upon the mass of mankind in the world and saith if any man say he hath sinned and it did not profit him that is if he look upon sin as an evil and that he never did get good by it then saith God I will deliver his soul from hel and bring him to heaven Object Yea but you wil say May be sometimes God may do thus to affright men and trouble men in mind make them see their sins but is this Gods usual work Answ Yes it is ver 29. Lo these things worketh God oftentimes with men Mark it is not a seldom work but it is Gods work often he will make you see your sins see them to be fruitless and see them to be unprofitable Lo these things God worketh oftentimes with men Hence you read John 16.8 When the Spirit shall come mark his Office he shall convince the world of sin The first act of the Spirit in converting a soul and calling him is to convince him of sin And I Remember Piscator thinks this accomplished in Acts. 2.37 When they saw their sin in crucifying of Jesus Christ this is the first work of the spirit of God in your Calling he will convince you of sin Now O Beloved to how many do I speak this day with whom God hath never taken this Method since they were born into the world How many are there that have been told of their drunkenness and told of their lusts and of their deceits and of their licentious living from day to day and yet to this day they never saw sin to be exceeding sinfull they never were convinced of sin to purpose If they did indeed see their sin 1â— it was but a transient sight soon come and soon gone or else 2. it was but a general sight to say we are all sinners or 3. If they did see their sin it was but a confused sight no way distinct or 4. If they did see sin it was an unhumbling sight the sight of sin did never humble them in Gods sight I intreat you Beloved do not laie hold or have hopes of being effectually call'd if God hath not shewn you the hainous and aggravated nature of your sins There is a speech Job 36.9 10. He first shews to men their works and their transgressions that they have exceeded and then he opens their ears to discipline and commands them to return from evil Mark then the Lord doth it when he makes them see their transgressions that they have exceeded Now Have you seen that you have exceeded in your Passions and in your Pride have you seen sin to be exceeding sinful this is Gods first work and happie are you that are brought into Christs School that Christ doth take this Method withall 2. After God hath put a light into the soul to make you see the sin fulnesse of sin then 2. God fastens these thoughts on the soul to make you sensible of the great misery that your sins have brought you into to cry out with Paul Rom. 7.24 Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death There Paul cryes out of his wretchednesse and misery by reason of that body of death the sinfulnesse of his nature which he confesses did as much trouble him as if a dead body should be tyed to his living body alluding to the custome of the Romans in punishing notorious Malefactors which he takes to be a most grievous punishment Why Beloved have you ever seen this did you ever see that misery that sin brought upon you that sin did devest you of righteousnesse did rob you of your God banish you from his presence intitle you to hell and make you objects of his wrath Now were you sensible of this misery this is Gods method to make you see your misery by reason of sin 3. God puts the soul into a kind of spirituall astonishment that the poor sinner doth not know where to goe what course to take which way to turn how he may get pardon for his sin and recoverie from his miserie This you find mentioned as Gods method Acts 2.37 upon 3000 at once Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved They were even in a maze the word wrought upon them and they saw Jesus Christ crucified to be their sin and now they crie out in great astonishment Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved When God effectually calls a man he will leave him a little to himself that he knows not which way in the world to turn him Now when I speak of spiritual Astonishment mistake me not for First I press not such a measure of Humiliation nor such a measure of trouble of mind how great it must be Nor Secondly do I press the duration of it how long it must be that you must be so long and so long Nor Thirdly doe I press an absolute necessitie of this as if a man could not be call'd without it Indeed we read of Lydia that her heart was opened and she never troubled nor astonisht and God sometimes works thus in an extraordinarie way but I press this that ordinarily its Gods Method in some measure or other at some time or other to put his people into such a plunge that they shall not know which way in the world to turne themselves And so were those 3000 Acts 2. They could not tell what they should do to be saved And here further if you ask me With whom doth God most of all take this course to put them into such spirituall amazement to put them into horror and terror about their everlasting estate I Answer first Those that have liv'd in a course of profaneness before Conversion let them look to it if thou hast been a knottie and stout-hearted sinner against God God must give thee many a blow before he can hammer thee to his own will You that have been guiltie of Drunkenness and guiltie of Adultery or guiltie of Sabbath-breaking in a gross and licencious way that have made this world a stage to act wickednesse upon look to it boast not of your Calling if God hath not brought you in this way you have ground to suspect you are not yet call'd They that before Conversion were loose in their lives if they find not this spirituall amazement it is not likely they are call'd And therefore I verily suspect your Call that can jump out of a course of Profanenesse into a course of Profession that can jump from a course of Malignitie to delight to hear Sermons and love Ministers You that have been opposers of godliness if you do not shew an eminent work in your Conversion I greatly suspect whether you are converted or no because it is Gods usuall Method if men have been men of gross lives before calling to bring them to great astonishment when they are called 2. You that have often withstood and still withstand Gods call that Sermon after Sermon and invitation after invitation would not gain upon
