do now Faithfully serve him of this purpose of God there is no manner of Question and therefore if Men conceive that we dispute against any such Decree they do but beat the Air and Talk of Matters which they do not understand The thing insisted on is this that none are chosen to Eternal Happiness without any consideration of their Faith and Works and perseverance to the end in well doing And as touching a Man's particular Election unto Glory or the Gracious purpose of God towards this or that Person in particular this we say is a Secret a Decree not to be known till the Book of Life comes to be opened that is till the Day of Doom cometh Therefore every one of us must stay our time nor must any dare to go now upon fond presumptions of their own especially so as to condemn or think hardly of others I call such partial Conceits fond Presumptions of Men's own because though many People be strongly perswaded that they are absolutely and particularly Ordained unto Life and cannot miscarry yet as to this they believe without Book and without sufficient Grounds because they want the Authority of Divine Revelation which is the only sure Ground-work of a right Faith 'T is Imagination only and Opinion how strong and violent soever it may be and instead of being bottom'd upon the Word of God it may proceed from two very evil Causes 1. FIRST From a Spirit of Pride which Tempteth some to think their Names ought to be Written in Heaven and therefore are soon perswaded to believe that they really are so though for this they take either their own Word or the Opinion of others whose Persons they have in equal admiration I heartily wish that all such as go upon this imagination would seriously consider whether this be not one prime reason of it because it is a Notion so very pleasing and suitable to their own Hearts 2. SECONDLY It may proceed too from a Principle of Carnality for it is an imagination that is Friendly and Kind to Flesh and Blood Where-ever it prevails such as are possest withit find no necessity for them to mortifie their Lusts and to be careful of Living Godly Righteouss and Sober Lives This they call good Morality but cannot think it of any use to them because they suppose themselves sure of their Salvation by God's Absoute Decree upon this Account they and their Vices may dwell very quietly and lovingly together They may be Lew'd Dishonest Unjust Hypocritical Malicious Revengeful False Troublesome Uncharitable Proud and Lovers of the World and yet these Vices are as they think consistent with their State of Grace because they are perswaded that stands firtm upon the immutable Will of God Considering therefore the Vanity and Origical of such Pharisaical conceits it is very dangerous for People to give any way to them and more dangerous to trust to them after a presumptuous manner and most of all dangerous to value themselves upon them especially so as to Judge uncharitably of others as if they were no better than Reprobates and Cast-aways This is a very ill thing and that which is far from being a Sign of their particular Election rather indeed an Argument of the contrary because all Uncharitableness is a direct Violation of the Law of Christ by which we shall all of us be Judged in the Day of God Since God Loves us all instead of shutting any out of his Kingdom every one should lend his Brother his Hand to help him in 2dly FOR secondly there is as Divines usually speak an Election unto Grace which we have all a Title unto Election unto Grace is when People have this great Blessing and Privilege given them to Live under the means of Grace when they have the Gospel Mysteries Publish'd and Revealed to them and when they have the Assistance of the Holy Spirit offer'd and afforded them so that they Receive the Truth as it is in Jesus Whatever Fancies some are apt to entertain concerning this matter this is the true Scripture Notion of Election Accordingly the Scripture means by the Elect of God not such as are supposed to have been from Eternity particularly and by name designed for Glory for I can confidently say it that the Word is not in that Sence any where used in the whole Scripture but generally such as now profess true Faith in Christ and especially such Eminent Persons among them as by their Vertuous and Holy Lives adorn the Doctrine of God their Saviour in all things and resolve firmly and faithfully to Persevere unto the end in so doing The Reason of this honourable Appellation is taken from the different Effect which the Word of God hath upon the Hearts of them that hear it On some it maketh a slight and superficial Impression like the Seed cast on the Way side Others receive it with Joy and Believe for a while but in time of Temptation immediately fall away In others it taketh deeper and better Root but yet in time is choaked with the Cares and Riches and Pleasures of this Life so that it bringeth no Fruit to Perfection But others there are though the fewest in number that lay up the Word in Honest and Good Hearts and that bring forth Fruit plentifully and with perseverance in well-doing to their Lives end Now of all that Profess Christ's Religion those who adhere close to it are the best the most Eminent and Principal ones and therefore the Scripture calleth them after a more peculiar manner The Elect. Many are called to the knowledge of the Truth but few are chosen saith our Saviour or according to the Greek the Elect are few that is the Faithful and Choice Professors of the Truth are few in comparison So Matt. 24. 