before the first Coming of Christ And many fearers of God amongst the Gentiles both before and since Christs Appearing to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of Himself Mat. 2. 16 18. with Jer. 31. 15 17. Mat. 19. 14. Psal 11 5. 9 10 11. And yet there is no Salvation in any other but Christ and through Him and through His Name Power and Authority and upon the Account of His Sufferings and Sacrifice they shall be saved though no clear or distinct knowledg of Him was vouchsafed to them And therefore the want of it shall not be Imputed to or Charged upon them to their Condemnation And this Charity we desire to have because we thus judge that one Died for all and Rose again viz. That Jesus Christ by the Grace of God tasted Death for every man and is Risen again from the Dead for their Justification And hereby all that have sinned in the first publick man and come short of the Glory of God are Justified freely by God's Grace through that Redemption in Christ Jesus in an answerable sence as they were Condemned in the first man Adam 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Heb. 2. 9. Rom. 3. 23 24. and 5. 18. So as no man shall perish in that first Death for ever which was the Wages of the Disobedience of that one man Nor in the Eternal Judgment shall there be any occasion for the use of that Proverb The Fathers have eaten sower Grapes and the Childrens teeth are set on edge 1 Cor. 15. 20 21. Jer. 31. 29 30. Ezek. 18. 2 4. And in the Cross of Christ and Virtue thereof we so see the admirable Love of God to every sinful Creature of Mankind while it is called to day aswell as also in plain Intimations and Instructions given us in the Testimony of the Scriptures That we cannot but judge that His Requirings and Expectations will be no other then according to His Distributions and Dispensations that is where much is given of them He will require the more and where little He will require but according thereto And where He hath not sown He will not reap nor gather where He hath not strowen And therefore all Infants who die in their Infancy and were never guilty of that Condemning Sin of the World of loving Darkness rather than Light after Light is vouchsafed shall in the general Resurrection have Eternal Life through Christ's Name And all others who have not had any distinct knowledg of Christ and yet by the Goodness and Mercy of God through the Mediatour have been led to Repentance and have feared God and been Workers of Righteousness according to the means vouchsafed and continued such to Death shall also through Christ have the reward of Everlasting Life 1 Tim. 2. 4 6. 2 Pet. 3. 9 15. Rom. 2. 4 7 12 16. Luke 12. 48. Mat. 25. 24 26. Rev. 20. 12 15. But how can they have such Charity or desire to have it who deny or believe not the Great and Fundamental things of the Gospel as spoken and delivered to us in the Words which the Holy Ghost teacherh Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles Mat. 7. 15 16. Those Builders can never Build well who dis-alow and reject the Foundation 3. Nor do we believe that by the many called are meant all such as are Called by realous Teachers and such as name themselves the Ministers of Christ or however not such in this consideration as Called by them for there are many such who in their evil Doctrines rather Call men from Christ then to Him How many are there that disciple men to Antichrist instead of inviting them to our Lord Jesus and steal away the Word of God from the People in the Records of them And how mauy others are there though not so grosly evil yet as dangerous and destructive to the souls of men who though they would have the Scriptures continued amongst men in such Languages as are understood by them yet they tell them the meaning of the Scripture is the Scripture and that is such as lieth not in the plain import of the Expressions however not in many of the fundamental Sayings of the Gospel And the Scripture some call a dead Letter other some call it the Letter And their Glosses and Interpretations are the Spiritual meaning Thus they call the World which God so loved as to give His Son to be and of which He is the Saviour the World of Elect the all and every man for whom Christ Dred some of all sorts or every Godly man c. thus indeavouring to pervert the Gospel of Christ And yet appearing very zealous in seeking the good of men which is indeed somewhat strange considering that they believe Christ Died for the fewest of men only and for whom they know not As one of them lately exprest himself in his Prayer such an one as it was as I was instantly informed by some Credible persons that heard him Lord said he if there be any one Soul in this Congregation which was a great one for whom Christ hath Died let me not lose my Labour And considering also that they believe that there is a precise and certain number of Persons determined to Salvation And these shall Infallibly be Saved though they held their Tongues and all the rest inevitably perish I say these things considered it is somewhat strange they should be so appearingly zealous in seeking the good of men Indefinitely It may be fcared this Zeal proceeds not from the Love of Christ For the Love of Christ constraineth us saith the Apostle because we thus judg that if one Died for all then were all dead and that He died for all c. Which they believe not But that herein they are like them who did shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men neither entring in themselves nor suffering them that were entring to enter And yet for a pretence they made long Prayers for their Hearts went after their Covetousness and they did compass Sea and Land to make a Proselite Mat. 23. 