run to the worst of men that are in the world And this should be great comfort to you though you have been drunkards and though you have been Sabbath breakers and adulterers and though you have been profane yet if you can but now close in with Jesus Christ and looke after heaven if you can but now mourn over your condition and repent of your former failings and come in to Jesus Christ Election hath runne unto men as bad as you and though you may be now men profane in your lives yet you may be objects of Gods election SERMON XIV 2 PETER 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure THe last Doctrine I drew from these words was this That Christians should put forth a great deale of diligence to make this sure to their soules that they are eternally elected by God to life and glory In the prosecution of which I have gone over some queries There are four difficulties or queries I am further to insist upon in treating of this point As namely First whether this election be universall or no Secondly whether a man that is once elected by God to salvation may come to be damned yea or no Thirdly whether God in electing a man to life and glory doth it out of any foresight of faith or any other grace he sees in man And fourthly whether this doctrine of election that God in his own counsell hath determined who shall be damned and who saved doth not take men off from any endeavours after their own salvation to make them desperate and neglect the use of means that they shall say if I shall be damned I shall be damned and if saved I shall be saved let me live as I list whether this doctrine will favour this desperate conclusion yea or no First whether election be universall or no This is that the Arminians and Papists doe mightily drive at And here they lay down this conclusion which they make unquestionable That there is such a thing as a certain universall election of God without limitation or restraint of persons whereby God did determine to save all mankind by Christ who were fallen in Adam This opinion was first drawn from Origen who held that all creatures should be saved and the Papists and Arminians mincing the matter to make it a little more plausible then he did they say that God in his purpose did intend to save all mankind by Jesus Christ but man falling away and walking contrary to their principles the defect lies in them that they are not saved and this Divines call universall redemption Now against this I shall lay down severall Scriptures and then take off the objections that seems to strengthen this opinion First for Scriptures In the Epistle of Jude vers 3. you read of some that were ordained of old to condemnation Therefore sure all could not be saved 1 Thes 5.9 Some men are appointed to wrath but we to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ Therefore all men could not be within the purpose of Gods first intention to save Matth. 22.14 Many are called but few are chosen So Rom. 11.7 The Jewes did not obtaine what they sought for but the elect obtained it and the rest were hardned 2 Tim. 2.20 There are vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour The Scripture makes it a discriminating act in God that some he chose to life and others from eternity in his councell he chose to wrath and condemnation And these Scriptures will fully overthrow this opinion And indeed the very word chusing confutes it which intimates a taking of some with an overlooking of others But now let us view a little the Arguments or Scriptures they abuse to strengthen this unsound opinion of theirs One is 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adant all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive Now say they Every man did die in Adam every mothers child by Adams fall became subject to death even so in Christ shall every man be made alive the Lord did intend that every man should have benefit by Jesus Christ Now to take off this I shall answer it in shewing you the true intent and scope of this Scripture This universall phrase of making alive hath not reference to the saving of the soule but to the resurrection of the body And so the sence is this That as in Adam by vertue of his sinne every man came to die a naturall death So in Christ shall all be made alive that is so by Christs power shall every man rise from the dead And if you aske how I make that appeare to be the intendment of the Text. I answer the words themselves will make it plaine Vers 11. It is said By man came death by man also came the resurrection from the dead that is as by that man Adam came death so by that man Christ shall come the resurrection from the dead for as in Adam all died c. so that here you see this is brought in as a proofe of the 21. verse Intimating that this being made alive hath no reference to the life of the soule but onely to the Resurrection of the body that as Adam by his sinne brought death to all men so Christ by his power shall raise all men from the dead every man in his own order However should this be granted that this making alive should have reference to the life of the soul it would beare no more but this that all that are damned are damned as in Adams loynes and all that are saved shall be saved as in the loynes of Jesus Christ And so make nothing at all to prove this which they call universall election Another Scripture undeniable they think is Rom. 11.32 where it is said God hath concluded all men under unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all Now say they If God did doe an act to make men see their unbeliefe and did intend by this action to have mercy upon all then God in his counsell intended to save all Now to this that he might have mercy upon all I answer This phrase all is not to be taken in an unlimited sence as if he would have mercy upon all mankind but it is to be taken in a restrained sence that God shut up all men in unbeliefe that is God made all believers see their own misery that he might have mercy on all them that believe And if you ask how I prove this to be the meaning of the Text I answer The Scripture makes it cleare Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all men under sinne The very words fore-quoted But what 's the limitation Shall all men be saved No. For mark the next words The Scripture hath concluded all men under sinne that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ should be given to them that believe Now though Paul doth not say thus to the Romans yet the words being the same the Restriction holds good in both
gain them to set upon the ready practice of this dutie in that word Brethren Wherefore Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure From these five Parts there are five Points observable As 1. From the Matter of the dutie Make sure your election and vocation Hence note Doct. 1 1. That it is the main and chief duty of a Christian in this life to make this sure to his soul that he is effectually called and eternally elected 2. From the Manner how you must do this dutie willingly or diligently Note hence Doct. 2 2. That Christians ought to set about this duty of making sure their effectual calling and eternall election with a great deal of diligence 3. From the Motive to this dutie Wherfore Brethren Wherefore why considering the evil that comes by slothfulnesse and by neglect of improving grace therefore give diligence The Observation hence is Doct. 3 3. That seeing much hurt comes by slothfulnesse in not improving grace this should strongly oblige Christians to be the more diligent in all matters of Religion 4. From the Comparison of this dutie with others Wherefore the rather Brethren i.e. rather then doe any thing do this to make your calling and election sure Hence Note Doct. 4 4. That of all imployments in the world you should rather imploy your selves with diligence in making sure of heaven To make sure that you are effectually called and eternally elected Lastly From the Compellation of Peter Wherefore Brethren Note Doct. 5 5. That when we would fasten Exhortations upon others to duty we should labour to expresse to them abundance of Affection Here Peter when he would urge the Jews to a dutie insinuates