do Parents love their children aright In Gen. 17. 18. you may see what a request Abraham doth make for his son Ishmael Oh! that Ishmael might live before thee God hath been making many gracious promises to Abraham concerning another Seed but Abraham did not forget his son Ishmael neither could he beg that he might have a great estate but that he might live in the sight of the Lord When Parents take care of the souls of their children then Parents love their children aright Secondly Parents love their children aright when as they do love them in obedience to the Lord when they love them and when they take pains and act for them and perform all offices of love to them in obedience to the Lord when Parents do bring up their children and perform every duty to them in obedience to the Lord these are the children that the Lord hath graciously given his servant and so he love them and perform duties to them that he may obey the Lord and be found working the work of his station and relation in bringing up these children to the Lord this is that love that is not only natural but spiritual Thirdly Again Parents love their children aright when as they have an eye to the Covenant of God concerning their children when they have an eye to the promises of God that he hath made to the children of Believers He hath said that they that come of thee shall build the old waste places When as Parents thus eye the Covenant of God in looking upon their children as the Lords and these are they that the Lord hath said he will own and so love their children more because they are the Lords then theirs because the Lord hath promised that he will own them and make use of them And so I conceive Moseâ—'s Mother had respect to this in her love to her child Hebr. 11. 23. By faith Moses when he was born was hid three Months of his Parents because they saw he was a proper child and they not afraid of the Kings commandment Her love sprung from faith when she hid her child Moses three months it was not from Natural affection but from faith By faith Moses when he was born was hid three months because they saw he was a proper child and they not afraid of the Kings commandment The Kings commandment was that all the Male-children should be drowned and to disobey his commandment it did endanger their own lives ah but by faith she ventured she looked upon her child as one that God would make use of she was perswaded that God would make use of this child Moses to do something for the future she knew that there was a promise that God would deliver his people and she knew not but that this might be the Man and so was not afraid but by faith hid him
life begins here in holiness and that is eternal life to know the Father and the Son that is the end for which God doth predestinate that they might be holy through the sanctification of the Spirit and that they might be blessed and happy for ever But in respect of God the great end of Election it is the praise of his own grace that so they that shall be saved they may for ever admire and advance that rich and free grace of God towards them that chose them so freely when as they were so vile this is the end of Election Fiftly We may consider the means by which God doth fulfil and execute his Decree of Election The means of executing his Decree it is Christ Jesus as Mediator he chose such and such to bring them to such and such an end by such means by Christ Jesus and by Faith in him Christ as Mediator he is the cause of the means of God's executing and fulfilling his Decree though not the cause of Election but the cause of the means of God's executing and fulfilling his Decree for God would save them no other way but by Jesus Christ in Ephes 1. 4. you have these all together According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Here you see it is an Act of God from eternity before the foundation of the world and at v. 5. you may see it is an Act of his Free Grace According to the good pleasure of his Will v. 5. He was not moved thereunto by any thing in the creature no it was according to the good pleasure of his Will And you see also the several ends for which God hath chosen v. 4. in respect of the creature the end is that we should be holy and at v. 5. that we should be happy and attain the inheritance of children and the great end of all is in v. 6. That this may be the praise and glory of his grace And then there is the means by which God doth execute this Decree v. 4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world So that you see somthing of this great and wonderful mysterie of Election in this place But there are two things further which I shall insist upon for the clearing of the Truth to you in the opening of which I shall meet with those things that are most of all objected against this Truth This Act of God from eternity it was 1. Absolute 2. Immutable and Vnchangeable There are these two general heads which will clear up much of the minde and will of God in this Truth 1. God's Decree is absolute and free 2. It is unchangeable First It is absolute and free it doth not depend upon any thing in the creature God did not chuse because he foresaw men would be such and such he did not chuse any because he foresaw they would believe as some imagine he did not chuse any because he foresaw they would be holy his decree and choice and love it was not grounded upon any thing in the creature for the Lord he hath no such respect in his choice you may see what is said of Esau and Jacob in Rom. 9. 11. The Apostle is there treating of this mysterie and he doth there let us know that it is free and absolute and doth not depend upon the work or worthiness of the creature For the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth v. 12. It was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger v. 13. As it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Before they had either done good or evil God made choice of Jacob God did not chuse him because he foresaw he would be better then his brother Esau no Esau and Jacob were all alike unto God nay if there were any preheminence Esau had it he was the first born and was not Esau Jacobs brother saith God yet I loved Jacob Mal. 1. 2 3. and I hated Esau I have bestowed special love upon Jacob less upon Esau Not that God hates the creature without some consideration but hating here is to shew a less love Christ saith a man shall hate his Father and Mother for Christ's sake that is love them less then Christ and Jacob had two wives one was hated the other loved Rachel beloved and Leah hated that is less loved and so God here he bestows special love upon Jacob and not upon Esau And it is evident from Scripture that God could not chuse for foreseen faith and holiness for the Scripture holds forth that both faith and holiness they are the fruits of Election and therefore not the cause of Election men therefore believe and are made holy because God hath chosen them from eternity Acts 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed see here faith is made the fruit of Election and of God's love from eternity the words cannot be read thus That as many as believed were ordained to eternal life but as many as were ordained to eternal life believed and so holiness or sanctification cannot be the cause of Election no it is the fruit of Election see Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love He hath chosen us that we should be holy not chosen us because we were holy but that we might be holy holiness then proceeds from God's special love And I shall make it further evident to you from some Arguments from Scripture that it is not possible God's choice should be grounded upon any thing in the creature but meerly an Act of his own good pleasure for First of all that which maketh the Will of God to depend upon the creature that cannot be a true doctrine but now if God doth chuse upon foreseen faith and works because he foresaw the creature to be such then the Will of God doth depend upon the creature which destroyes the divine nature of God and the freedom of God's Will it is not possible that God's Will should be determined but by its self now if God chose upon foreseen faith and works then God's Will is determined by some thing in the creature Secondly It doth derogate much from the freeness of God's grace as also from the greatness of the mysterie and of the wonder of the Gospel I say If God did chuse men because he foresaw that they would be holy it derogates much from the freeness of his grace If it be of works then it is not of grace If God's choice were grounded upon such a foresight of faith and holiness then it is not an election of grace And it derogates much from the great mysterie of the Gospel God will
to his people from eternity And that first love of God it is held forth as the cause of giving Christ Christ was not the cause of that first love but God loved from eternity and therefore he gave Christ God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son and love gave that Son Jesus Christ to be the Saviour Thirdly I answer we are said to be chosen in him not as being believers not that God did consider men as believing in Christ actually but they may after a sort be said to be in Christ even from eternity not actually but virtually Some do explain it thus as the corn that is sown and begins to bud why as soon as it begins to bud there is the blade and the ear and the corn virtually but not actually and so we were in him from eternity virtually as chosen together with him and given unto him but not actually in Jesus Christ till such time as men do believe in Jesus Christ There is a third Objection which I shall but touch But you will say Why then God makes choice of sinners and how can that be If God did not chuse men upon fore-seen faith and holiness and not consider them in Christ then he considered them as sinners but now how can God chuse men as sinners When the Scripture saith He is a God of purer eyes then to behold the least iniquity If a man be not in Christ he is a sinner and can God love a vile creature from eternity I answer There is a love of good will and a love of delight there was a love of good will that God had to his people from everlasting yea although that God saw they were in themselves vile sinful creatures but God doth not love them with the love of delight till they are washed and cleansed in the blood of Christ But you will say It is not possible that God should do so A good man he may not take a vile person to be his bosome friend or companion and he may not take one that is wicked into the relation of a wife or husband and how shall God do it who is a God of purer eyes I answer Though we may not make such a choice God may make such a choice why Because God is able to make them gracious and holy If we were able to make them holy then we might chuse the worst in the world But now there is power in God to do it if he chuse the unrighteous he can make them righteous and if he chuse unbelievers he can give them faith and if he chuse unholy ones he can make them holy Nay he chuseth for that very end that he might make them holy and blameless So that you have seen that God's Decree