13 14 15. Truly concerning such who Preach and Plead for such Doctrines as these viz. That Christ Died not for all men but for the fewest only That God hath Decreed a set and determinate number of Persons in a Personal consideration to believe and be saved And these all shall Insrustrably believe and be saved and these only and all the rest must unavoidably perish That such as are once in Christ cannot possibly fall finally from the Grace of God c. It may be said Hearken not to the Words of these Prophets they make you vain they speak a Vision of their own Heart and not out of the Mouth of the Lord Jer. 23. 16. 21. 2 Pet. 2. 1. For how much soever these thus Call and how much soever others Listen thereto and how Reformed and Zealous soever they appearingly be come hereby they are not in this Consideration of the Called here spoken of much less of
these generally come and so are the Called but amongst them some are not Chosen the man was not which had not on a Wedding Garment and so all like unto him Namely such as though they come in some sort into the House as the First-bidden Guests refused to do yet they let not go their own Righteousness which are as filthy Rags that they might have the Righteousness which is through the Faith of Christ even the Righteousness of God by Faith that Robe of Righteousness Phil. 3. 9. Isa 61. 10. Or they so receive not the Grace of God as in coming to Christ to be Justified And Cleansed as Dan. 8. 14. from their Iniquities and Idols and conformed to the Mind and Image of Christ but while they pretend to seek to be Justified by Christ they themselves are found Sinners as Gal. 2. 17. And still remain altogether or in a great measure unsanctified in Heart and unreformed in Life while yet they profess to be Christ's Disciples and believe His Gospel These though of the Called as the First-bidden Guests were not so fully yet are not Chosen or Elect ones And abidâ—ng in this condition will have their portion in the Lake where their Worm dieth not and their Fire is not quenched Ver. 8. 14. By all which it plainly appears that the Elect are such as come to Christ and so come to Him as to deny themselves and prefer Him before and part with all for His sake And this is also confirmed by the like Parable and our Saviours Instructions in Luke 14. Where also after the Supper was prepared the Servant is sent forth to say to them that were bidden Come for all things are now ready And they all with one consent began to make excuse The first said unto him I have bought a piece of Ground and I must needs go and see it I pray thee have me excused And another said I have bought five Yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them I pray thee have me excused And another said I have Married a Wife and therefore I cannot come So the Servant came and shewed his Lord these things Then the Master being angry said unto his Servant go out quickly â— to Invite others And after he had signified his great displeasedness with those who refused to come to Christ when Called saying None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper he turned and said unto the great multitudes that went with him If any man come unto me and hate not comparatively his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sister 's yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple And whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple And whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple Luke 14. 16 21 24 26 33. Which confirmeth what we have said and is agreeable to the Parable we are considering and sheweth that these are the Chosen ones who so come unto and after Christ as that they sell all that they have that they may be made partakers of Him And others that so do not but prefer other things in general or something else in particular before Him however they may be Called or of the Called yet are not while so doing of the Elect of Chosen Generation or the Subjects of God's Election As we have often said But God assisting we shall speak hereto a little more particularly and shew What Election and Elect signifie in Scripture And so we say First Election doth properly and frequently signifie a Chusing out or Taking out some from others And the Elect or Chosen are such as are Chosen out of or from others and so it is here And for our Understanding and Usefulness of the proper and direct Signification of these Words and Things we shall propound and give Answer from the Scriptures to these five following Queries viz. Que. 1. What is the Argument propounded for the effecting this Election Answ The Grace or Love of God manifested and everlastingly