2. And again consider how zealous Iesus Christ hath been for us 2. The zeal of Jesus Christ in giving himself What affection he hath shewn to us in doing what the Text mindeth us of giving himself for us and that to the Death even that accursed death treading the winepresse of his Fathers wrath for our sakes What zeal did he herein shew for us How earnest was his desire of effecting the work of our Redemption This is that which he telleth his Disciples Luke 12.50 I have a Baptism to be Baptized with saith he and how am I straitned till it be accomplished A Baptism meaning his Death and Passion whereby he was consecrated to be the Saviour of the world And concerning this he saith he was straitned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earnestly desiring the accomplishment thereof that so the work of mans Redemption which he made his grand design might be effected A work which he was very zealous of And hereupon it was that he was so far from declining of that bitter Cup as Peter would have had him to do that he even maketh haste as it were to drink it going into the Garden where he knew the High Priests officers would come to apprehend him and there going forth to meet them offering himself unto them not accepting of any attempt for his rescue as I shewed you in opening the first Branch of the Text how Christ gave himself for us Such was his zeal for us that he thought not his dearest blood too dear for us And oh how zealous then should we be for him Was he so zealous in suffering for us how zealous should we be in doing for him Let these Considerations serve as well they may for the kindling of this fire 2. Considerations useful for the blowing up of this fire Which being in this way kindled let our next work be to inflame and blow it up In which way among other make use of these Considerations 1. The zeal of Angels in serving their God 1. Look upon the blessed Angels considering how zealous they are in serving their God and us So much we are put in mind of by that name which is given to some of them who are called Seraphim So we find them Isa 6.2 where the Prophet describing the Majesty of God represented to him in a Vision as sitting upon his Throne with a guard of Angels about him he saith About it stood the Seraphims or rather Seraphim as the plural termination in the Hebrew requires it should be Seraphim a word coming from Saraph which signifieth to burn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ussit form whence they were so called as to import their singular splendor so also their fervency of love to God and zeal in his service Who maketh his Angels Spirits his Ministers a flaming fire Psa 146. Such are those glorious Spirits Whence it is that in the verse there following they are said to have each of them six wings two whereof were to fly withall as also the Cherubins in the Temple had 1 King 6.27 intimating their promptness to and swiftness in executing the will of their God doing whatsoever he putteth them upon Doing his commandements hearkning to the voice of his word as the Psalmist describeth those heavenly Spirits Psalm 103.20 And as they are zealous in doing service to their God so to his people In serving his people Being Ministring Spirits unto them sent forth to Minister unto them who shall be heirs of Salvation as the Apostle sets forth their office Heb. 1. last how intent are they about this work Take heed saith our Saviour that ye despise not one of these little ones the meanest of Gods servants For I say unto you that in Heaven their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven Mat. 18.10 waiting for Gods command to be imployed for the meanest of his servants And are they so zealous in his service Why then should not they who hope to be like unto them another day which our Saviour tells us all true believers in the Resurrection shall be Matth. 22.30 strive to be herein like unto them 2. And as Angels so the Saints of God 2. The zeal of Gods Saints upon earth how zealous do we find many of them to have been How zealous for their God So was Moses and Phineas and Elias and David of whom I spake before And such was Iohn the Baptist A burning and a shining light John 5.35 burning in his zeal for God and shining in his doctrine and life before men And of the like spirit was Paul who when the Disciples understanding what troubles he was like to meet with at Ierusalem disswaded him from going up thither tells them I am ready not to be bound only but to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Acts 21.13 And how zealous for their Brethren So was Moses who rather than Israels sin should not be forgiven them wisheth that God would blot his name out of his book of life Exod. 32.32 In like manner St. Paul being transported with the like affectionate zeal for his Countreymen the Iewes I could wish saith he that my self were accursed from Christ for my brethrens sake my kinsmen according to the flesh Rom. 9.3 And like zeal we find in other of the servants of God As in Mart. Luther who being disswaded by his friends from adventuring his person at the Council at Wormes took up that Heroick resolution that though there were as many Devils there as tiles to cover the houses yet would he in the name of the Lord Iesus present himself there And the like we read of Mr. Calvin how that bewailing the sad differences amongst the Churches in his time he professed Ne decem quidem maria that it was not the sailing over of ten Seas that would grieve him so he might but obtain an uniform draught of Religion Now setting these and the like Presidents and Examples before us let them be as so many provocatives