it is absolute that it is not grounded upon any consideration or worth in the creature but absolute in respect of the means And secondly As it is free and absolute so it is unchangeable God cannot he will not cast off any that he hath chosen no see what the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his This Decree of God is unchangeable for it is as a sure foundation The foundation is the beginning of the building and so this Decree it is the beginning of all that good and those spiritual blessings that God doth bestow upon his children and the foundation is sure and unmoveable if it be laid by a skilful and powerful hand foundations are laid sure why this foundation is laid by God's own hand it is laid by his wise and mighty hand and who shall remove the foundation that God hath laid All the men and Angels in the world cannot overturn the purpose and decree of God for the saving of one poor soul all the devils in hell cannot overturn this foundation and there is nothing in the creature can hinder it no sinfulness no unworthiness before conversion and after conversion for it is sure And it must needs be sure because God in his Essence is unchangeable and therefore his purpose unchangeable for the Will of God is God himself and therefore the purpose of God can be no more unchangeable then God himself So that you see there is an Election and this Election is of grace That 's the first particular The second particular which I shall but touch is That this Election may be known by the sons of men though it be transacted in heaven though their names be written in heaven yet it is possible for men to know this secret of God's Decree this great mystery it is possible that it may be known to others and it is possible that it may be known to our selves Our Election may be known to others see Phil. 4. 3. And I entreat thee also true yoke-fellow help those women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow labourers whose names are in the Book of Life The Apostle here speaking of such and such persons he concludes that their names are in the book of life and in 1 Thess 1. 3 4. Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father Knowing brethren beloved your Election of God But you will say How can this be known Why it may be known by the fruits of Election when the Gospel comes with power when the Gospel doth overpower the heart when men and women are overcome to believe in the name of Christ when they make a resignation of themselves to Christ and when the Image of Christ is stampt upon them and they in some measure made conformable to Christ who is the head of the Church then others may conclude in the judgement of charity such and such are elected of God so far as we may know the truth of others faith so far we may in the judgement of charity know the election of others But secondly This may not only be known to others but to a mans own self that he is chosen of God before the foundation of the world for we are put upon it to make it sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure strive to put it out of doubt be not content to be at uncertainties in this business it may not only be known but make it sure he doth not exhort them to make it sure in its self by doing this or that for it is sure in it self but make it sure as to your selves wait upon the Lord that your hearts may be confirmed in it that you are called and elected of God for it is possible for a man to know that he is elected Yea Christ puts his Disciples upon it to rejoyce in the consideration of this that they were elected Luke 10. 20. But rather rejoyce because your names are written
a ground of comfort there was a love in the Father towards you before I made a request for you though the Father now love you more and better yet the Father himself loved you before I made any request for you Thirdly This is another ground of great refreshment from this Doctrine That the love of God towards his people it is an ancient Love a love that did not begin yesterday a love that is not of a few years standing but an ancient love it is as ancient as eternity it is as ancient as the Ancient of dayes as ancient as God himself no beginning but from eternity O! That commends love exceedingly when as love is an ancient love when as one hath born love to such a Family through many generations and hath provided love for such a family for many generations to come that exceedingly commends the love of a friend when a friend shall take care that there shall be an Estate entailed to such a family for many generations to come that he should provide a portion for them before they had a being O! that is ancient love and that doth commend the love of a friend and truly it commends the love of the Creator and it is full of sweetness and Refreshment that God hath loved his people from eternity love hath run down that long Tract of eternity and he hath provided a portion from eternity an inheritance from eternity oh that the Lord should make such provision for poor creatures before they had any being not only thousands of years but even from eternity before they had any being when there was no world no creature no being but only in the mind of God that God then should chuse them and provide an inheritance for them truly this commends the love of God and makes it very sweet Fourthly There is this ground of refreshment that the Doctrine holds forth that this love of God to his people it is a distinguishing love oh that commends love exceedingly when it is distinguishing when it puts a difference where there was no difference that love that makes a difference and so vast a difference when no difference that love is very precious See what is said in Hos 1. 6 7. For I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel but I will utterly take them away But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God c. See here at the very time that God said he would not have mercy upon Israel he would have mercy upon Judah and would save them oh how sweet was the discovery of that love And truly this is the love of God that this Doctrine holds forth a distinguishing love that when there was no difference in the creature and one not better then another and yet that God should take those and chuse those that were as bad as those that were left oh this distinguishing love it is very sweet and hath a great deale of refreshment Fifthly This Doctrine holds forth a ground of joy there is a great deale of true grounded joy lasting joy that may arise and doth arise unto the people of God from the knowledge of this that God hath chosen them and loved them from eternity with an everlasting love it doth administer the best ground of comfort that can be found in all the World See that place Luke 10. 20. But rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven The knowledge of this speciall love that God hath written the names of poor creatures in Heaven it is a ground of unspeakable joy rejoyce not that the uncleane spirits are subject to you why they might rejoyce more in that then in any outward mercy whatsoever that the unclean spirits were subject to them for it is more then if all the men of the world were subject to them ah but yet in this rejoyce not rejoyce not so much in this for here is a more lasting ground for your joy that your names are written in Heaven it will afford such joy and will kindle such a flame of joy as all the waters of affliction cannot quench When a soul comes to know this and can make out this that his name is written in heaven a soul may then rejoyce in every condition rejoyce in Tribulation rejoyce in Persecution rejoyce in Poverty and distresse yea though they may loose all the comforts of life yet when God reveals to them that their names are written in Heaven they may rejoyce for they have a portion that can never be lost an inheritance that can never be taken away from them though they meet with never so much scorn and reproach from the World though men should cast out their names as vile yet if their names are written in Heaven they may rejoyce for their names are precious before God when vise before men and it is written there where it can never be blotted out so that it doth administer matter of sound and sollid joy such joy as will hold out and cannot be quencht with many waters Sixtly Another ground of comfort that doth arise from the knowledge of our election is this that we have and shall enjoy that great priviledge and benefit of the ministry and service of the holy Angels When God comes to make out his love to the soul why it may conclude that the Lord hath given his Angels charge over them that the Angels shall defend and the Angels shall protect and the Angels shall deliver from many dangers See what the Apostle saith in Heb. 1. 14. speaking of the Angels Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation They that are chosen by God to an inheritance reserved in Heaven they have the ministry of all the holy Angels while on earth though we see it not with this bodily eye though we see not the Angels how they ascend and descend how they goe to Heaven and come from Heaven yet it is matter of faith the word of the Lord hath said they are all ministring spirits for the good of the Saints many a kindness the Angels doth us and we are kept from many a danger by the Angels He shall give his Angels charge and they shall bear thee up that thou dash not thy foot against a stone That is another ground of sweet comfort Seventhly It doth administer this ground of comfort that all that Gods people doe meet withall â—here in the world shall work for their good God will make an advantage of whatsoever his people doth meet withall See what the Apostle saith in Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose All things shall work together for good to those who are called according to his purpose according to that ancient love in the bosome of God all afflictions all crosses