commended to us in this that He sent the Son the Saviour of the World even of Mankind And according thereto Christ came into the World and was made Flesh and was made Sin and by the Grace of God tasted Death for every man and is raised again for their Justification And hath Redeemed them from the Curse of the Law and obtained all the Fulness of Grace and Truth into Himself for them This Grace as discovered and made known to us by the Ministry of the great Kings Servants in and by the glorious Gospel of the Blessed God is the Argument propounded for Electing men So in this Parable to the end the Invited Guests might come into Christ and so be the Subjects of God's Election the King commandeth His Servants to tell them Behold I have prepared my Dinner my Oxen and Fatlings are killed and all things are ready Come to the Marriage Mat. 22. 3 4 8 9 with Luke 14. 16 17. To this also agreeth what the Apostle Paul saith even so then there is a remnant according to the Election or Out-chusing of Grace A remnant like unto the seven thousand men in Elias his days who had not bowed the knee to Baal not Idolaters and False worshippers as the Elect some men speak of may be and continue a considerable time But such as are freed from and chosen out of such polluted ones and pollutions And that not by Works of Righteousness which they had done but by the Grace of God which is Saving or bringeth Salvation to all men Rom. 11. 4 6. And so the being Saved viz. From mens Sins and Idols is the same with this being Elected or Outchosen compare and consider 2 Thes 2. 10 12. with Ver. 13. And it is by the same Means or Argument effected viz. By the Grace of God as the Apostle signifieth to the Ephesians For after he had declared what polluted ones they were in Times past namely before they heard and received the Word of Truth he then puts them in remembrance how they got an escape from their Pollutions By Grace ye are saved And again By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Not of Works lest any man should boast Ephes 2. 1 2 5 8 9. with Rom. 11 6. Yea the Lovers of God and God's Elect are signified to be the same Persons compare and consider Rom. 8. 28. with Ver. 33. Now How come men to be Lovers of God Certainly by the Grace or Love of God even His first Love discovered to them as the Apostle John saith He that Loveth is Born of God and knoweth God for God is Love But how doth this appear and whereby iâ— iâ— evidenced that He is Love In this was manifested the Love of God because that God sent His only begotten Son into the World that we might live through Him He sent the Son the
in him Hebr. 10. 38. with ver 26. Those that died for their unbelief and murmurings when they were almost come to the borders of the Land of Canaan fell short of the typical rest as well as they who were upon the same account cut off presently after they came out of Aegypt though they had continued longer in following the Lord and endured much more hardship then the latter Even so such as have put their hand to the Plow and continued it there a good while and suffered many things will yet-deprive themselves of the reward if they bring not forth fruit unto the end All their former hearing believing professing well doing and suffering will in conclusion be in vain to such as these Gal. 3. 4. Phil. 2. 12-16 Luke 9. 62. Oh that the consideration hereof may admonish and provoke us all To be stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing in thus doing and continuing our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord But Christ will present us in the body of His flesh unblameable and unrebukeable if we continue in the faith rooted and grounded and be not moved from the hope of the Gospel c. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Col. 1. 22 23. Gal. 6. 9. so shall we not be like the thorny-ground hearers Lastly Some there are who receive the Word into the good ground even such as hear the Gospel and understand And therein they are better then the first sort of hearers compared to the way side And they receive the seed in an honest and good heart and therein they are preferred before the second sort of hearers who are compared to the stony ground Yea and also they keep it and bring forth fruit with patience and perseverance In a patient continuance in well-doing they seek for Glory and Honour and immortality And unto them in due season God will render eternal Life Rom. 2. 6 7. These all bring forth fruit unto perfection though not all alike but some an hundred fold some sixty and some thirty Yet they continue keeping the seed the good Word of God and suffering it to bring forth fruit in them and to make them fruitful even unto the end And herein they are differenced from and do more worthily then the third sort of hearers compared to the thorny ground Though they indeed for some time yea possibly for some considerable space of time some of them however did retain the word of the kingdom but before the harvest came they grew weary fainted in their minds so deprived themselves of that reward of the inheritance of which otherwise they might and should have partaken And so are compared to and in conclusion become like the thorny ground compare Matth. 