into them by a loving expression calling them Brethren Wherefore Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure But I should both confound your memorie and crosse my usuall Method should I speak of these five Doctrines thus drawn forth I had rather then thus mangle the Text give you the Scope and Substance thereof in fewer Doctrines You may be pleased therefore in dividing the words to draw them into two parts 1. A dutie generally press'd and that in these words Give diligence 2. The particulars wherein our diligence must be conversant express'd And that in two things First In making your calling sure Secondly In making your election sure From the words thus divided wil arise two Points of Doctrine First From the dutie press'd Give diligence Note Doct. 1 I. That in all matters of soul concernment Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence Secondly From the particulars wherein this dutie of Diligence is to be conversant that is in making your Calling and Election sure Hence observe Doct. 2 II. That the great diligence of a Christian ought chiefly to be imployed about this to make sure to his soul that he is effectually called and eternally elected These are the two Points I shall draw from these words I begin with the first That in all matters of soul concernment Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence In the fifth verse it is said likewise Give all diligence as if all your chief endeavours should be about the concernments of your soul In the managing of this Point I shall lay down the Demonstrations of it then the Reasons then Apply it First For the Demonstrations of it It appears that in all Soul concernments you should put forth a great deal of diligence by those Resemblances that the work belonging to the salvation of the sould is compared to in Scripture As 1. Sometimes the work of Christianity in saving the soul is compared to a race Heb. 12.2 Let us lay aside every weight and run with patience the race that is set before us So 1 Cor. 9.24 25. When you walk in your Gardens or Galleries you take no pains but when you run a race you labour and strive hard and put forth all your strength to attain the end Why Beloved matters about the Soul they are compared to the running of a race to shew what labours and endeavours you must put forth in all imployments of the Soul 2. It is compared to wrestling Eph. 6.12 We wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities and Powers And so 2 Tim. 2.5 An allusion to the Olympick games and publick pastimes when men wrestled before the common multitude wherein they put forth all their strength and skill to throw each other down To note that Christianity is no slight work but a wrestling work wherein a great deal of diligence and labour is to be put forth 3. It is expressed in Scripture by fighting a Battel 2 Timoth 4.7 We have fought a good fight And As good Souldiers you have endured hardnesse 2 Tim. 2.3 Now when men are fighting for their lives what care and what labour and what diligence do they put forth to save themselves And the work of Christianity in the concernments of the Soul is set forth by this resemblance 4. It is compared to one being in an Agonie Luke 13. ver 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strive till you are in an Agonie as Christ was Christ was in an agonie in the Garden when he sweat drops of bloud So saith Luke Strive and Strive and strive till you are in an agonie that you sweat bloud again in the work of your souls Now put these together That the work of Christianitie is resembled to a race to a fight to be in an agonie to wrestling wherein men put forth the utmost of their strength the Resemblance will hold forth this That you must put forth a great deal of diligence in all matters of Soul concernment Now for the Reasons Why you must be thus diligent in the matters of Christianitie I shall lay down Ten. Reas 1 1. Because diligence is required in all matters concerning the body therefore much more should you put forth diligence in all matters concerning the Soul Diligence is required in all matters concerning the Bodie Eccles 9.10 Whatever thou puttest thy hand unto doe it with all thy might And we read Psal 127. of men that Rise up early and go to bed late and eat the bread of carefulnesse and all for the Bodie to sustain that Now if you must put forth so much diligence and use so much care to thrive in the Bodie then much more for the Soul The Soul is a more noble piece then the Bodie and if you must work in your Calling you must much more work out your salvation If you must labour for earth you must much more labour for heaven if you labour to laie up treasure here you should much more labour to laie up treasure for hereafter If you work and toil and all to finde subsistence for a mortall and vile Bodie you should much more use diligence and take pains for a glorious and immortal Soul Reas 2 2. Because many
Divel gets power over us If once you slack in diligence in this spirituall industry you doe even tempt the Divel to tempt you you lay your selves open to a world of sin and a world of snares As you know it is with water whilest the streame keeps running it keeps clear but let it stand still it breeds frogs and toads and all manner of filth So while you keep going you keep cleare but doe but once flag in your diligence and stand still and O what a puddle of filth and sin will thy heart be The Keys that you keep in your pocket and use every day are bright but keyes seldome used the very rust eats them out So it is with your graces not used with diligence they will soon grow rustie and decay the less diligent you are the more will sin and Satan fasten upon you Heb. 6.12 We desire you saith the Apostle every one of you to shew the same diligence to what that you be not slothfull As if he should say if once you slack in diligence the sin of slothfulnesse will soon grow upon you Whereas now the more diligent you are the lesse busie and operative will the suggestions of Satan and the operations of sin be in thy soul While men slept the enemy came and sowed tares Mat. 13.25 As you know it is with the body A man that is given to live a Sedentarie life a life of sitting those bodies are more exposed to ill humors And therefore the life of Schollars is a life exposed most to diseases but those whose livelihoods are in handycrast trades alwaies in motion and stirring the motion expels the ill humors that they cannot seize upon the body It is so in the soul the lesse you Act in matters of foul concernment the more spiritual diseases and spirituall infirmities will grow upon you Whereas the more active and industrious you are the lesse power will ill distempers and humors have to seize upon the soul Reas 7 7. Because the more diligent you are in matters pertaining to the soul the nearer resemblance and conformitie you carry to Jesus Christ you read of Christ that he went about alwaies doing good And when his father and mother mist him and went three daies sorrowing to seek him and having found him askt him where hast thou been Wot ye not saith Christ I was about my fathers businesse As if he should say I was not about any evill work but to glorifie my God and promote the honour of my father this was my work And elsewhere he tels