doe give it some extraordinary signe oh this is a tempting of God and the Lord may leave such a soul for ever in its unbeliefe when it shall take up such a resolution that it will not believe though it hath the promise unless it hath a signe the Lord I say may leave such a soul in its unbeliefe And further in answer It is true this was Gods way formerly to satisfie his people by a signe by some extraordinary signe and vision but now since the coming of Christ God hath chosen to speak to us by his son see Heb. 1. 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son God formerly did reveale himself in an extraordinary way he did appeare sometimes and spake mouth to mouth to Abraham and Moses that was Gods way then but now God hath chose to speak to us by his Son God speaks by Christ and Christ speaketh by the Scripture heare him faith the Father Now Christ hath laid down a rule for our faith and for our obedience and know this that Jesus Christ by his Spirit can so make use of the word that it shall give as cleare and evident satisfaction to a soul concerning the love of God as if God should give a signe as if God should speak immediately from Heaven When the Spirit of the Lord will make use of the word of grace it shall satisfie the soul as fully of his love as if the Lord did appear from Heaven and speak to the soul mouth to mouth Further One thing more I shall speak to this Temptation you that desire a sign and would have an extraordinary sign that God loveth you why know that God hath given you a signe we have signs as well as our fore-fathers had what is the water in Baptisme but a signe to us and the bread and wine in the Sacrament but a signe to us that Ordinance of the Supper which we are partakers of this day the Lord hath condescended to us to give us a signe the bread is a signe and the wine is a signe and the sitting at the Lord Table a signe it is a signe unto faith to every beleeving soul these are signs that God hath loved it from everlasting and set it apart for communion with himself that he hath loved us and given his Son for us that Christ hath loved us and given his blood for us that he is reconciled and hath set us at his Table and we shall sit with him in his Kingdome here is a signe though not unto sence yet here is a signe unto faith We think that Abraham and the Prophets they were happy in that God did appear to them from Heaven and spake to them immediately When God appeared to Abraham and he called to him out of Heaven Now I know that thou lovest me and I have sworne by my self in blessing I will bless thee You think that Abraham and the Prophets were happy that he should tell them that he knew they loved him and that he would love them and would bless them But know it of a certaine that he hath dealt more graciously with us under the Gospel then with them in this very perticular in which we desire a signe in giving us these gracious signes for it was but seldome that God gave them a signe very seldome and it was but to some of them Abraham and the Prophets and Patriarks but now it is Gods ordinary way to give us a signe that which was very rare to them God hath made to us a standing ordinance so that we have a signe continually before us as often as we brake the bread and drink the wine the Lord gives a signe to faith and speaks to faith his everlasting love And therefore take heed that we doe not tempt God to seek another signe What saith Christ Math. 12. 39. The Scribes and Pharisees desired to see a signe from Christ vers 38. An evill and adulterous generation seeketh after a signe and there shall be no signe given to it but the signe of the Prophet Jonas They would not accept of the signe that Christ gave them no they would have other signs They are an adulterous Generation saith Christ and they shall have no other signe but the signe of the Prophet Jonas So when we are seeking for other signes and oh that God would worke extraordinary signes why saith God they shall have no other signes then the signe of the bread and wine and water these shall be sealing signes And know whereas we think some extraordinary sign should convince us and overcome our hearts such is the unbeleefe of our hearts that if we doe not believe when God gives us his word and these signes neither would we believe if God should speake in some extraordinary way from Heaven They have Moses and the Prophets saith Christ if they will not heare them neither will they hear if one rose from the dead Dives he was desirous that one should goe from the dead to his Brethren oh no they have Moses and the Prophets if they will not believe them neither will they believe though one rose from the dead Fourthly Another temptation may be this 〈◊〉 desire to be out of the World that so a man may know what that state is which God hath ordained him unto there may be such a temptation as this a hasting to dye and to goe out of the world that so men might know what their state in another world is what it is that God hath decreed and purposed concerning them I answer There is abudance of folly in this for let me say to such a soul under such a temptation 1. Either thou hast assurance of Gods eternall love or else thou hast it not 2. Thou knowest not but that thou mayest have it or 3. Thou despairest of ever having it Now to the first If the Lord hath given thee any evidence of his love and any hopes of blessednesse in the World to come thou dost very ill thus to make hast to be possessed of that which the Lord hath given thee thou shouldst rather waite the Lords time Remember what the Scripture saith He that believeth maketh not hast If thou hast faith if thou hast any hope of a blessed state in the world to come take heed that thou dost not make hast thou shouldst rather covet and desire to do that which is thy work before thou goest hence thou shouldst desire an opportunity of lifting up the name of the Lord before the Sons of men now there is no such opportunity of making the name of the Lord glorious in the grave and therefore thou shouldst rather desire to know thy work and to doe thy work before thou goest hence Secondly If it be so that thou hast no evidence of Gods love not any knowledge of it for the present yet thou art not without all hope
why then what a folly is it to desire to be out of this world that thou mayest know thy state Surely thou goest out of thy way that is not Gods way to come to the knowledge of what God hath purposed concerning thee thy way is to give all diligence while here not to desire to go into another world to know what it is but it is thy duty to give all diligence before thou goest to make thy calling and election sure to wait upon God with all thy might Thirdly If it be so that thou hast no hope but thou disparest concerning the love of God Oh I shall never attaine to the knowledg of Gods love why then it is despairing madness it is beastly and unreasonable madnesse in thee to hasten thy end to desire to remove out of this world before the Lords time that so thou mayest know thy worst I say that is madnesse and folly for so long as thou art in the Land of the living thou art in a state of possibility no poor sinners how vile soever but while in the Land of the Living they are in a state of possibility for as I said before so againe that even reason and a mans conscience will tell him that it is not possible that he should know that the Lord hath rejected him and therefore for any man to say it is impossible that he should be saved and have no hope that man lyes against conscience and against truth to conclude that which the Lord hath not revealed and therefore while in the state of life you are in a state of possibility and oh what madnesse is it for a man to put himself into such a state where there is no hope no possibility Fifthly There is another temptation concerning our own election which is this If God hath decreed all things his purpose must stand why then his purpose cannot be resisted God hath purposed whatever falls out in the world he hath decreed it and therefore we cannot withstand it if we doe sin against God we cannot helpe it God hath purposed it he hath purposed all things and therefore why doth God find fault why doth God punish the sons of men we cannot helpe our sinning against God That cavill is raised in Rom. 9. 19. Why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will I answer Gods decre doth not necessitate any man doth not compell the will no when he decrees to save his people and bestow faith upon them he doth not compell the will but sweetly inclines the heart And so God doth not compell the will of men to sin Gods decree is not the product of mans sinning it is true God suffers it so to be but mans will it is voluntary in the commission of sin and it is that which he chuseth that which he delights in and loves and this is the condemnation Gods decree is not the cause of mans sinning no mans own perverse will is the cause of all sinning And therefore let no man say he is tempted of God for no charge no blame can be laid upon God It is true Gods secret absolute will cannot be resisted but Gods revealed will which is mans rule may be resisted and is resisted and that shall be their condemnation Gods secret will is not knowne but it is evident men may resist Gods revealed will Ye stiffe necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye doe alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so doe ye Acts 7. 51. So that the Spirit may be resisted and Gods will may be resisted that will which is our rule may be resisted and is resisted and that freely and voluntarily by mens own will and they are not ordained to it by any of Gods decrees And therefore cease to lay the blame on God for man shall one day see that his sin is his own and his condemnation his own Sixthly There is another temptation that may arise from Gods decree and it is a temptation to this hour A man may thus reason if God hath decreed that I shall be saved then I shall be saved I shall be saved without my striving what need I make such a stir if God hath decreed that I shall be saved then I shall be saved though I goe on in sin Gods decree and purpose cannot be hindred and therefore if I be chosen to life and salvation I shall be saved without my own striving without taking paines and I shall be saved whatever I doe This is a desperate temptation and I shall speake something to it Thou sayest if God hath decreed thy salvation then thou shalt be saved and must be saved without thy pains though thou takest no paines to look after Christ and believe and repent as others doe To this I answer First though God hath purposed thy salvation and though thou beest in the number of his chosen yet without thy striving and waiâ—ing upon God in his own way thou canst not attain to the knowledge and comfort of it and is this nothing for a man to goe all his dayes though he be chosen without the knowledge of Gods love and goe under fears and be in bondage all his dayes is this nothing though chosen so long as thou fittest still thou canst not know it and so not have the comfort of it But Secondly God hath joyned the meanes and the end together know that so that one cannot be without the other Thou sayest if thou beest elected then thou shalt be saved thou concludest concerning the end and I say if thou beest elected then thou shalt certainly be brought to beleeve in Christ and become a new creature The meanes it is purposed by God as well as the end God hath decreed to bring his people to life and salvation this way by believing in the way of faith and in the way of repentance and in the way of holinesse you shall be saved and truly it is as impossible for them to goe without faith to be in an unrenewed condition all their dayes as it is impossible for those to be saved that are not elected yea I may say notwithstanding Gods decree notwithstanding Gods election yet if thou dost not beleeve in Christ and be not a new creature thou canst not be saved if thou dost not get faith and holinesse thou canst not be saved The Apostle he reasons so in Acts 27. God tells the Apostle there that the lives of them all should be saved and at vers 30. 31. When the Ship-men were about to flee out of the Ship Paul said to the Centurion and to the souldiers except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved Because as God purposed the end as that they should be saved so he purposed that they should be saved that way by staying in the Ship And so notwithstanding Gods decree if thou gettest not faith in Christ and beest not a new creature thou canst not be saved And to that which thou sayest it is not