unto us Such effect had the forwardness and liberality of the Corinthians in their charitable Contributions this their zeal provoked very many as the Apostle tells them 2 Cor. 9.2 And of such use let the zeal of Gods servants be unto us serving to blow up this heavenly zeal in our hearts 3. And such use make we of that zeal which we see betwixt Men upon Civil interests 3. Zeal betwixt men upon civil interests Thus when railing Shimei reviled and cursed the Lords Anointed King David in that base and unworthy manner that he did Abishai hearing it he could not endure it but presently he tenders his service to his Master for the revenging of his quarrel by taking off the head of the dead dog as he calls him as we have the story 2 Sam. 16.9 And like instances we meet with many of such as having espoused the interest of some other have been so zealous in the
can be replyed to it which is worth the Answering As for that Distinction which is commonly made use o◠of Impetration and Application Impetration and Application not to be severed that Christ dyed to impetrate and obtein Salvation for all but not intending to apply it to any but to his sheep such as should believe on him I am loath to trouble you with it it being a distinction that finds no footing in Scripture dividing also these two things which are not to be severed For so it is Application doth alwayes follow Impetration All those for whom Christ hath obteined Redemption they shall in due time have the Benefit thereof applyed unto them Christ having also obteined for them that they should believe without which his blood would have been spilt in vain But to pass on Arg. 4. Christ saveth his People from their sins To these adde one or two Texts more which speak the same thing and that somewhat more plainly As that known one Matth. 1.21 where the Angel giving a Reason of imposing the name Jesus upon Christ Thou shalt call his name Iesus saith he speaking to Ioseph for he shall save his people from their sins His people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And who were they why not only the people of the Iewes to whom yet in a special way he was sent and so they might upon that account be called his people as Calvin and some others expound it but all Gods Elect Periphrasis Electorum Piscat Sohol in loc who were given to Christ by his Father These the Apostle calleth Gods people Rom. 11.2 God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew meaning his Elect among the Iewes whom he loved and chose from everlasting and decreed to save before the foundations of the world were layed How ever the Body of that people was for a time layed aside yet there was a people among them whom God looked upon as his people in a peculiar manner And them he neither had nor would cast off And these elsewhere Christ calleth his people as in that Text forecited Populus hic dicuntur qui facilè Christi populus fieri poteramt ut Oves Joh. 10.16 Grot. Com in loc Act. 18.10 I have much people in this City saith he to Paul Such as not only with a little pains might be made his people as Grotius and other Arminians would blanch that Text as they do also that other about Christs sheep Joh. 10.16 but such as were then his people related to him by the grace of Election given to him by his Father though not as yet brought home to him as they should be by an effectual vocation And thus most genuinely understand we the word there He shall save his people his Elect whose Salvation he intended in giving himself So again in those other Texts Arg. 5. Christs giving himself for his Church where Christs giving himself is appropriated to his Church as we find it Act. 20.28 God purchased the Church with his own blood And Ephes 5.25 Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it Repl. True saith the Arminian he did so but not only for it Repl. But not only for it So they go about to elude this Text as also that other forecited of Christs giving himself for his sheep Ans Ans Ames Coronis de Redempt Cap. 3. Christ loved his Church as Husbands their wives But to this our judicious Ames returns a fitting Answer This is even as if an Adulterer who bestowes his love upon other women as well as upon his wife should return Answer to the Apostles injunction there in the former part of that verse where he requires Husbands to love their wives that he doth not injoyn them to love them onely but so as they may with the like love love others besides them Surely the Reason is alike in both Husbands love your wives as Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it Now Husbands are so to love their wives as not to love any other with the like love And so did Christ love his Church with a peculiar love which he expressed in giving himself for it which he did not for others Repl. Repl. In the Church many Reprobates Why but it is said in the Church there are many Hypocrites and Reprobates Ans Not so in this Church which Christ is said thus to love and to have given himself for Ans Not so in the Church invisible which Christ gave himself for which he did as the next verse hath it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrincle plainly shewing what Church he there spake of viz. the Church invisible which is called his Body whereof he is said to be the Saviour v. 23. of that 5 Eph. Thus we see how Scripture restrains the death of Christ holding it forth as proper and peculiar to some among man-kind viz. to Gods Elect people those whom God his Father had given to him to be redeemed and saved by him his Sheep his People his Church his Body For them Christ gave himself in a peculiar way intending at least