us it was his meat and drink to doe the wil of his father Here was a diligent person indeed Why the more industrious you are and the more diligent you are in matters of the soul the more like you are to Jesus Christ And where can there be a better pattern for you to resemble or a better Copie for you to write by Reas 8 8. Because the more diligent you are in this imployment the more peace and the more profit will accrue to your own souls The more peace will accrue the more industrious you are 2. Pet. 3.14 Be you diligent saith the Apostle for what that you may be found of Christ in peace without spot and blameless So Isa 32.17 The work of righteousnesse is peace and the effect thereof quietnesse for ever It is not the bare habit or having of grace that is peace but it is the working of it and being industrious in it and the acting of it in your lives that brings peace to your souls And then it will not only bring peace but it brings profit also I may say as Solomon saith Prov. 10.4 The hand of the diligent maketh rich I am sure the hand of a diligent Christian that is industrious in Gods waies will make him rich in grace when those who are spirituall sluggards will come to spirituall povertie So 1 Cor. 15. last Be stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. If then you are industrious in the work of grace it shall not be in vain but you shall get by all that you do in the Lord. Reas 9 9. Because you have lost more grace in a little time then you can ever regain by all the diligence you can put forth should you live never so long You had all graces once in Adam but Adam by one morsel of forbidden fruit lost all that grace which you cannot now regain by never so much diligence Should you pray til you can speak no more and should you sigh to the breaking of your loyns should every word be a sigh and every sigh a tear and every tear a drop of blood you would never be able to recover that grace which you lost in Adam You obliterated the beautiful image of God You lost that knowledg by the commission of one sin which you cannot regain by ten thousand Sermons or doing ten thousand Duties Have not you therefore need of diligence seeing you have lost so much in so little time which by all your diligence you will never fully recover Reas 10 10. Because the best of you have lived a long time either using diligence to damn your selves or else taking no care to save your selves one or both therefore you had need now to set about the work Beloved Magna pars vita nihil agen do maxima malè tota aliud agendo clabitur Senec. I may say as Seneca did of the heathen That a great part of mans life doth pass away in doing evil the greatest part in doing nothing the whole of a mans life in doing other things then he should do And truly so I may say to you A great part of your lives hath past in sinning away your salvation in taking pains to damn your own souls and if not so gross I believe a great part hath past away in doing nothing for your salvation in not praying for salvation in not hearing for salvation in not reading for salvation in not mourning for salvation in doing nothing for heaven and if it be so that you have thus spent your time you have great cause now to put your hand to the work and to use all diligence in matters pertaining to your salvation A man going a journey that hath gone the greatest part of his time out of his way he had need mend his pace when he comes into the right way again so if we have spent the most part of our time in vain we had need give the more diligence for the time to come SERMON II. 1 PET. 2.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure HAving in the morning finish'd the Doctrinal part of this general Point I shall now only make a short Use and then pass to the particulars wherein you should be diligent Vse 1 1 Now Is this true That in all matters of soul concernment you
souls that they are effectually called and eternally elected Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Now I cannot handle this Doctrine in the bulk of it but must of necessitie take it into parts and handle it piece by piece that so I may give you the strength of the whole Observation in the Application of it And seeing Calling lies in the front I shall in a few Sermons treat of that And the Point from thence will be this That Doctr. Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls that they are effectually Called Beloved This is a very material Point I am now upon especially in this deceitful age wherein men plunge themselves into a gulph of presumption wherein many times men take faith upon trust and Christ upon trust It is meet that you that live under the Gospel should trie your Calling by the Gospel whether it be true or no there may be an external Cal when there is no inward calling by the operation of the Spirit upon your hearts In the managing of this Point I shall shew you these three things First What Effectual Calling is Secondly Why you are required to put forth a great deal of diligence to make your Calling sure to your souls Thirdly By what Characters or Discoveries you may be assured in your own hearts that you are effectually called First What Effectual Calling is You say we must make it sure therefore what is the nature of it For answer you may take this description of it Effectual Calling is the fruit of Gods Election whereby God of his free grace works a wonderful change in the heart of an Elect person by the inward operation of the Spirit accompanying the outward Ministry of the word by vertue of which the soul is brought from under the dominion of sin and Satan into a state of grace and so made meet for the enjoyment of God in glory Now I shal not take this apart but commit it to your memorie and judgment to apprehend Only in this description there are laid down four differences to distinguish effectual Calling from that ordinary or outward Calling that wicked men have by the Ministrie of the Word As 1. Effectual Calling in the description is said to be a fruit of Gods Election but outward or general Calling is a fruit only of common providence God by an over-ruling providence sends the Gospel among a people and thereby calls them to an outward compliance and conformitie but effectual Calling is a fruit of Gods Election 2. It is said in the description that Effectual Calling it changes the heart whereby God works a wonderful change in the heart but an external Calling no way reacheth the heart only worketh some kind of civil or common alteration in the life 3. It 's said Effectual Calling is wrought by the inward operation of the Spirit accompanying the outward Ministry of the word whereas an External Call is only by the word but no inward saving work of the Spirit at all 4. It s said of Effectual Calling that it is from the dominion of sin but External Calling is only from the external acts of sin Indeed by an external calling the word may have that power over a man as to restrain and keep in the visible and external actings of sin but it no way works upon the inclination to take off the affection from sin wheras this effectual Calling works upon the heart and works to the subduing and destroying of the power of sin as well as the actings of it Secondly Why doth God require that we should put forth such great diligence in making sure that we are effectually called by the Spirit of Jesus Christ in the Gospel There are three Reasons why this should be Reas 1 First Because there are many professing the Gospel that do harbour ungrounded perswasions that they are effectually called when they are not Now if many men be deceived why may not you And if many are apt to be deceived about this matter have not you great cause to be diligent lest you are deceived also The Jewes of old they boasted of their Calling and said We have Abraham to our father but Christ confutes that If you were Abrahams children saith he you would do the works of Abraham but you seek to kill me which Abraham did not But then they go higher John 8.46 they were effectually called For God is our Father No saith Christ You are of your father the Divel Thus many men run into these gross mistakes to believe they are effectually called when they are not Many are called outwardly that are not called effectually Matth. 