God think upon all the Attributes of God are they not worthy of praise His name it is glorious and worthy to be exalted bless God for what is in himself Or Bless God for what he hath done for others if not for what God hath done for thee see if thou canst not get up thy heart to bless God for what God hath done for others and look upon the grace that God hath bestowed upon others and say though I can see little in my self for which I should bless God yet blessed be God that God hath given out of his Spirit to others and manifested his love to others and hath made others fruitful and serviceable and that there are so many to lift up the name of Christ in the world and if by any means the Lord will put thy heart into a thankful frame the temptation will soon vanish Endeavour it all thou canst wait upon God and look upon that which is matter of Thankfulness that thy heart may be put into a thankful posture to bless God for somthing bestowed on thee or somthing in himself or others and the Temptation will soon vanish Fiftly When thou art tempted about Election Resolve still to hold on in God's way though thou art in the dark and perplexed in thy spirit for want of the knowledge of God's love yet resolve in the strength of the Lord to hold on the Lord's way to keep in his way and to depart from iniquity take heed of turning out into crooked wayes desire to keep the way of the Lord which is a streight way Say well though I do not know my Election I do not know whether I shall come into heaven yet by the Lord's strength I will be found looking toward Christ I will be found looking to him who is able to save to the uttermost This is to keep the Lord's way And so also Resolve to be found walking in wayes of Holiness though I do not know that I shall be saved saved or not saved I will resolve to walk in wayes of holiness and to depart from iniquity take heed of every sinful way every crooked way The Apostle in 2 Tim. 2. 19. speaking about Election The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Why then saith he Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity And so I say though Election be not sure to thee be sure to depart from iniquity resolve to walk with God in his way All this is come upon us yet have not we forgotten thee Psal 44. 17. and so do thou say though all this darkness be upon my spirit I resolve in the strength of the Lord not to forsake him though I do not know that the Lord will be for me I resolve to be for none else my soul shall be for no other Saviour and I will not be for any other way but the way of holiness I desire to depart from every way of iniquity And as I said before so I say again if God shall bring up the heart to this Surely the Lord will not alwayes suffer that soul to go on doubting but he will come and manifest his eternal love if the soul shall resolve thus in the strength of the Lord to be found in the Lord's way saved or not saved I will be looking to the Father through the Son and walk in every way of the Lord and depart from iniquity the Lord will not alwayes suffer that soul to go on doubting John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him My Father shall love him that is my Father shall manifest love to him not that God begins then to love but my Father will come to that soul though that soul may walk in darkness though that soul may for the present be in a sad condition and not see the face of God and not know that God hath loved him from everlasting yet my Father will manifest love to him my Father will manifest that he doth love that soul and saith Christ I will love him and manifest my self to him Christ will come to that soul and say to it I see that thou lovest me and I know thou lovest me thou hast walked in the dark night yet thou hast not turned out from me thou hast resolved to cleave to me as to thy Saviour and hast resolved to keep my way and to depart from iniquity and now I see that thou lovest me and I will let thee know that I love thee that is that I love thee first that I have loved thee from everlasting And thus you have the five general Rules to silence all Temptations which may arise concerning Election Matth. 15. 24. But he answered and said I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel SERMON XVI FOr the Vse of the point and I shall speak but two words by way of Application because what I have spoken already hath been practical if the Lord make it to be so First To those that have not attained to the knowledge of God's love Secondly To those that through grace have attained to the discoveries of God's love First To those that have not attained to the knowledge of God's eternal love towards them and I shall speak the words of the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall That 's the word of the Lord to you give all diligence to make your Election sure rest not till your hearts be established through grace in the knowledge of God's love For Let me tell you first That it is a matter of great concernment That which this Apostle doth exhort us to to give all diligence to make our Election sure it is that which doth concern your whole state you had need give diligence to make it sure it doth not concern your temporal estate but it concerns your estate in another world all that you have to live upon in another world doth depend upon it you had need give diligence to make that sure What pains do men take to make that sure that concerns their outward Estates Men will make their Bonds and Bills sure their Evidences sure their Titles to Lands and Houses sure if there be any thing amiss in them what pains will men take to make them sure O that God would help us to give diligence in this great business that doth concern another manner of estate then that which you possess here even all that you have to live upon in the world to come Secondly Let me say to you to stir you up to be diligent in making your Calling and Election sure why You have an Adversary that taketh a great deal of pains
Christ when God hath discovered the mysterie of Christ to thee and in some measure hath drawn thy heart and made thee to lye at the feet of Christ for life and salvation and for faith to believe in him be diligent to make the best improvement of Christ Improve Christ for holiness and sanctification if thou desirest to have Election made out to thee improve Christ for holiness The Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 5. exhorteth them to this Giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and so he goes on and then follows at vers 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall In this way give diligence to make your Election sure improve Christ for holiness for grace for strength for more strength be diligent in waiting upon the Lord for the carrying on the work of holiness let Christians endeavour to be continually in the exercise of grace and in the performance of every duty that the Lord calls them to adde grace to grace and wait upon Christ that one degree of grace may be added to another knowledge to knowledge faith to faith temperance to temperance truly it is in this way that God comes in with discoveries of electing love I do not say it is for your diligence and for your improvement of Christ and adding grace to grace but this is the way when the Lord doth enable his people to be thus faithful and diligent in the improvement of Christ and in the exercise of grace and performance of duty to God and man God comes in that way and giveth a soul a more clear discovery of his electing love Fourthly Desire the Lord to set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits if you desire to have your Election cleared and made sure take heed of an earthly heart and O! Look up to God earnestly that he would set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits that you may be able to say Our conversation is in heaven our heart is there from whence we look for a Saviour we groan to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven Truly Brethren if we look too much downward if we be grubling below and be writing upon the dust we shall hardly see what is written in heaven Though your names may be written in heaven O! the looking too much upon this world keepeth many a Christian from seeing his name written in heaven What pains will Astrologers and Star-gazers as the Scripture calls them take to see into the second heaven the starry heaven How often will they look up And how long will they look up to see as they pretend what is written there what is the language of the Stars And O! What a shame is it to Christians that we should look up no oftner and no longer into the third heaven that we may see our names written there Truly Brethren it is no easie matter for a Christian to see his name written in heaven though his name may be written there we shall hardly see it if our hearts be not much there and our conversations much there we use to say if children look off their Books they will never learn their Lessons well Truly if we look so much on the world and so little into heaven we shall hardly learn to read our names written in heaven But when as the Lord sees that his people are desirous to have their thoughts in heaven and their conversations in heaven the Lord will come and say to that soul well I see that thine eye is in heaven and thy heart in heaven know for thy comfort that thy name also is in heaven thy God is in heaven thy Christ is in heaven and thy portion is in heaven O! Beg of God that he would clap a heavenly byass upon your spirits Fifthly Take heed of sinning against the Lord take heed of giving way to any sin as you desire to have your election cleared up to you take heed of turning out into any crooked way Let not Christians give way to themselves nor allow themselves in any way of evil You know what the Apostle saith in 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Lord knoweth them that are his Ah! but would you know your selves to be in that number Take heed that you do not give way to any sin do not allow your selves in any way of sin be not found in any way of iniquity every sin that is allowed it will cast a blot upon your Evidence and you shall not be able to read it This is the first Use unto those that have not God's electing love cleared up to them there is a necessity that every soul should give all diligence to have their Election made sure it is matter of infinite concernment and you have been taught in what way to wait upon God to make your Election sure The second Use is to those that have attained to the knowledge of God's electing love And it calls upon them First To be Thankful Secondly To labour to walk worthy of so great a mercy First To be Thankful O consider that it is the free love and the free grace of God that did make the difference between you and others Is there not cause then of Thankfulness You were no better then the worst in the world no better then those that are cast out of God's sight into utter darkness there is as much evil in our hearts as in Judas his heart that betrayed Christ O! It is free grace that hath put a difference if God hath made known to you that he hath chosen you know that it is free grace that hath put the difference O! Rich grace free grace that God should take you and leave another as deserving as you O it is free grace And that we may be stirred up to Thankfulness consider that all the mercies that ever you do enjoy or hope for spring from this Electing love O! What cause have you to admire this love Electing love it was a fruitful wombe all your mercies lay in it your comforts they all spring from it if the Lord had not given you his love from eternity he had never given you Christ as he did he had not given you the knowledg of Christ All the mercies and comforts that you do enjoy do spring from this love if it had not been for this love you had never known what pardon of sin had been you had never known what peace with God had been what a mercy it is to be reconciled to God your present mercies they all lye in this womb of God's Electing love O! what an engagement is this to Thankfulness Secondly Walk worthy of this love Christians you that see your Interest in