22. Our Saviour speaking of the great Tribulation that was to come upon Jerusalem said That for the Elects sake those Days should be shorined meaning that out of Respect and Love to the true Believers among the Jews God would shorten the time so that a remnant even of the Unbelieving Jews should escape too though they did not deserve it So again v. 24. Our Lord foretold that False Christs would arise which would if it were possible deceive the very Elect that is the most Sincere Persevering Christians to use the Words of our incomparable Paraphrast Dr. Hammond And so in divers other places where it is said that God will gather together his Elect that he will Avenge his own Elect that none shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect that we must put on as the Elect of God Holy and Beloved Bowels of Mercy and the like the Word signifies those who are now in a Blessed State of Faith and Holiness those who Serve Obey and Love the Lord Jesus in Sincerity Briefly if you search the New Testament throughout you will find this Observation true that generally speaking People are called the Elect of God not in respect of any Antecedent particular Decree
seeks to compass his Design by not onely Permitting but Assisting Men to Transgress his Holy Laws as one that bids them Obey and Swear he desires they should Obey his Commands and yet by his Secret Will would not have them do it As one that Denies when he seems to offer them the Means of Obeying refuseth to help their Weakness and yet Punisheth them for not accepting his Help To represent him as one that thus colludes and deals hardly with his Poor Creatures and all this that in the end he may shew his great Power over them and satisfie his own absolute and irresistible Will and to please himself with their Everlasting Unspeakable Torments This is to Degrade God beneath his most perfect Self to make him equal if not exceed the most Barbarous Tempers to extinguish his Glory to throw upon him the very dregs and filth which the worst Natur'd Man is capable of and to destroy those Divine Attributes which are the Lustre and Excellency of the Deity God is Love saith the Apostle and the Genuine Notion of his Love is that he is ready to do his Necessitous Creatures and especially the Precious Souls of Men all the Good they need The Genuine Notion of his Justice is that he evermore Acteth Righteously according to the Rules of Eternal Reason Rewarding every Man as his Works are whether Good or Evil. The Genuine Notion of his Truth is that his Words are agreeable with his Purpose and Mind that he cannot Lye or Dissemble because it is Repugnant to the Excellence of his Nature The Genuine Notion of his Power is that he can do whatever doth not involve a Contradiction nor Argueth Evil or Imperfection in the Agent The Genuine Notion of his Goodness is that he is inclined to provide all the means that are necessary or becoming him to provide for the Welfare of his whole Creation according to the Capacities and Faculties of every part of it The Genuine Notion of his Mercy is that he is Compassionate Benign and Patient towards the most undeserving Men though by their own Faults they are Sinful and Enemies to their own Souls These are the Glories of his Essence Attributes which adorn his Nature and which shew him to be the most Perfect and Excellent of all Beings Therefore in forming our Notions and Conceptions of God we must be sure to have a constant Eye and a tender Regard to these his adorable Perfections and Construe his Works with Respect to them especially the Works of his Love which is the Attribute he seemeth particularly delighted with himself and for that Reason 't is said Jam. 2. 13. That Mercy Rejoyceth against Judgment And when God was Pleased to shew his Glory to Moses on Mount Sinai as he passed by before him he Proclaimed himself in this Stile The Lord the Lord God Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands Forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin and that will by no means clear the Guilty Exod. 34. 6 7. CHAP. V. That we should not Judge of God's Love to us by accidental Events which depend upon our own Choice Secondly HAVING thus according to this Description possest our Minds with True and Genuine Apprehensions of God we must be careful Secondly That we do not Judge of his Love towards Mankind by accidental Events which depend upon our own choice By accidental Events I mean those Miseries and Punishments of Men which befall them by their own foolish wilfulness besides God's Sincere Desire and Primary Intentions He is not willing that any should Perish 2 Pet. 3. 