22.14 And therefore it concerns you not to be deceived in this great business Reas 2 Secondly Because there is this natural aptness in all of us in things that are of any value concerning the bodie you wil be sure to make sure of them It may be if you have Brass and Pewter or baser Mettals your Kitchin shal serve for that but things of greater value as Pearls and Diamonds they must be in the Closet and in a Cabinet in that Closet you wil be sure to ensure them Why how much more should you ensure this great and precious Jewel of Effectual Calling that so much concerns your immortal souls When you buy Land you will be sure your Title is good to draw up your evidences so as to be firm in Law You know Merchants if they venture a great or most part of their estate at sea where happily there may be hazard in the Voyage they will run speedily to ensure a great part of their Commodities Beloved this should you do this bodie of yours is the Ship and the Merchandize and Freight in this Ship is your souls and this Ship is going a great Voyage to Glorie Glorie is the Port whither this Ship is to come you shall meet with many dangers in your way haply with storms and tempests of temptation yea haply you may run upon the rocks of presumption or quick-sands of despair O now run to the ensuring Office what 's that why run to seek the Testimonie of Christs Spirit in your own Spirit by the word to evidence unto you upon good ground that the Ship shal be safe and the Commodities brought secure to the Haven that Ship Bodie Soul and all shal come safe to Heaven Beloved if men wil thus ensure their Estates you have much more reason to ensure your souls For believe it if you make not sure your souls if you suffer shipwrack ye are turned Bankrupts presently bankrupt to God you lose him for ever It is said of an old Usurer That when any man came to borrow money of him he would hardly trust one in twentie and being ask'd the reason Why he would do so O saith he it is good to be sure Why Beloved shal an Usurer in all his ways be so secure and so heedful in all his disbursments that he could say
in with me and cleave to me and take content and delight in me Beloved there are many that hear the word yet never go out of themselves and never close in with Christ yea but all they that heare and learne that hear and are called by hearing they all come in to Jesus Christ Wherefore all you that in hearing cannot find your hearts in love with Christ cannot find your hearts to close in with Christ and believe in Christ you have just cause to suspect your Call that your calling is not effectual 1 Cor. 1.24 The Apostle tels you there were other men counted Christ foolishnesse but to you that are called Christ is the power and wisedome of God that is you do acknowledg and you do conceive of Jesus Christ that he hath as much power as God hath in him and as much wisedome as God hath in him and you close in with Christ for that end when other men think Christ to be foolish and Christ weak men uncall'd they have low thoughts of Christ but to you that are call'd Christ is the power and wisedome of God You will have high thoughts of Jesus Christ if you are effectually called 4. That man that is effectually called he shall be inabled by the spirit of Christ to call upon God 1. Cor. 1.2 To all in Corinth called to be Saints with all that call upon the name of the Lord. There the Apostle joynes called to be Saints with this phrase to call upon God to shew that whoever is effectually called to be a Saint that man shall be inabled by the Spirit of Jesus to call upon God Psal 27.8 When thousaidest Seek my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek Hence ye read Acts 9.11 when Ananias doubted whether Paul was truely call'd or no and Jesus Christ would convince Ananias that he was truely call'd what means doth he use verse 11. do not suspect him but arise saith Christ and goe to him into the street called Straight and enquire at the house of Judas for one Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth If he were not call'd he would never goe to God in such a cordiall way and humble his soul before God for his by past failings and beg strength for time to come and labour to have his peace made with me Go to him for behold he prayeth and therefore all you that have not a spirit in any measure to call upon God and to powr forth your requests in a solemn prayer you have just cause of jealousie to suspect your Call 5. If you are effectually call'd God hath wrought in your souls an utter detestation and loathing of all the evils that in the former part of your lives before you calling your have committed and were guilty of Hos 14.8 Ephraim shall say what have I any more to doe with Idols The interrogation imports a vehement detestation of them and indignation against them 2 Cor. 7.11 the Apostle speaks there of repentance the same with calling when men come to have the work of grace in their hearts and this is a branch of it that godly sorrow causeth care and causeth fear and causeth indignation that is if any man be a repenting man and a converted man this conversion will cause indignation that is he will be even mad with himself and angry with himself that he should be so vile a wretch before conversion as he hath been Thus was Paul hee speaks with indignation against the sins he was guilty of before his calling I have been a persecutor I have hal'd the Saints into prison Nay saith hee I was even mad against the Church Beloved you will count your sins to be madnesse and count them to be greatly aggravated that were committed before God call'd you Anselm said to his body I 'le tame thee O unruly beast with fasting and praier We read of one that bit off his tongue in indignation that therewith he had denied Jesus Christ Another Martyr put that hand first into the fire with which he had subscribed a recantation saying Burn thou O hand that didst subscribe to that which might have made me burn both body and soul in hell And therefore you that have no loathing thoughts against past deceit and past drunkennesse and past swearing and your past evils suspect your calling You that do not abhor the thoughts of your former evils your wonted pride and wonted covetousnesse if you cannot looke with indignation against these you have