of all in the vileness and sinfulness of our hearts and natures when as men or women come to be acquainted with the vileness of their nature and see what rebellion is in the heart and finde that there is a by as upon the spirit that doth carry it off continually from God the heart enclined toward vanity evermore O! How do vain thoughts and sinful imaginations croud in continually And they do defile the most holy Service that is taken in hand O! This proves matter of temptation This body of sin and death it made the Apostle cry out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. It had been a pressing temptation if the Lord had not made a discovery of the way of deliverance and salvation to him for a poor soul is apt to fear surely there is nothing of God in me if there were any seed of God in me my heart would never be so vain and the byas of my spirit would never carry me out from God so O! I fear I am not made partaker yet of the Divine Nature The sight of that woful evil that is in the heart proves many times a sad temptation that it is hard for a poor soul to get over it And Secondly When the Lord doth leave a poor creature to sin after mercy and against mercy it hath been saved by the Lord delivered by his right hand pressed with such and such a mercy and yet overtaken in the snare of sin sinning against mercy many times proves a sore temptation O! I am afraid that I am none of the Lord's children mercy hath not its kinde work upon me it doth not bring forth those fruits which the Lord may look for when he gives out such mercies sinning against mercy many times proves a sore temptation Thirdly When the Lord leaves a poor creature to fall again and again into the same sin O! this proves matter of temptation when as the soul hath seen the evil of sin and hath bewailed it hath run to the Lord for strength against it yet hath been overtaken again and again in the same sin that I say proves matter of sore temptation Surely may the poor soul say my spot is not the spot of children I have been overtaken once and again whereupon the poor soul may be tempted to cast away his hope and confidence and not only tempted to cast away its confidence but tempted to depart from God and to go out from the wayes of obedience There is no hope say they in Jer. 18. 12. but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart We have back-slidden again and again and there is no hope for us we had as good go on and take our fill in sin This temptation is set on many times by falling into sin That is the first That unworthiness by reason of sin Secondly Unworthiness by reason of that miserable weak and frail condition that the children of men are in the great distance that man is at from God this proves matter of temptation to many a poor soul when he considers that he is a poor piece of dust and ashes and that there is an infinite distance between God and the creature he is from everlasting to everlasting he is Jehovah and changeth not But we are poor creatures that are of yesterday and are going down to the grave to day and shall be in the place of silence to morrow O this proves matter of temptation and discouragement Will the Lord look down upon such a poor creature and upon such a piece of dust and ashes Is it possible that the Lord should humble himself to take notice of me And besides that common condition of frailty which all men are in the Lord is pleased to bring some of his people into a lower condition then that which is the ordinary state of man and yet he is as low as dust Yet I say the Lord is pleased to bring some of his people into a lower condition then ordinary By affliction God makes mans state to be low when he brings him into an afflicted state and when God maketh mans comforts to be low taketh away those comforts and those relations which have been his refreshments I say when a man is brought thus into a low and afflicted condition this added to that common condition of frailty it setteth at a great distance from God and it proves many times matter of discouragement and temptation to a poor soul So it was with Job chap. 14. v. 1 2 3. Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shaddow and continueth not And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one Lord saith he Is it possible that thou shouldest humble thy self so far to look down upon such a one That God should look down with the eye of pity upon such a one frail man is one that is brought so low one that sitteth upon the dunghil Unworthiness by reason of frailness proves a temptation many times to Gods own people Thirdly Unworthiness by reason of coldness and deadness in affection When a poor soul finds how dead his heart is towards God O! I have a heart for the world and I have affections to friends and relations there is love to creatures nay there is affection enough to vanity but little or no heart for God there are not those breathings those thirstings those pantings after God not that first love which somtimes it hath found to the Lord and to the things of Christ O! This proves matter of discouragement and temptation O! I fear that the love of God dwelleth not in me saith a poor soul I finde my heart so dead and so strait towards God open to the world but strait to God O! I fear that the love of God dwelleth not in me How can it be that God should set his love upon such a one Surely if the love of God were in me I should love the Lord more then I do Deadness and coldness in affection toward the Lord it proves many times a sore temptation Fourthly and lastly Unworthiness by reason of unusefulness and unserviceableness to God that is matter of temptation when as a poor creature sees that it can do little or nothing for the Lord O! I am a barren tree I am a dry branch I see that others are fruitful I see that others have the promise fulfilled to them they bring forth much fruit they are serviceable in their generation they are an honour to God and do good to men but as for me I know not wherein I can honour him I know not wherein I can be useful or serviceable O I bring forth no fruit unto God and therefore am afraid that I am the Tree the Apostle Jude vers 12. speaketh of without fruit twice dead plucked
I will lay may hand upon my mouth vers 5. Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further Behold I am vile as vile as thou hast discovered to me Lord I see it and therefore I will stand no more upon my own justification but I will justifie thee and truly so it is with every soul that is truly humbled when God comes and makes a discovery of its corrupt nature and life and chargeth sin upon him it is so and so aggravated thou hast sinned against light against knowledge against mercy and goodness truth Lord all is true saith the gracious heart yea not only when God speaks in the way of discovery of sin the soul that is humble will cry truth Lord and justifie the Lord. But secondly Even then when the Lord speaks very sharply in a way of threatening the soul that is truly humble it will justifie the Lord Psal 51. 4. Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest Here David he will justifie the Lord in all that he spake against him as much as if David should say I have made this publique confession and have penned this Psalm that I might clear thee before all the world that I might justifie God what ever God should do against David or speak against David I will say Lord thou art righteous He would justifie God in all that God had spoken against him and yet God spake terrible things against David by Nathan the Prophet 2 Sam. 12. 10 11 12. Verse 10. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house because thou hast despised me and hast taken the wife of sriah the Hittite to be thy wife Verse 11. Thus saith the Lord Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy Neighbour and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this Sun Verse 12. For thou didst it secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the Sun See here what terrible things God threatens he threatens that the sword should never depart from his house That he would raise up evil against him out of his own house a terrible threatning Nay God threatens that he would give his wives to his Neighbours that should defile them before his face a terrible threatening Nay God tells him that this should be done before all Israel and in the face of the Sun And yet Lord I will clear thee when thou judgest and justifie thee when thou speakest Take another instance in old Eli and you shall see how he justified the Lord when the Lord spake against him 1 Sam. 3. 18. at verse 11. Behold I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle and at verse 14. I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Elies house shall not be purged with Sacrifice nor Offering for ever Now all this was told Eli at verse 18. And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him And he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And so Hezekiah take that instance and see how he justified the Lord when the Lord spake terribly against him 2 Kings 20. 19. at vers 17 18. God threatens Hezekiah because he boasted of his treasure and shews it to the Ambassadors of the King of Babylon verse 17. Behold the dayes come that all that is in thine house and that which thy fathers have laid up in store to this day shall be carried unto Babylon nothing shall be left saith the Lord. Verse 18. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shall be Eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon A hard lesson and yet he justifies the Lord Verse 19. Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken So that you see that a gracious heart that is truly humbled before the Lord it will justifie the Lord in all that he speaks against it when he discovers sin or threatens punishment still he will justifie the Lord and not only justifie the Lord in what he hath spoken but he will justifie the Lord in what he shall speak if God should speak seven times worse still a gracious heart that is truly humble resolves to justifie the Lord 2 Sam. 15. 