the chief benefit of his death only to them For this I presume these alleged Texts to be so clear and convincing as that they may give full satisfaction to any who desire to receive it or are willing to accept it Arg. 6. Christ sanctifying himself for his Elect. To which adde but one more viz. that Ioh. 17.19 where our Saviour plainly declares for whom it was that he Sacrificed himself For their sakes saith he I sanctifie my self For their sakes that is for those whom he had before spoken of through the whole course of the Chapter viz. those whom his Father had given him out of the world v. 6. those for whom he saith he prayed not so for the world v. 9. those who were not of the world v. 14. for their sakes saith he I Sanctifie my self that is I consecrate and offer up my self a holy and unblemished Sacrifice for their Redemption Omnes prorsus auctores quos ego legerim interpretantur pro eis ego me in sacrificium offero nec dubium est qui◠id verba significent Maldon Com. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic idem valet quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grot. ad loc so the Fathers generally all whom the Jesuite Maldonate had met with as himself professeth with one consent do interpret that word there And questionless as he concludes so it must be there understood So as we have there a clear account for whom it was that Christ gave himself Not for all but for his Elect. Thus have we heard what Scripture speaks in this Cause To which in the next place for further conviction subjoyn we some other Arguments or Reasons Arguments from Reason such as by Orthodox Divines are
unto the soul of a poor sinner Not such a general apprehension of an universal Redemption that Christ dyed for all to open a door of hope for all by making their Salvation possible upon the condition of their believing in the mean time not meriting faith for them that they should believe and so not intending that the merit of his death should be made effectual to all of them But labour to evidence and ascerting this to our selves that Christ gave himself for us in such a peculiar and efficatious way as our surety in our room and stead undertaking for us making Reconciliation for us and so that we have interest in the merit of his death Quest Quest How shall this be done I but how shall we be able to do this This is a secret A thing known to God The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 his by Election And so doth Christ also I am the good Shepheard and know my Sheep Joh. 10.14 his sheep not only by effectual Vocation of whom he speaketh v. 27. My sheep hear my voice and I know them but also by Election I know whom I have chosen Joh. 13.18 Chosen to eternal life And thus he knew who they were to whom he intended the benefit of his death I lay down my life for the sheep saith he Ioh. 10.15 viz. those sheep whom in the verse foregoing he saith he knew took special notice of and had set a peculiar love upon I but how shall this be made known to us How shall we be assured that we are in this number Ans 1. Answ 1. Gods secret will not to be consulted with For answer hereunto let me first inform you what you are not to do Do not attempt what you shall never be able to compass Do not think of ascending up into heaven there to search the Rolls and Records of Eternity to see whether your names be written in that Book of life whether you be in the list of Gods Elect or no. I mean do not trouble your selves about Gods secret will which belongeth not to you Do not immenge and plunge your selves into those unfaddomable depths where you shall never find the bottom I mean those mysterious doctrines of Predestination Election Reprobation Which the great Apostle having discoursed of Rom. 11. closeth up all with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth v. 33. So admiring what he could not comprehend No nor yet of Redemption Of which Hemingius writing upon the Text saith truly that it is Venerandum potiùs quà m serutandum mysterium A mystery rather to be adored than curiously pried into But here as in all other mysteries of like nature content your selves with what God hath revealed Hic conquiescat caro saith he Here let flesh and blood rest in what the word clearly holdeth forth And this do you Hearkning to such Counsels and applying your selves to such wayes and courses as you are there directed to that so you may be sure to have a share in all those benefits which Christ by his death hath purchased for his Elect. Which what they are let me in the second place come to shew you which I shall do as plainly and briefly as I may binding up all in this one general Ans 2 Ans 2. Come unto Jesus Christ Would you be sure to have benefit by the death of Christ then Come ye unto him This is that which renders the death of Christ in effectual to the greatest part of those to whom he is made known they will not come unto him So our Saviour chargeth it upon the unbelieving Jewes Ioh. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life And even so is it with the greatest part of the world those among whom Christ is crucified as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 3.1 before whose eyes he is evidently set forth in the preaching of the Gospel and so offered and tendered unto them they will not come unto him that they might be made partakers of what he hath merited by his death Let not the like be charged upon any of us Hearing of Christ and of what he hath done how he hath given himself now come unto him that we may partake of what he hath purchased for all that shall so do Quest But the question runs on How shall we come unto him Quest How come unto him Ans Ans As to a Prophet Priest and King A question well worth the Answering to which let me beg the best of your attentions Would you so come unto Christ as to be sure to receive benefit from him Come unto him then as to a Prophet as to a Priest as to a King owning and acknowledging him in every of those Offices and Relations 1. As a Prophet hearing him 1. As a Prophet hearing and believing him This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him saith the voyce from heaven Matth 17.5 And this do you who ever would receive any benefit from Christ hear him hearken to him yeelding up your selves to be taught by him This is the ear-mark of Christs sheep My sheep hear my voyce Joh. 10.27 Those whom God the Father hath given to his Son Christ to be redeemed and saved by him they hearken to his voyce hearing and believing the Doctrine of the Gospel And this do you who ever desire to have Christ for your Priest take him first as your Prophet Yeelding up your selves as I said to be taught and instructed by him concerning the great mystery of Salvation by and through him that you may know it and knowing it believe it Know believe Iesus Christ to be what he is even the great God our Saviour as the words before the Text describe him the Eternal only begotten Son of God And how he was sent by his Father upon this arrand for the Redeeming and saving of lost Man-kind Without this knowledge and belief you are not capable of receiving any benefit by the death of Christ This is is a Character which Christ giveth of his sheep those for whom he saith he gave himself in that Text forenamed Ioh. 10.14 I know my sheep and am known of mine They are such as know and believe him to be what he is I am come out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me saith he of his Apostles Ioh. 17.8 And thus must they be in measure qualified who ever expect any benefit from the death of Christ They must be such as know and believe the Doctrine of the Gospel Repent ye and believe the Gospel so our Saviour begins his preaching Mar. 1.15 Thus receive Christ as your Prophet learning of him hearkning to him Believing him 2. Come unto him as your Priest believing on him 2. As a Priest believing on him Ye believe in God believe also in me Joh. 14.1 Not contenting your selves with a general a bare speculative knowledge or dogmatical faith to know and believe what Christ
of a fair construction consistent with this truth As that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.6 where it is said that Christ gave himself a Ransom for all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for this All here in the Text All those whom his Father had given him who are elsewhere called many Mat. 20.28 The Son of man came to give his life a ransom for many viz. his Elect who are also elsewhere called a world 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself that is the world of his Elect made up of Jewes and Gentiles And so look we upon the Text which of all other as our last Translation renders it seemeth to speak most fully for the Adversary Heb. 2.9 where it is said of Christ that he by the grace of God tasted death for every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all that is still for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this All here in the Text All and every one whom his Father had bestowed upon him as Diodate rightly expounds it Thus doth this word All here as sometimes elsewhere denote the universality not of Mankind but of Gods Elect. For them it was Christ died intentionally only for the Elect and only for them that Christ intentionally died I lay down my life for my sheep saith the obvious Text Joh. 10.15 Which whatever evasions are sought out to elude it speaks this truth so clearly so fully as putteth it beyond contradiction whilest it restraineth the Intention of Christ in laying down his life unto a select company his sheep viz. those that were given him by his Father Which truth being thus bottomed I desire you to take notice of that you may not be carried away with that wind of Doctrine that plausible error which is so taking with many at this day who cry up the Doctrine of universal Redemption as the most comfortable truth and glorious Doctrine that can be held forth tending highly as they apprehend to the magnifying of the grace and mercy of God and merit of Christ which are thus extended unto all But herein how are they mistaken In thus extending this grace how do they extenuate it Grace extenuated by extending it Of all Doctrines I know none that in truth more derogates from this grace of God in Christ than this whilest it asserts alike respect to all that all being alike given to Christ by his Father are alike owned by him the Redemption and Salvation of all alike intended by both of Esau as of Jacob of Judas as of Peter so as the one is not more beholding to God and Jesus Christ than the other This whatever any may conceive is in truth no small derogation from and extenuation of this grace which being confined as it ought to be to a narrower channel riseth higher Being restrained only to a certain number a small number comparatively of Gods Elect it is thereby rendred the more glorious And so let it be in the eyes of all the Lords people Vse 2. The grace of Election glorious grace to whom God hath evidenced and made known this his gracious purpose that they are in the number of those whom he hath thus given to his Son Christ Let them give unto him the glory of this his Grace Free Grace Such it was as I have shewen you All men being alike in Adam in the same state and condition