13. 18-23 with Mark 4. 14-20 Luke 8. 11-15 Now in this Parable our Lord confirms the truth of what He affirms in the Parable we are considering a part of to wit that few of the many who are called are chosen Among the many hearers of the word of the kingdom there were three sorts that in conclusion received the grace of God in vain And one sort only that received and retained the love of the truth to be saved thereby Our Saviour in this Parable of the several grounds speaks not of the heathen who have not the Oracles of God committed to them nor the Gospel of Christ plainly preached among them nor of such as hear such instructions as cause to erre from the words of knowledge and such foolish ones as have not the lip of knowledge For no good fruit can be expected from such foolish persons and such Doctrines And therefore the Holy Ghost hath councelled us to go from the presence of such vain talkers and to cease to hear such instructions which are so hurtful Prov. 14. 7. 19. 27. But He speaks of such persons as were hearers of the good Word of God the word of Truth the Gospel of our Salvation which was spoken unto them and sown in the hearts of them by the good sower the Son of Man And yet amongst these hearers there are but few who are the called according to purpose Oh how few are there that are indeed redeemed from the Earth and from amongst men and who faithfully cleave unto and follow the Lamb that was slain whithersoever he goeth And the Reason why there are so few chosen is not as we have said and may again also shew because the most were reprobated or past by in a personal consideration from Eternity Or because no true and saving Grace was vouchsafed unto them for both these are false But because they strive not or abide not striving to enter in at the strait gate But against all the discoveries convincements reproofs and operations of the Spirit in the Gospel walk on in or return again unto the broad way in which there are such multitudes who hold fast deceit and refuse to come unto Christ in His way So much our Saviour signifieth when He saith unto His Disciples Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat Why so Because strait is the gate and narrow it the way which leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it Matth. 7. 13 14. And again when one said unto Christ Lord are there few that be saved Though our Saviour gives not a direct Answer yet He signifieth in His Answer That few comparatively are so and intimately declareth That mens not being willing to enter in at the strait gate or not to do it in the present time is the Reason For He said not to him only that propounded the Question but indefinitely unto them that heard Him Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Luke 13. 22-24 He doth not here signifie that there was no gate for such as in the event go to destruction nor that it was not opened but plainly giveth us to understand that there was a gate and that it was so opened that any man might enter therein Joh. 10. 9. Yea that it was held open all the day of Christ's mediation in that it presently followeth when once the master of the House is risen up and hath shut to the door c. Luke 13. 25. clearly implying That the door was not shut until that time to wit while the day of God's Grace and Patience is continued and men are joyned to all the living But He evidently signifieth that the reason why few are saved is because they strive not or will not strive to enter in at this strait gate Ezek. 33. 31 32. The gate is indeed strait A Man in entring must deny and renounce himself daily his sinful and fleshly lusts that war against the Soul his wisdom righteousness will designs and enterprizes his covetousness and love of the World and the things thereof his
true That no Man can come to Christ except the Father who hath sent Christ draw Him Joh. 6. 44. But it is also as true That God in and by Christ in due time doth draw them that come not He draws all Men to Himself Joh. 12. 31 32. He draws them who refuse to come with cords of a Man and bands of Love And because He knows what a Yoke is upon them without the removal whereof they would be hindred therefore He takes off the Yoke on their Jaws c. Hos 11. 3 4 5. And since Christ hath finished the work which the Father gave Him to do in His own personal body on the Earth since He laid down His Life and is raised again He hath now gloriously and most immeasurably received the promise of the Spirit in the Nature of Man And hath more abundantly poured it forth on His Servants in their faithful declaring the Gospel then in former times so that the Gospel is called the Ministration of Spirit and Life yea and the Spirit also 2 Cor. 3. 6-8 Phil. 2. 16. So that it is only Mens own wilful and stubborn refusal and rejection of the power of Christ in the call which hinders their coming unto and being chosen by Christ they close their Eyes when opened and stop their Ears lest they should see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and understand with their Heart and should be converted and He should heal them Mat. 13. 