26. saith David But if he thus say I have no delight in thee Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him He did not only justifie the Lord in what he had spoken but in what the Lord should say if the Lord should say I will use David no more nor bring David back no more to his Throne David in that justifieth God and submits to the Lord. But secondly A gracious heart that is truly humbled desires to justifie God in his Actings when God shall act against him as well as speak against him it will justifie the Lord if the Lord shall prefer others before him in this he will justifie the Lord. Instance in this woman of Canaan the Jewes the children they must have whole loaves and full dishes and they must be preferr'd before her yet she justifies the Lord and says Truth Lord. But I shall make it out to you in divers particulars that you may see how a gracious heart that is truly humbled will justifie the Lord in his actings First of all If the Lord shall manifest more love more grace more favour unto others then to it self though there be nothing in all the world that it longeth more after then after the enjoyment of the presence of God yet if the Lord shall be pleased to discover more of himself and give out more clear full intimations of his love and grace to others then to it self it desires to justifie the Lord. Christ as I said he will deal with the Jews as with children give them whole loaves and full dishes this woman she justifies the Lord and if the Lord will give more tokens of acceptance to others then to it self still it desires to justifie the Lord The heart that is unsound cannot do this nothing is more hard to bear that the Lord should shew more favour to others then to them so it was with Cain the Lord shewed more favour to Abel his brother then to him God gave him a token of his acceptance Cain could not bear it and so the Prâ—digal's eldest brother the father shews a great deal of love to the returning Prodigal and the eldest brother could not bear it I have served thee all my dayes and thou hast not dealt so with me thou hast not killed the fatted calf for me But the soul that is truly humble it will justifie the Lord in this if the Lord gives
to be kept and therefore acknowledge it to the praise of God it doth appear and the Lord doth make it evident that the sea is before the Throne If the sea were not before the Throne of God God's people should be swallowed up every moment the rage of men and of devils would swallow them up but the sea is before the Throne before the eye of God and therefore wonder that you are safe in this raging sea Fourthly It calls upon you that are the Lord's people to watch and pray for you are at sea he that will not pray in a storm he will never pray the worst of men will pray hard in a storm The heathen Mariners Jonah 1. 5. Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed every man unto his god therefore there is a Proverb That men go to Sea to learn to pray Truly the Lord sends his people to sea for this end that he might learn you to pray and cry mightily to him the Saints shall not need to pray when they come in heaven there all their desires shall be satisfied and they shall want nothing and therefore no need to pray But the Lord he sends you into the sea of this world that he might learn you to pray and he raises many storms for this end that so you might cry mightily to the Lord The Disciples when in a storm they cryed Lord save us we perish Brethren you are at sea in the midst of storms and therefore you had need watch and pray and cry mightily that you may be delivered from temptations and saved in the midst of your fears and be delivered from the Rocks and the Sands and from Pyrats enemies many dangers you are in therefore remember what Christ saith unto his Disciples Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation Fiftly Engage the presence of Christ with you If Christ be in the ship all is safe you had need engage the presence of Christ with you every moment for it is a dangerous sea you are in and if Christ be not with you you will be split upon some sand or other and therefore O beg the presence of Christ do not set forward in any duty without the presence of Christ Do not sayl one League without the presence of Christ but urge it before the Lord that you are upon a troublesome sea where there are so many dangers and desire of God that the presence of Christ may be with you for if Christ be with you all will be safe Sixtly You that are the Lord's people do you open the sayls of your souls to the breathings of the Spirit of Christ If you would make a Voyage to heaven know that you can do nothing till the Spirit of Christ breaths in you indeed you may turn the sayls of your souls that way and be waiting for the Spirit of Christ but till the Spirit breathe in you you cannot sayl one League but O what a comfortable Voyage shall you make when the Spirit of Christ shall fill your hearts with holy motions and carry you God-ward and heaven-ward therefore wait for those breathings of the Spirit as the Spouse in Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out And so do you beg of God that the Spirit of Christ may breathe upon you and fill the sayls of your souls that you may be carried heaven-ward Open your souls to the breathings of the Spirit of Christ and that is the way to make a comfortable Voyage Seventhly You that are the Lord's people if you be Christs ship at Sea look for good Loading be not content to go home empty Christians should labour to be filled with the Spirit to be loaden with the fruits of Righteousness this the Lord calls for truly it is a dangerous Voyage that you make and therefore you had need be loaden with rich Commodities you had need seek after much of that durable riches that abides for ever the Lord does not love that the ship should come home empty O that you that fear the Lord would remember that you have but once to pass over the sea of this world and then there is an end for ever and therefore do not return empty but O go and beg of the Lord that he would fill you with the fruits of righteousness that you may go home loaden with Faith and Righteousness so shall you be an honour to God and there will be much joy in heaven when you come home Eightly It is a word of much comfort to those that fear the Lord and have an Interest in Christ know though you be at sea and meet with many storms yet you need not fear you have an Anchor that will hold it being cast upon a sure ground your Anchor it is entred it is fastned upon the Father's free grace and the Son 's everlasting Righteousness which is sure and stedfast and if so do not fear though storms arise it shall go well with you for Christ is the owner of the ship and he will go Master in the ship and so long as the presence of Christ is with you you may be comforted what-ever you meet with If Christ be in the ship he will rebuke the wind and the waves yea he will tread upon the proud boisterous waves that his people meet with yea and he will make his people also to tread upon them too and therefore fear not for Christ is the Master of the ship he is with you the Loading also is Christ's and as I said before you need not fear splitting and losing your Loading for then Christ should lose more then you If thy soul should be lost at Sea then Christ should lose his honour and his honour is more to him then thy soul to thee and therefore let all Gods people be comforted in the midst of all storms and tryals persecutions afflictions and sufferings though this world be a Sea and an evil sea a troublesome sea yet be comforted for though the ship of the body may be split and all your outward Loading may be lost yet so long as Christ is the Owner of the ship so long as Christ is in the ship so long as the Anchor of the ship is cast in heaven there is not one passenger shall be lost for though the outward man be lost yet the soul shall be saved in the day of Christ I now come to consider what is the Use and the Excellency of this Grace of Hope It is an Anchor sure and stedfast though it is not alwayes sure to sense not alwayes sure in apprehension The hope of the Saints may have its shakings and it may seem sometimes to be cut off in their apprehensions but it is sure and stedfast in respect of the ground of it in respect of that sure hold it hath upon God and Christ it hath sure hold upon that which is within the Vail And it
be my anchor will hold I have an invitation to it Who is among you that walketh in darkness and sees no light let him trust in the Lord and stay upon his God Isa 50. 10. though it be in a storm at midnight let him cast anchor upon me saith God let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God this the poor soul hears and being encouraged by the Word of the Lord it cast anchor and makes a desperate venture That 's the sixt Seventhly The anchor is useful not only in a storm but the anchor is useful in a calm when the ship at Sea is be calmed and cannot sayl they cast anchor and so this anchor of hope it is needful in a calm for if it were not for this anchor of hope a believing soul could not have any settlement in a calm though a man hath never so much for the present if he hath not hopes that his goods shall be increased his heart will be disquieted and so hope is useful in the greatest calm to hope that the present good that they have shall not be lost that that measure of grace and spirit that the Lord hath given them shall be carried on from one degree to another till he hath perfected it if it were not for this the heart could not have any peace in the greatest of his enjoyments And thus you have seen the second particular First I have shewn you what saving hope is Secondly That this saving hope is the Anchor of the soul The third and last particular is To shew you that this anchor of a believing soul is sure and stedfast And it will appear in these few particulars First It is made of good mettle it is that which will not bow nor break it is not as the hope of an hypocrite the hope of an hypocrite is compared to a spiders web that breaks presently the spiders web it is a poor thing to hold a ship fast in a storm but this saving Hope that the Spirit of Christ doth work in the heart of believers it is made of good mettle it was not digged out of their own bowels but fetcht from Christ it is Christ that is the store-house of all grace it is made of gold of tryed gold Their faith is more precious then gold saith the Apostle and so their hope is more precious then gold and more firm and solid then gold the matter of it is sure and stedfast Secondly It is well wrought and therefore it must needs be sure and stedfast for it is an anchor of Christ's own working The God of hope sill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Rom. 15. 