great cause to suspect your call For if God have call'd you he will make you even angry with your selves that ever you have been so vile as you have been Hence it is when God speaks of Israels conversion Isa 2.20 't is said they shall cast away their idols from them they shall cast away their sins as with indignation against themselves because they have sinned And hence in the Prophesie of Ezek. 20.43 the Prophet tels them that for the evils they had done they should loath themselves in their own eyes their indignation should be so great against themselves that ever they should be so vile against God before their call So David with indignation saith after he had recovered himself and brought his heart into a repentant frame so foolish was I and ignorant Psal 73.22 Now Beloved I would here appeale unto you I will judge no man let your own consciences pass sentence upon you But let me appeal to your selves Have not many of you before these times been opposers of Religion men walking in ungodly lewd and profane courses of living haply now you are moulded into a form of Profession now you hear the Word speak well of Ministers now you cry up Government many plausible wayes and actions you can cary on but what is in your hearts Have you indignation against your past persecution and evils If not beleeve it though you go far I fear you may come short of beaven your calling is not real if you have not indignation and wrath against your former sins committed And therefore O what a sad word is this to all insensible sinners that are men that never had their hearts touch'd with remorse for any evil What a sad word is this to you that have been drunk week after week and sworn day after day and deceived hour after hour and been unclean time after time and yet all these evils never touch'd the heart Truly you have great cause to fear that God hath not yet effectually called you by Jesus Christ 6. The man that is effectually called his spirit is brought into an obediential frame to yeeld obedience to the commands of Jesus Christ if God call you by his Spirit hee will not leave you to the exorbitancies of your own wayes and will but he will bring you to a yeeldingnesse of heart to all his commands Rom. 15 6. We have received grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith among all Nations among whom you are also the called of
though they wanted these poor outward comforts they did not want Christs comfort and Christs graces and therefore when they had neither purse scrip nor shoos they wanted nothing Why O Beloved if you were of the temper of these gracious Disciples you would say so too that if you can find a grounded and real interest in Christ though you want many of the Comforts of this world you will say you want nothing Wanted yee any thing and they said Nothing 5. You that make povertie and persecution a plea Consider this that the poor are ordinarily the most people that Jesus Christ doth cal to imbrace his Gospel The poor receive the Gospel saith Christ and blessed are you that are not offended at it Not many wise not many noble are called but the poor things of the world hath God chosen 1 Cor. 1.26 And in James God hath chose the poor of this world to be rich in faith Do not therefore Beloved make this a plea to keep off from Christ because ordinarily they are the people Christ pitcheth most love upon and doth delight to make them rich in grace who are poor in goods 6. Consider That if upon this ground you refuse the call of Iesus Christ you are exposed to more Povertie and to worse persecution then ever you could be exposed to in the entertaining of Christ In the following of Christ you are only exposed to an outward povertie but in neglecting the cal of Christ you are exposed to be poor in faith and to be such a beggar as not to be endowed with one dram of grace and then you are beggars indeed As we say he is a poor man that God hates he that hath not Christ and hath not the treasures of heaven in him he is exposed to worse povertie a thousand times then he can be for embraceing the cal of Iesus Christ Rev. 3.17 Yea and he is exposed to worse persecution also that for fear of persecution neglects Iesus Christ Psal 83.5 The Lord will persecute them saith David with furie and wrath speaking of wicked men All persecution from man reaches but to the body but this from God reacheth to the soul 7. And then lastly This should not hinder you from following Iesus Christ considering that though you should be poor and should be persecuted yet heaven wil make you amends for al Heb. 11.35 Heavē wil make amends for poverty when you are indowed with all the riches of Christ and Heaven wil make amends for persecution when there the weary shal be at rest and there the troubled shal be at ease And thus much be spoken of the third suggestion of the Devil that if you entertain the cal of Jesus Christ you shal be exposed to much poverty and persecution here in the world SERMON VI. 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure THe Doctrine I am yet upon is this That Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ In the prosecution of which I have resolved one case of conscience and am yet upon the second case namely what suggestions the Devil doth use to keep men off from imbracing the call of Jesus Christ I have laid down and answered three already 4. Now there is one suggestion more when the Devil sees neither of these wil take place then he comes in with a fourth to disswade men from imbracing the call of Christ and that is this Why saith the Devil if you will entertain the call of Christ you will abridge your selves of all the joy and comfort of your lives you will never have merry daies while you live upon earth You see men that pretend to be converted and do hear Sermons what lumpish and melancholy men they are not so jocund and jolly as others are that walk not so precisely if you follow Christ and his Gospel this wil casheer all your merry daies and this wil put you into a sad temper all your jovial daies are gone Therefore to take off this aspersion that the wais of Christ are sad and melancholy waies which hath been an aspersion that from age to age generation to generation hath been as a Gin the Devil hath used to keep men from Christianity And I remember it is one of the great Engines Antichrist useth to support and uphold his Kingdome The Papists to deter men from Christianity and the Protestant Religion they would hold their Disciples in hand with this that the spirit of a Calvinist is a sad and lumpish spirit and therefore they would disswade all Nations from turning to their Religion and this the Priests were to tel in all the Churches of Rome how sad and melancholy they were that turned to the Calvinists Religion and this did mightily stay the people from imbracing the truth And this aspersion hath passed from hand to hand and is many times prevalent upon the spirits of men that are of the true Religion that they must not be too forward in the practice of Religion fearing lest this should work melancholy and sad thoughts in them Now to take off this I shal onely urge four or five heads briefly First Whereas you say they are melancholy and sad that are called by Christ to a profession of his waies I would answer thus That they of