by nature all alike children of wrath that God should single out some some few to make them objects of his grace ingrafting them into another stock the stock of the second Adam giving them unto his Son Christ to be reconciled redeemed and saved by him whilest he passed by others the greatest part leaving them to themselves to work out their own everlasting condemnation and to receive the just reward of their demerits this he did meerly out of his own good pleasure his free grace there being no other motive out of himself that might induce him to it Let him then have the glory of it from all those who apprehend their interest in it Let them acknowledge the freenesse And as the freeness so the Greatnesse of it admiring and adoring it blessing and magnifying God for it Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places or things in Christ According as he hath chosen us in him Eph. 1.3 4. Indeavouring to express their thankfulness unto him by walking answerably thereunto living to the praise and glory of God and Jesus Christ This is that which the Apostle presseth upon his Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.19 20 Ye are not your own c. Therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And so let me press it upon you all you who lay any claim to an interest in this blessed priviledge of being thus given to Christ Know you now that ye are no longer your own at your own dispose so as to serve what Masters you please No you are Christs So Paul tells those his Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.23 Ye are Christs And so are all believers and that by a double right as of purchase of which he there speaketh in that former Text Ye are bought with a price the blood of Christ so of Donation being given unto him by God his Father And being thus his now live to him None of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself saith the same Apostle Rom. 14.7 8. speaking de jure what Christians ought to do For whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord. And O that all of us may thus live and thus die not to our selves but to Jesus Christ shewing our selves his loyal subjects and obedient servants in our lives seeking his honour and glory and then yielding up our selves unto him in our death being ready to die for him if he should call us to that service This let all of us do who expect any benefit by him and that as upon the account of what Christ himself hath done for us in redeeming us so of what God the Father hath done for us in giving us unto him Thus I have done with the first of these Propositions which holdeth forth unto us this gracious Donation Gods giving of his Elect people unto Christ Come we now to the second which informes us that All those who are thus given unto Christ by his Father they shall come unto him Prop. 2. All who are given to Christ shall come to him Here is the second Proposition which sets forth unto us Mans effectual Vocation following upon Gods Election as an undoubted consequent of it So the Apostle sets it forth in that known Text Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them also he called Which in effect speaketh the same thing with this of our Saviour here All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me Quest How come unto him Ans For the explicating of
their design so to be Lukewarm in their Religion Lukewarmness in some a politick design As for zeal it is a temper which their policy approves not of No a middle temper is the best neither hot nor cold But herein how are they mistaken Of all tempers Christ liketh it worst So he tells the Laodicean Church there Rev. 3.15 16. I would thou wert either cold or hot So then because thou art lukewarm c. I will spew thee out of my mouth Meats and drinks which are luke-warm are most offensive and displeasing to the stomach apt to provoke vomit And such are all Newters and Politick Time-servers unto Jesus Christ loathsome and detestable such as sooner or later he will cast out with loathing and detestation Here is a second sort Lukewarm Christians Besides these a third sort there are who are zealous I but of what Not of good works 3. Some zealous but not of good works What then Why either 1. Of things Indifferent which they superstitiously doting upon make necessary 1. Of things indifferent shewing more zeal for humane inventions than for any part of the instituted worship and service of God Such was the zeal of the Pharisees who found fault with the Disciples of Christ and quarrel with him their Master about it because they did not observe their Traditions Why do thy Disciples transgresse the Tradition of the Elders say they For they wash not their hands when they eat bread Matth. 1.2 Thus were they very zealous for those ceremonious observances which being in themselves indifferent they putting a Religion in them made necessary preferring them before divine Institutions and Commands So our Saviour there chargeth it upon the v. 6. Thus have ye made the Commandements of God of none effect by your Traditions And such was Pauls zeal before his Conversion as himself acknowledgeth it Gal. 1.14 I was then saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more exceedingly zealous of the Traditions of my Fathers And such a zeal may we see at this day among those great Zelots of the Roman Church who are transcendently more exceedingly zealous than others But whereof is it Why of the Traditions of their Fathers humane Inventions Rites Ceremonies such as have no warrant from the Word And would to God there were not too much of this zeal to be found amongst some Protestants at this day even amongst