13. and saith the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead The hope of the Saints it is a grace that is of God's own begetting it is an anchor of Christ's own making and that which comes out of the hand of Christ must needs be sure and stedfast Thirdly It is sure and stedfast for the Cable that holds it is sure and stedfast and that is the Word of the Lord now the Word of the Lord which is the Cable that a believers hope is fastned unto it is twisted of many precious promises all being twisted together must needs be strong the least of them is stronger then heaven and earth Heaven and earth shall pass but not one jot or tittle of the word of the Lord shall fail till all be fulfilled The promises they are the cable which a believing souls anchor is fastned unto and therefore it is sure and stedfast Fourthly It is cast upon a sure ground What is the ground that a believers hope is cast upon I answer First It is fastned upon Jesus Christ first upon Christ crucified upon the death of Christ upon the sufferings of Christ by which Christ hath made satisfaction for sin and brought in everlasting righteousness to cover the nakedness of poor creatures their love is fastned upon the wounds of Christ the sufferings of Christ That 's the first ground for a believers hope to fasten upon Secondly The Anchor of a believers hope it fastens upon the Resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God that hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ that is a main ground for hope to fasten upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ the poor soul looks to Christ Christ dead and risen and in that Christ rose from the grave he hath given full satisfaction to his Father he hath paid the debt and is a common person for his people that come to him by faith so that the resurrection of Christ doth strengthen the faith of the soul exceedingly it gives the soul assurance that it shall be accepted with God the Father because Christ is risen again Thirdly It fastens also upon the Intercession of Jesus Christ He is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him for he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Now this gives great encouragement to a poor soul that is made sensible of his own lost condition of being far off from God it would fain draw nigh and know not which way to come when this is discovered that Christ sits in heaven to plead for poor souls and to make Intercession for all that come to God by him this causes the soul to give a venture to fasten upon Christ Secondly As the soul fastens upon Christ so also it fastens upon God the Father by Christ it goes to the Fathers and takes hold of him First It fastens upon the free Grace of the Father that infinite everlasting love which did finde out the way of Redemption for poor creatures that love which gave Christ at first and which gives poor creatures to Christ and which tenders Christ in the everlasting Gospel there the anchor of hope takes hold Secondly Hope takes hold of the strength of God He is a God mighty in strength he can overcome all difficulties all enemies that are betwixt him and my soul he can overcome all my unworthiness all my provocations yea he can overcome himself his own wrath and displeasure that which no creature can do this being presented to a poor soul that is in a sad doubting condition this helps through grace to draw the soul to Christ and to fasten it upon God Thirdly It fastens also upon the unchangeableness of God and this gives a sure hold to the anchor of hope He is not as man that he should lye Who is it that hath spoken Who is it that tenders Christ to poor creatures It is not the word of him that is the true and faithful witness Is it not the strength of Israel that cannot lye nor
as the sons of men that he should repent Now when the Lord doth thus present his Son and Himself to a poor soul Christ in his death his resurrection ascention his intercession and his own free grace and love his strength his faithfulness this becomes a sure ground for hope to fasten upon and so you have seen the third thing handled A word of Application and I have done First of all It lets us see the sad condition of all men that are without Hope you will say they are in a sad condition that are at sea without an anchor and truly this is the condition of many men they are in a sad condition for they are without hope and O that men would now lay it to heart to see what a sad condition they are in without this anchor of saving Hope you that are without hope it is not possible you should stand in a storm however you may be quiet in a calm it is not possible that you should bear up in time of storm and therefore though men may seem to look towards God and seem to make a progress in God's wayes if there be not an anchor of Hope they will be driven back again cross winds will arise at sea and if you have not this anchor of hope in Christ and in the Father's free grace they will be driven back again without hope it is not possible you should be neer unto God and keep nigh unto God and what a miserable condition is it to be without God in the world Truly so long as you are without true saving hope you are without God in the world so long as 〈◊〉 are without hope they are in a heartless and listless condition where there is no hope there is no endeavour What is the reason that men are so slothful in looking after God It is because that their hearts are not established by hope in Christ and in the Fathers free grace where there is no hope there can be no right endeavour if hope fail all endeavours fail Nay further while men are without hope they must needs be in a sinful polluted condition for it is hope that purgeth the soul and purifieth the heart Having this hope let us cleanse our selves and he that hath this hope he is pure even as he is pure he looks after purity as God is pure that men go on to defile themselves and to work all manner of iniquity it is because that they have no true hope toward God Truly this doth discover that many men have no hope in God because they live at such a distance from God and are not kept close to God nay they are contented to live at a distance from God and will not endeavour seeking after Christ Wherefore I beseech you think upon it what a sad condition it is to be at Sea without an anchor your hearts would melt within you to see a ship driven with storms upon the rocks and no anchor to cast out yet this is the condition of many thousands in the world they are at sea and ready to split upon the rocks and no anchor of hope O that the Lord would make many a heart sensible of it Secondly As it is sad to be without hope so it is more sad to have a deceitful hope for the disappointment of hope is the greatest torment that can befal a poor creature better never to have hope then to have hope frustrated to be disappointed the disappointment of hope proves shame and confusion of face to men Job 6. 20. they were confounded because they had hoped they came thither and were ashamed they were deceived of their expectation and were confounded Better never to have hope then to be disappointed of your hope and in Job 11. 20. the hope of a wicked man shall be as the giving up of the Ghost it shall be gone in a moment as a man in one moment he breaths forth his spirit and gives up the ghost so the hope of a wicked man soon perisheth Now look to your hope that you may not have such hope as will be like the giving up of the ghost examine your hope see whether it be such hope as the Apostle speaketh of that will be as an anchor to the soul both sure and stedfast whence did your hope arise I pray examine that whether it was from your selves or from Christ if your hope be from any thing in your selves it is hope that will not hold it is not sure and stedfast examine what was the efficient cause of your hope how was this hope begotten in you Did you see that it was out of the hand of Christ and that it was begotten in you by the mighty power of God Did the Lord cause you to see that it was not possible that you should create hope in your selves til Christ come beget hope in you Know certainly if it were not a hope of Christ's begetting it is an anchor that will not hold Again examine what it was that fastned your hope Was it the word of the Lord that made you to hope the sure word of promise Was it the word of man or the word of the Lord if it were any thing but the word of the Lord that made you to hope your hope will not hold Examine also upon what ground your hope is cast Is it cast upon the arm of flesh or upon the arm of the Lord what-ever hope is cast upon the arm of flesh will not hold Examine also whether your hope be cast upon the free grace of God or upon the things of the world your prosperity in the world there are thousands in the world that cast the anchor of their hope upon the mammon of this world because God hath prospered them in the world and given them abundance of these outward good things therefore they hope that God loveth them and will give them another world but if your anchor of hope be cast upon your gold or your great estate and not-upon the free grace of God it will deceive you Upon whatsoever it be cast beside God and Christ it will not hold if it be cast upon your duties your desires and good meanings and endeavours your prayers and tears your charity if the anchor of your hope be cast upon these it will not hold yea if it be cast upon your graces your hope will not hold for whatsoever is made the ground of hope beside Christ is the arm of flesh even grace and the actings of grace in the soul they become flesh if made the ground of our hope Now I beseech you look to your hope for certainly the hope of most men is not of the right stamp what-ever they pretend How do many deceive themselves God is not in all their thoughts nor in any of their wayes and yet have hope toward God You say you have hope in God and yet your hope doth not purifie your hearts but as wicked as ever walking in the wayes