all people in the world have most cause of mirth and gladnes and they are the most truly joyful people in the world That they have most cause of rejoycing is apparent When the Disciples came triumphing that they could cast out Devils heal the diseased and work Miracles O but saith Christ Rejoyce not in this but rejoyce that your names are written in the book of Life Luke 10.20 As much as if Christ should say All the indowments and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit they are no such grounds of joy if you had them all but here is your joy and cause of rejoycing that your names are written in the book of Life that you are in Christ and your souls shal be saved And so Paul tels us Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies again I say rejoyce The Apostle would not speak it to them with a single command but doubles his expression to shew that they that are people that have their sins pardoned that have their souls reconciled that have a Title to glory whose names are written in the book of Life these of all men in the world have most cause of joy and gladness And they have not onely most cause but they do most truly rejoyce and have more real joy in their hearts in one day then the wicked can have all their lives 1 Pet. 1.8 They rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory What joy you have in the world the tongue is able to speak of it but the tongue is not able to speak of that inward joy that godly men have in their hearts
his Name c. though you may be ignorant about circumstantials yet if it be not in fundamentals your ignorance may be consistent with effectual calling But now Thirdly If a godly man be satisfied in these two points and thinks happily I may have the first concomitant to call upon God and so evidence my effectual call and then happily the second may not be wanting in me that I do not lie under the state of a wilful sottish fundamental ignorance But alas saith he I want a third concomitant that accompanies effectual calling and that is I finde in the Word that they that are effectually called they are brought into an Obediential frame of heart to all the wayes of God that whatever God commands them to do their hearts can readily obey and this I finde Rom. 1.5 6. God hath called them by his grace unto the obedience of faith Now alas saith a poore soul I finde a defect in this concomitant likewise I cannot discerne that I am called to an obedience flowing from faith as its principle I cannot finde this frame of heart to be in me and therefore I doubt of my effectual calling This I shall labour to take off likewise First When I say that obedience is a concomitant that will accompany one effectually called I do not say nor intend it of obedience in the actings of it but of an obediential frame of spirit in the purposes of it Many men may be effectually called In praeparatione animi when they may not alwayes live in the acting of obedience to Christ but every man effectually called hath an obedient frame of heart that is he hath purposes intentions and resolutions to obey God though he cannot act what he would do he hath obedience in the habit and obedience in his purposes and resolutions always attending him Secondly you finde in Scripture that the strongest and ablest Christians who have done most for God have sometimes been very defective in the Actings of obedience that they could not do what they would do for God And therefore Paul complaines Rom. 7. The good that we would do we cannot do Paul himself that was a pillar in Gods house yet he tells you he could not go out in those Actings of obedience which in his heart he would do therfore if you would willingly do more then you do God accepts of the litle you do Thirdly Though you cannot put forth many Actings of obedience to God where there is readinesse of minde and heart God accepts the purposes of the minde for the Action it self 2 Cor. 8.12 Where there is a willing minde it is accepted of God as if the deed were done And thus much be spoken to the second case of conscience why men effectually called do so much doubt of their own call Doubt 3 Thirdly Seeing Christians must put forth diligence in making their calling sure therefore now whereabouts must this diligence of ours be conversant or into what Channel must our diligence run that so we might be sure of our effectual calling This is a very material question and in resolving of it I shall answer it in these two generals First if you would get assurance of your effectual calling you must put forth diligence to remove those things that will hinder you in making sure your calling And Secondly use diligence to set upon the practice of those duties that may further you in making this sure that you are effectually called First You must remove those things which do much hinder you from being assured and those hinderances that are to be removed I shall comprize under six heads As First you must use diligence to remove Melancholy from your Thoughts This is a natural hinderance of assurance Melancholy is a temper in man arising from a black blood running about the body that doth naturally occasion distrust and fear in mens mindes this temper being in the body doth work much upon the disposition of the soul Now if your temper be Melancholy and so dispose you to distrust and fear this will be a great stop to your having of the joyes and comforts of the Lord in your hearts in assurance of his love It is a note Perkins hath upon Nebuchadnezzar when he are grasse like a beast he writing upon that place thinks that Nebuchadnezzar was in a deep Melancholy and that did so possesse him that he could not tell whether he was a man or a beast though saith he he did not eat grasse but his deep perplexity seazing upon him did make him think that he was from a man turned into a Beast Beloved Melancholy in a Christian it will make him think himself an Hypocrite when he is a Saint and therefore take heed of a Melancholy lumpish and sad temper it is a very great hinderance to this grace of assurance This I lay down only as a Natural remedy Secondly A minde filled with worldly cares and running into incumbring imployments in the world this is a great hinderance of assurance The cares of this life Mat. 13.15 are compared to thornes Now thornes they choake the seed by drawing the juyce that is in the seed to themselves and so the corn doth not grow where thornes spring The cares of this life they are like thornes in this they are of an attractive power to suck and draw the juyce of your spirits and comforts to themselves so that you cannot have the juyce of your spirits in gathering your evidences for heaven the more incumbred you are in the world the lesse clear you will be touching the evidence of your everlasting condition The cares of this life they pierce the soul through with many sorrowes Now when a man is pierced with many sorrows he is in a very unfit temper to be raised up in spiritual joy the more you encumber your selves in the employments of this world the less you wil be in the comforts of heaven I remember it was the speech of a Pope when he lay a dying When I was a painful preaching Minister then I had hopes of my salvation when I came to be a Cardinal I doubted of it but when I came to be a Pope I despaired of it I was so entangled in the Affairs of this life Beloved so I may say to you When you were but ordinary Christians in the world you were in a way to get assurance of your salvation but since you have been taken up with the affaires of the world it doth so distract your minde that you can be in no composed temper to have any setlednesse of heart about your everlasting estate It is the observation of Philosophers that the Sun is eclipsed by the interposition of the Moon the Moon coming between the Sun and our sight Beloved the Sun of your comforts comes to be eclipsed by the Moon which is made an Emblem of the world Rev. 12.9 Now if the Moon of the world comes between your comforts and you it will miserably darken and