15. And this also sheweth unto us how provoking and excuseless an iniquity it is that the called are not chosen 4. And lastly This also further appears so to be if we consider the good will and gracious intention of the Caller in calliâ—g Men by His Gospel whose love and gracious heart towards sinners is most clearly manifested and perpetually commended to us in the Cross and Sufferings of Christ Rom. 5. 6-8 Joh. 3. 16 17. Heb. 2. 9. He therefore calls and stretcheth forth His hand that they might come to the Feast He hath prepared for them He doth not therefore call that He might leave Men without excuse though they will be so they will be Speechless who are disobedient to the Gospel nor is His end in calling them to aggravate their condemnation though their condemnation will be aggravated who when they are thus called unto the most High will not at all Exalt Him Hos 11. 2-4-7 But He therefore declares His Gospel to them and therewith councelleth them to come unto Himself that they might listen unto and obey Him that it might go well with them for ever Thus our Saviour graciously acquainteth the Jews who sought to kill Him with His gracious end in Speaking and Preaching the Gospel unto them These things I say that ye might be saved Joh. 5. 16-34 And by His Apostles the Gospel was Preached according to the Revelation of the Mystery and according to the Commandement of the Everlasting God made known to all Nations for the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16. 25 26. He iâ—deed that hateth dissembleth with his Lips and layeth up deceit within Him When he speaketh fair or maketh his voice gracious believe him not for there are seven abominations in his heart Prov. 26. 24-26 But far be it from us thus to think of the Almighty who is a God of Truth and without iniquity just and right is He Deut. 32. 2-4 He is not like him that faith Eat and Drink but his heart is not with thee Prov. 23. 6 7. He saith not come eat of My Bread and drink of the Wine I have mingled when either He hath prepared none for thee or hath no cordial desire and intention thou shouldest partake thereof but His gracious will is that thou shouldest be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth Prov. â— 1-5 with 1 Tim. 2. 4-6 And therefore He thus expostulates Wherefore when I came was there no Man when I called was there none to answer But how appears it that they did not answer His call This is declared to us in another Scripture They did Evil before Mine Eyes and chose that in which I delighted not In which is plainly signified to us that His end in coming and calling was that they might have done what was good in His Eyes and chosen that in which He delighted that so they might have been of His chosen ones indeed Compare and consider Isa 50. 2. with chapt 66. 3 4. chapt 65. 12-15 By all which it evidently appeareth that it is their great iniquity who are called by the Servants in their preaching the Gospel of Christ that they answer not His call who accompanieth them and so are not chosen This is that iniquity which is so greatly provoking unto the great King that He thus threatneth to deal with such as are guilty of it Therefore will I number you to the Sword and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter because when I called ye did not answer when I spake ye did not hear but did evil before Mine Eyes and did chuse that wherein I delighted not Therefore behold My Servants My chosen ones who did answer My call shall eat but ye shall be hungry Behold My Servantâ— shall drink but ye shall be thirsty Behold My Servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Behold My Servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and ye shall howl for vexation of spirit And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto My chosen c. Isa 65. 12-15 with Prov. 1. 24-32 Mat. 22. 13 14. And it appears to be an inexcusable iniquity that those who are so called are not chosen There will be no Cloak for their sin They cannot plead that Christ never dyed for them or that saving Grace was not afforded to them for both these are false as we have said and shewn But they will be convinced in the day of the Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God that their Destruction and Non-election was wholly of themselves And therefore they will be found speechless as the Man was who had not on the Wedding Garment Let the consideration then of all said move and prevail with us all so to receive the Electing Grace of God that we may be of the number according to the Election of Grace And let us not listen to such desperate sayings as these If I be Elected no sins can bereave me of Heaven if I be Reprobated no good deeds can help me to Heaven But be we well assured that the Scripture speaketh of none as the Subjects of Gods Election to Salvation while they continue in their natural condition and filthiness nor of any Reprobated before they were born or Christ Preached by His Spirit to their Spirits But all Men while it is the day of Gods Grace and Patience towards them may thorow His Grace which bringeth Salvation to them come to Christ the prime Elect one and root of Election and so be reckoned