save creatures in a wonderful mysterious way in such a mysterious way as men and Angels shall stand and wonder at to eternity now if God did chuse upon such a foresight or for faith or for holiness in the creature why there is no such great mysterie or wonder but for God to chuse freely when there was nothing to draw him to such an act yet then to chuse such poor creatures to everlasting salvation O! this is the wonder of the Gospel Yea thirdly God's choice cannot be upon any foresight of faith or works for the Scripture holds forth that God's choice is before our choice he chose us first and he loved us first see what Christ says John 15. 16. You have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit You have not chosen me that is you have not chosen me first and so in 1 John 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Now if God did chuse upon any foresight of faith or works then God did not love us first for if God did consider men as believers when he chose them why then if the soul believed before God chose it chose God first which is contrary to the Scripture Fourthly The Scripture holdeth forth that there is some that are Christ's sheep that are known to the Lord though not known to themselves and therefore it is God's free love to them to make them sheep but when they believe they shall know that they are sheep but they are sheep before they believe but when they believe they shall be known to be sheep John 10. 16. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd My Fathers love hath made them sheep and because they are sheep they shall hear my voice and shall believe in me Fiftly there is one argument more to confirm the truth If so be that God did chuse upon foreseen faith or works or because he saw that there was an ability in the creature to perform or not I say if Gods decree were a conditional decree then God saw that the creature were able or not able to perform the condition If the creature were not able to believe or to be holy then it were a vain Decree but if God saw that the creature were able to perform the condition this ability to believe and to be holy it must be either from the creature or from God if it were from the creature then it destroyes the Doctrine of Grace and brings in the Doctrine of Works and that sets up the Idol of Free-will which the Scripture beateth down and it lays the stress of the creatures salvation and happiness upon it self If God did chuse because he foresaw that the creature would be such and had a power in it self to believe and to obey this lays the stress of the creatures salvation upon it self But if it be said That God did intend to give the condition the creature is not able to believe of it self and be holy of it self ah but God did determine and decree to make such and such believe and to be holy and so he chose them upon that Now to that I say this comes to nothing to say God did decree to make such and such believers and to make them holy and upon that foreseeing they would be such chose them to life and salvation Why this is as much as to say God did first of all chuse them and then he gave them faith and holiness that he might chuse them for what is God's Decreeing to give faith and holiness but his chusing and setting apart the creature for his self for that is a part of the end for which God chose that it might be holy as well as happy and besides I shewed you before that faith is made to come after election therefore cannot go before election But it may be objected against this Doth not David say in Psal 4. 3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself and may we not object from thence against the absoluteness of God's Decree Answer Some indeed urge from hence that God considered men as godly when he set them apart but there is no such thing in the words for the Psalmist doth not speak of Gods chusing but he speaketh of the manifestation of God's decree and purpose to save now it is manifested by holiness whom God hath chosen and it comes to be known to others God doth not chuse them because they are holy but such as are holy they are evidenced to be such as God hath chosen and therefore he speaketh to others in v. 2. O ye sons of men How long will ye turn my glory into shame How long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing and then it follows v. 3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Though a godly man be in affliction and you may think that God doth not love him because he is afflicted but know that if he be godly though in affliction God hath set him apart for himself so that this place doth not speak of God's decree but of the manifestation of God's decree Another objection is raised out of Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him In him Some argue from hence That we are chosen in Christ and there is no man in Christ but a believer no man is in Christ but he that hath faith and therefore God chuseth no man till he be a believer for we are chosen in him To this I answer first of all in him it may be understood he hath chosen us together with him as head and members are chosen together as foundation and other stones may be chosen together when a man is to build a house he may at once chuse the foundation stones and also divers other stones that he layes upon the building he doth not lay stones upon the foundation and then make choice of them no that they are laid upon the foundation doth argue he hath made choice of them Secondly In him that is Jesus Christ is the way and means of executing his Fathers Decree Jesus Christ he is the way by which God doth execute his purpose and his decree of bringing such and such souls unto blessedness God the Father will bring them by Christ he will bring them this way to life and salvation and no other way but by Christ Jesus he is the cause of the execution of God's Decree but not the cause why God will chuse such and such for Christ saith himself that there is a love that the Father himself hath toward his people the Father himself loveth his people from everlasting he loveth them the better for Christ's Intercession but saith Christ the Father himself loveth you so that there was love in the heart of the Father
all opposition all persecution the worst that Gods people can meet withall in the world nay their very sins and failings and infirmities shall work together for good the infinite wise God will make advantage of all that all that they meet withall shall tend to the furtherance of his work to the bringing about his purpose All shall work together for good yea for the best good though they see it not for the present but wait to the end and by that time God hath done with his people put all together and you shall see that all things shall work together for good nay we know it by experience we have found that God hath brought good out of the greatest evill and out of the greatest affliction And this is to those who are called according to his purpose Eightly There is another ground of comfort which ariseth from the Doctrine of election which is this that The Lord will shorten all the dayes of tribulation which they meet withall here in the world the dayes of affliction and dayes of tribulation shall be shortned for the Elects sake and it is a great refreshment and comfort that God will shorten all the dayes of darkness dayes of tribulation they shall be shortned for the Elects sake all their winter dayes shall be shor dayes dark dayes short dayes there is an eternity of light a coming a day that shall have no end the Sun shall never set but as for the dayes of darkness of sorrow affliction and tribulation the Lord in mercy will shorten them See what is said Matth. 24. 21 22. For then shall be great Tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be and except those dayes should be shortened there should no flesh be saved but for the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortned But for the Elects sake all the dayes of publick calamity shall be shortned dark dayes sad dayes such a sad day as the Jewes saw when Jerusalem was taken by Titus it is spoken first of that dark and sad day to the Jewes when so many millions of them perished such tribulation as never was and if the Lord should not shorten those dayes no flesh should be saved that is not one of them would have been left alive upon the earth those dayes were so dark and so sore but for the Elects sake those dayes of tribulation were shortned And so all the dayes of calamity that Gods people meet withall those dayes of distress yea dayes of publick calamity and the dayes of their particular afflictions yea every dark day the Lord will shorten the Lord in mercy will shorten the dayes of their affliction and that is a great comfort to them that though their dayes of affliction be very grievous the Lord in mercy will make their affliction dayes to be but short In the ninth place there is this comfort that doth flow from the knowledge of our election that the Lord will certainly avenge the cause of his people The Lord doth take notice and he will avenge all the wrongs that any of his elect people doth meet withall in the World See Luke 18. 6 7. And the Lord said heare what the unjust Judge saith and shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him though he beare long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily I tell you saith Christ that he will avenge their cause and all their wrongs and injuries that they meet withall in the World In the tenth and last place there is this ground of comfort that the Lords people those whom he loves from eternity they shall never fall away from him never be plucked out of his hand it is an impossible thing that they should perish This is a mighty ground of strong consolation which they rob poor souls of that doe plead for conditionall election the condition to be performed by the creature it is alwayes at uncertainties to the end of a mans life whether he shall continue and persevere or no. But now the Doctrine of free and absolute and immutable election doth afford this ground of comfort and the knowledge of our being in Gods election doth assure us of this that not any of Christs Sheep shall perish they shall never be drawne off from Christ never be drawn off from following Christ their Shepherd from laying him as the foundation of their life and happinesse Oh! what need have we to get such a ground of comfort in these back-sliding times when so many that make a profession doe swerve from their profession and make shipwrack of their profession of faith But notwithstanding saith the Apostle the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth those that are his Though never so many that make a profession fall away yet the foundation of the Lord stand sure and therefore in Math. 24. 24. See what Christ saith for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect Christ speaketh of the latter dayes a prophesie of our times that there should arise some that should doe great wonders and be false Christs that shall indeavour to take men off from looking to the true Christ that was crucified at Jerusalem and is risen againe false Christs that shall put you upon it to looke to a Christ within you and they shall come in such a way if it were possible that they should deceive the very Elect but is it not possible that the people of the Lords Election should fall finally they may fall for a time we know not what sinfull practises Gods people may fall into if the Lord leaves them and what errour in judgment if the Lord leaves them but it is not possible that they should be drawne away for ever for the Lord will bring them back againe to the right Christ it is not possible that they should fall away totally and finally for the mighty power of God is ingaged for their security You are kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation If it were in our own hand it were not possible that we should be kept we meet with so much from within from an unbeleeving heart and so much from without but you are kept by the mighty power of God through faith to salvation My Father holds you saith Christ and I hold you and no man can pluck them out of my Fathers hand And so you see the third particular that this doctrine of election doth administer many grounds of strong consolation and great refreshment to the people of God I come now to the fourth particular propounded and that is this That notwithstanding this Doctrine doth administer so much ground of comfort yet The Lords people may meet with many temptations about the Doctrine of Election They may meet with many temptations both