minde the dayes of old and the yeers of many generations Call to minde ancient dayes did not God shew thee his face did not God bear thee in the palmes of his hands did not God give thee many a smile of his countenance and many a pledge of his love even by affliction it selfe did not God set many a seal upon thy heart that thy comforts were true thy evidence clear and thy ends sincere towards God Beloved call to minde the former frame of thy spirit how thou wast in wonted times and this Meditation being backed by Gods Spirit may bee a great means to restore thy comforts to thee past goodnesse should be present encouragement Thirdly Meditate what way it was that you got your former comforts and assurance Ex quo gignimur eo dem nutrimur and the same way God will sanctifie to restore you your comforts again What Physicians say of the body We are nourished of those things of which wee are begotten and generated So I say of comforts The very same thing that begot comforts the same will restore your comforts againe Now think upon this in your practice and consider What way did I gaine my comforts in yeeres past did I gaine my comforts by godly sorrow and by lamenting after God and by mourning over those abominable failings in my practice now take the same course to restore thy evidences Go and mourn in thy Closet over thy uneven walking before God Go lament for thy sinnes mourne after thy Father and tell him thou art grieved at the heart that he is so great a stranger to thy soule Didst thou gain thy assurance in dayes past by humbling thy soule often before God Set upon humbling work again Didst thou gain thy comforts in dayes past by walking closely with thy God Amend thy paths and direct thy wayes unto thy Maker for dayes to come There is the very same way to restore your comforts that was at first to gain your comforts Fourthly Let your Meditations work upon those comforting Promises in the Gospel that hold forth most comfort to a dejected soule And truly I am perswaded Christians Meditations running more upon their own failings and their own jealousies and their own mistakes then upon Gospel-Promises hath been the great occasion they have layen so long under a spirit of bondage and under a dark eclipse in the want of the comforts of Gods Spirit Therefore now let your Meditations work upon those Promises that hold forth most comfort to a dejected and deserted soule And here I shall name five or sixe most comfortable Promises in the Word As Esa 57.15 The Lord that dwells in the high and holy places he doth revive the spirit of the humble and of the contrite one So Esa 66.2 The Lord dwels in the heavens and yet with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit that trembles at his Word with him will God dwell So Psal 34.18 The Lord is nigh them that are of a broken heart even them that are contrite in spirit So Luke 4.18 Jesus Christ was anointed that is appointed by God the Father to preach the Gospel to the poor to binde up the broken in heart and to comfort them that mourn So Esa 66.10 The Lord will restore comfort to thee and to thy Mourners And Heb. 12.12 The Lord will strengthen the weak hands and feeble knees And with that remarkable and most glorious Gospel-promise I shall end Esa 35.3 4 5 6. Strengthen the weak hands and confirme the feeble knees This saith God to weak Christians whose legs can hardly carry their bodies and their hands hardly reach to their mouthes Say unto the weak Christian in grace comfort and confirm and strengthen them And say unto them that are of a fearfull heart Be strong Poor fearful doubting soules that fear every Temptation and fear every corruption and fear they shall lose the recompence of their reward Say unto that fearful heart Be strong and fear not For your God will come with vengeance even God will come with recompence and save you And then the eyes of the blinde shall bee open and the eares of the deafe shall bee unstopped it is not meant of the bodily eye but those that were blinde and could not see the mysteries of Christ and could not read their own comforts then their eyes shall be open And the deaf that as Esaiah saith refused to be comforted that would not hearken to comfort but would stop their eares against all comfortable doctrines and onely give way to sorrow their eares shall be unstopped And the lame man shall leap like a Hart the poore halting Christian that halts in his comforts that is now believing anon staggering now rejoycing anon despairing the poor lame man shall leap like a Hart. And the Tongue of the dumb shall sing the poor man that could not speak one word of his owne graces and of his own comforts and touching his own evidence the Tongue of the dumb shall sing O Beloved here is your work in case you would bee Christians to restore your comforts againe set upon the work of Meditation to think upon these precious promises of the Gospell that hold forth most comfort to a drooping and dejected sinner SERMON XII 2 PETER 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure THe Doctrine I am yet upon is this That Christians ought to put forth a great deale of diligence to make this sure to their soule that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ to Grace and Glory In the prosecution of which I have gone over many particulars Vse There remains now onely one Use more to dispatch about this subject and then I passe to the third point drawn from these words And the Use shall be of Consolation from all that hath been said touching the assurance of our effectuall Calling I shall onely direct my discourse to lay down six or seven Consolatory Conclusions to those Christians who are effectually called yet happily have not a sensible assurance of their own calling First take this for a truth that Assurance is necessary not for the being but for the wel-being of a Christian It is not necessary to his estate but to his comfort It is not necessary as food is to the life but onely as physick is to the body A man cannot live without food a man may live without Physick Assurance is but as a comfortable Cordiall to the soule Grace is as food to keep the soule alive though you doe want assurance this Cordiall to beare you up Secondly that many of Gods deare Children they may lie a very long time in the want of this assurance touching their effectuall calling Psal 88. it is said of Heman 14 15 16 verses Lord why hast thou cast off my soule and why hast thou hid thy face from me Mark his complaint I am ready to die And was this onely a fit of desertion or was it a