our selves who are still so much addicted to old Customes and Rites and Ceremonies as that their zeal to them maketh them overlook the substance of Religion and to neglect as I said some of the Ordinances of God Being zealous for Humane they neglect Divine Institutions 2. Of evil works 2. Others there are worse than these who are zealous about things in themselves evil Such are persons openly wicked who are zealous Actors of sin committing it with greediness Such were some of the Gentiles whom the Apostle describeth Eph. 4.19 Being past feeling they have given themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse Would to God there were not some such to be found among Christians amongst us Riotous Intemperate Luxurious persons such as Run to all excess of Riot as St. Peter hath it 1. Pet. 4.4 And such zeal shall we find amongst Idolaters Those of old whom we read of among whom some thought nothing too dear for their Idols not sparing some of them to sacrifice their Children unto them So did the worshippers of Molech or Baal of whom the Prophet Jeremie speaketh Jer. 19.5 They have built also the high-places of Baal to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal And such are the prime Zelots of the Church of Rome at this day such as are zealous for their Idolatry and Superstition as Invocating of Saints Worshipping of Images Adoring the Sacrament c. 3. Another sort there are who are zealous against good works 3. Against good works speaking evill of them and persecuting those that do them Such was Pauls zeal before his Conversion as himself acknowledgeth it Phil. 3.6 Concerning zeal persecuting the Church Such zeal our Saviour tels his Disciples they should make account to meet with from those who liked not their way John 16.2 They shall put you out of the Synagogues Yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service And such zeal may we find among Papists at this day who care not what cruelties they exercise upon the true Professors of Gods Religion And would to God there were not some of this zeal to be found among our selves in such as are zealous against the wayes of God and those that walk in them not sparing to revile the Ministers of God for doing their duty and to rail upon his servants for being so forward so zealous as they are of good works Thus their zeal is against zeal which they look upon as no better than folly and madness in those who express it in the course of their lives and conversations by being more forward and zealous than others Now to close up this Branch of the Application as for all these let them here take notice that being such we cannot reckon them in the number of this peculiar people whom Christ hath Redeemed and Purified to this end that they should be zealous and zealous of good works Vse 2. Exh. Be zealous Which let all of us in the second place be exhorted and excited to That we may approve and evidence our selves to be of this blessed number such as belong unto Jesus Christ be we zealous zealous for God in doing his will Be zealous saith the Spirit to the Laodicean Church And such let us be 1. Motives and means for the kindling of this fire For the kindling of which fire in our hearts do but consider in the first place how zealous God hath been and is for us for his people Thus saith the Lord of hosts I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousie Zach. 1.14 1. Consider Gods zeal for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kinnethi saith the Original zelatus sum I have been zealous for them with a great zeal Such is Gods affection towards his Church and people like that of a most affectionate husband towards his beloved wife whom he cannot endure to see wronged Such is Gods zeal for his people Which as it induceth him to make so to perform and make good his promises unto them This it was that moved him to give his Son Christ for them to send him into the world to do what he hath done and shall do for them To us a child is born to us a son is given saith the Prophet Esay speaking of Christ Isa 9.6 And what moved God to do this Why The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this so the Reason is rendred in the verse following Thus hath God been zealous for us great reason then that we should be zealous for him
I said may be called his people and that upon a special a peculiar account The Lord knoweth them that are his his by Election 2 Tim. 2.19 saith our Saviour speaking to his Father of his Apostles John 17.6 Thine not by a pious kind of disposition as Grotius fouly corrupteth that Text but by a gracious pre-election Pietatis quodam affectu Grot. Annot. ad loc And such are all those who are given to Christ to believe on him and to be saved by him they are Gods chosen ones a chosen generation as St. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 2.9 chosen by him out of the world before the world was As he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 And thus are they his people Even as the people of Israel were in an outward and visible way whom Moses tells Deut. 7.6 Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself So are all Gods Elect ones in an inward and invisible way God having set a special love upon them and chosen them they are his people And being thus his by Election 2. Gods Elect given to Christ now in the third place in order to the executing and bringing to pass his gracious purpose towards them he giveth them to his Sonne Christ Thine they were and thou gavest them to me saith our Saviour there of his Apostles Ioh. 17.6 And so is it with all those who are ordained to eternal life being God the Fathers by Election he giveth them unto his Son Christ So we find believers frequently described as in the verse next but one after the Text v. 39. This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing And so in that 17. of Iohn the Disciples are divers times set forth under that Periphrasis Those whom thou hast given me v. 9 11 12. And so all other believers all that then did or afterwards should believe on him Of them speaketh the 24th v. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me All believers are given to Christ Quest But how are they said so to be Ans To this it may be Answered they may be said so to be two wayes Intentionally and Actually Intentionally before time Actually in time 1. Intentionally before time 1. Before time in Gods eternal purpose and decree In his Decree of Election God ordaining them to the end to obtain salvation ordaineth them also to the meanes giving them unto his Son Christ choosing them in him So saith the Apostle in that Text forecited Eph. 1.4 As he hath chosen us in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Christ whom God his Father constituted and appointed to be as it were the Head and Root of the Election into whom his elect people were by his decree as it were ingrafted as all mankind by nature was into the first Adam that so they might be made partakers of those saving benefits by and through him of Grace here and Glory hereafter as before all men were of sin and death brought in by the first Adam Thus they are given to Christ before time 2. Actually in time 2. In time in the execution of that decree when they are brought actually to believe on Christ to receive him as their Saviour and Lord. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me saith Christ speaking of his Disciples as that Text is by many expounded Isa 8.18 And upon this account our Saviour saith of his Apostles in some of those Texts forecited Iohn 17.9 11. that they were given to him by his Father viz. actually given to believe on him to follow him to own and acknowledge him for their Lord and Master Quest Now of which of these shall we understand our Saviour here to speak in the Text Ans Here Expositors are not all agreed The former here understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his cum affectu aliquo intelligitur Grot. ad loc Tradit autem pater cum effectu Christo eos qui pietati student Idem ibid. Quos per inspirationem internam inclinat ad me Carthus Com. in loc Dari â Patre est docibilem esse Dei. Maldonat ad Text. Omne quod dat mihi pater per aeternam electionem temporalem vocationem Gorran Enac in Text. Donandi verbum perindè valet ac si dixisset Christus Quos elegit Pater c. Calvin in Text. Donat viz. pro aeterno suo decreto eligens in me ad vitam aeternam Piscat Schol. ibid. Innuit hoc verbum quod Deus ab aeterno aliquos elegerit c. Ferus ibid. Vel quos ab aeterno elegit praedestinavit in me Carthus ibid. Some understanding it of the latter of these So Grotius who interprets it of an effectual giving Gods preparing men for Christ and working faith in them in such saith he as have a precious disposition thereunto And so Carthusian conceives it may be here looked upon All that he giveth me i. e. saith he such as by his secret inspiration he inclineth to come unto me And so Maldonate and some other Romish Commentators would have it But this were to confound these two parts of the Text Gods gracious Donation with mans Effectual Vocation his Giving with mans coming which are here set forth as two distinct acts the one of them antecedaneous to the other going before as in Order so in Time All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me Gods giving goeth before mans believing Others there are who put both together Gods Election before time and his calling in time So Gorran But others and that more rightly restrain it rather to the former of these Gods giving before time in his decree of Election So our Protestant Divines generally look upon it not without the consent of some Romanists And with them I shall choose to go along as I assure my self I warrantably may hereby understanding as judicious Diodate and our own Annotators have it all Gods Elect who are given unto Christ by God his Father before they come to him before they actually believe on him And hence it is that our Saviour speaking of the Elect among the Gentiles he calleth them his sheep John 10.16 Other sheep have I which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall hear my voice Though as yet they were not come into his fold they did not own him for their Shepherd yet he had an interest in them they were his sheep given to him by God his Father Wherefore God gave his Elect unto Christ Quest And wherefore did God thus give his elect people unto Christ Ans Here for further illustration I might shew you the several ends of this Donation the principal whereof is that he might be a Prince and a Saviour unto them saving and delivering them out of the
hands of all their enemies Sin Satan Hell Death and bringing them to everlasting life This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day John 6.39 Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him John 17.2 These are the principal Ends to which there are many other that are subordinate God giveth his elect unto Christ that he may perform unto them that three-fold Office of a Prophet a Priest a King A Prophet to make known to them the mind and will of his heavenly Father A Priest to reconcile them unto God by his death and to keep them in grace and favour with him by his Intercession A King to govern them as his subjects in his Kingdom of grace and afterwards to bring them to reign as Kings with himself in his Kingdom of glory But I shall not give way to any further inlargements upon this subject remembring that this first Proposition is here only implyed Make some Application of it Which in the first place may be directed by way of Information Applic. Information touching the Doctrines In which way it may be useful to us for the rectifying and setling of our judgments in some controverted points concerning those two great Doctrines of Election and Redemption 1. Touching Election 1. Of Election we may here take notice of divers particulars 1. That it is not Vniversal 1. That it is not Universal of all Mankind Which if it were it were no Election The very word Election importeth and signifieth a separating and culling of some from the rest Elegit qui è multis aliquos legit To choose is to take some out of many And such is Gods Election his choosing of some out of the world of mankind and giving them to his Son Christ to be saved by him All that the Father giveth me saith the Text clearly intimating that all were not given unto him but a part a select company some out of mankind Election is not Vniversal True indeed there is as Augustine somewhere saith Inter electos specialis quaedam universitas a kind of special universality among Gods Elect in as much as they are gathered out of all conditions of persons in all Nations through all the Ages of the world out of which is made up this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this All here in the Text. But yet this All is but some some among mankind Election is only of some 2. Not only indefinite 2. And that 2ly of some particular individual persons This Arminians at least some of them deny making Election to be only Axiomatical not Personal a choosing and designing of the meanes not of the Persons God hath say they made choise of the way and meanes to bring men to salvation by viz. by believing on his Son Jesus Christ and he hath ordained that who so they are that shall apply themselves to the use of that meanes they shall be saved But the Text here speaketh more All that the Father giveth me clearly intimating a Personal Election a giving of some individual persons unto Christ Hence was it that some of these Capernaites some among the rest did not believe on him as some others did because they were not given to him as those others were They were such as God had no such gracious purpose towards they did not belong to his Election of grace Election is not Vniversal nor yet only Axiomatical and Indefinite 3. Nor yet in the third place simply conditional So again Arminians would have it 3. Nor simply conditional that men should be Elected upon the condition pf their believing and persevering so as it resteth in their power to null and make void the decree But the Text here speaketh it otherwise Telling us that those whom God electeth he giveth unto his Son Christ giveth them unto him not if they shall believe on him but that they may believe on him and so be saved by him 4. Again Election is not only to the End but also to the Meanes God electing his people unto life he by the same decree giveth them unto Christ that they by believing on him may be saved by him so ordaining them to the Means as well as the End This for Election which being the first Link in the Golden Chain the first and main wheel in the work of mans salvation the first in the order of the Causes thereof must be set right rightly apprehended otherwise the other links or wheels the subordinate causes will not rightly and orderly follow In the second place make we the like Observation touching the Doctrine of Redemption 3. Of Redemption which is not universal more than Election that it is not any more universal than Election So indeed some and not a few at this day would have it who cry up this Doctrine as if it were the very Basis and ground-work of all Religion That Christ died and died alike for all But how will this comply and agree with this Text where our Saviour speaketh of a certain select company which were given to him by his Father All that the Father giveth me clearly intimating that there were some among mankind whom God having a gracious purpose towards gave them to his Son Christ that he should undertake for them do what he did for them that he should be a surety for them making satisfaction for them redeeming them Such was the Fathers intention his will not that Christ should die for all If so he would have given all to him but for some And this will Christ came to perform In the volume of thy Book it is written of me Loe I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10.7 I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me saith he in the verse after the Text v 38. That is to redeem and save those all those and only those whom God my Father hath given me Thus it is as Divines justly determine it The work of the Son in Redemption doth not exceed the work of the Father in Election Such is the order of working betwixt the Persons in the Trinity as of being the Son being from the Father worketh from him This he doth as the Son of God And the like he doth as the Son of man as Mediator His work was to do his Fathers work I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do saith he to his Father Joh. 4.17 Now what that work was we have seen viz. he had imployed himself for the good and benefit of those whom his Father had given him for whom he was now ready to lay down his life So then Redemption is not Vniversal As for those Texts which seem to speak it so Texts seeming to make Redemption Vniversal how to be understood they admit