9. As I Live saith the Lord God I have no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked Ezek. 33. 11. And yet it appears by the last Words of that verse That the House of Israel took a ready course to Die and in Probability many of them did Where then lieth the Cause of this Miscarriage why even at Wicked Men's own Doors because either they make no Use at all or make a very Ill Use of God's Love towards them O! Israel Thou hast destroyed thy Self but in Me is thine Help saith the Holy One of Israel Hos 13. 9. This is the plain Account of the Matter Help is not wanting on God's part He giveth to all Men Liberally Jam. 1. 5. He provideth Means enough to keep us all from Destruction if we will set our Hearts to Apply them duly he is Loving unto every Man but every Man is not so Loving to himself as God is And hence it cometh to pass that though God's Intentions be equally Benevolent yet it happens accidentally that they have not equal Success because all do not take an equal Care to Answer God's Goodness Some Reject or Frustrate the Counsel of God Luk. 7. 30. Which could not be if Mercy were not offer'd and if God's Intentions towards them were not Kind and Real Some Resist the Holy Ghost Act 7. 51. Which could not be if the Holy Ghost were not there to Operate and strive with them Some Grieve the Good Spirit of God Ephes 4. 30. Which could not be if the Comforter were not given them first to Seal and Mark them as Men Purchased with the Blood of Christ to be his Servants Some are in danger of Quenching the Spirit 1 Thes 5. 19. Which could not be if the Spirit had not Kindled some Sparks in them Some hide their Talents in the Ground Mat. 25. 25. Which could not be if a Talent were not first put into their Hands Some presently lose out of their Hearts the Seed of Eternal Life others will not suffer it to take deep Root and others Choak it with the Cares and Pleasures of this Life so that it bringeth no Fruit unto Perfection Luk. 8. Which could not be if the Seed had not been Sown Events in this Case are different according as Men's Hearts are either Good or Bad and according as their Care and Husbandry is greater or less and hence it is that when all Men are called to a State of Salvation some Work it out and some Neglect it One Judas continues the Servant of Christ and another hath the Character of the Son of Perdition and Simon Peter Weeps for his own Sins and Converts his Brethren from theirs while Simon the Sorcerer remains in the Gall of Bitterness and the Bond of Iniquity The Reason of this is within Men because some are Diligent to continue and grow in the Grace of God others Frustrate it and turn it into Wantonness It doth not become the Wisdom of the great Legislatour of the World to Drag People to Heaven against their Wills or to force their Obedience to his Laws by a Power that is Irresistible For this would be to Destroy the Nature of Obedience which ought to be Hearty Chearful and Free and it would take away the Reason of Rewards which Obedience cannot be capable of if it be not an Act of Choice no more than Machines and Engines
God's Everlasting Kingdom The Reason of this and what the things are which we are bound to perform Fifthly CONSIDERING therefore what Qualifications are necessary in Us to make our present Calling and Election firm effectual and eternally Beneficial to us our care must be in the fifth place to make such a due Use of the Divine Love and Goodness towards us all as to perform those things which are indispensibly necessary in order to the actual Possession of God's Everlasting Kingdom As yet the way to it is laid open for us and we have a Liberty and Power given us to enter in but it is upon certain Conditions We are delivered from a necessity of Perishing notwithstanding our many Provocations we are made capable of Eternal Life notwithstanding our former guilt But yet divers things are required on our part that we may be actually admitted into a fixt State of Happiness in Heaven Though God loved us and gave his Son to us to tender satisfaction in our stead and by undergoing a Temporary Death himself to Rescue us from Everlasting Torments in which Services of the Divine Oeconomy the World had not any the least Hand they were acts of pure Grace of Mercy undeserved unthought of by Mankind yet God being the Soveraign Governour and Legislator of the Universe it would have been inconsistent with his Honour and Greatness to have given up the Authority of his Laws which yet he must have done had he permitted us to take our own Courses and to live according to our own Wills without any danger Therefore that he might at once provide for our Indemnity and secure his own Authority also when Christ was pleased so freely to undertake the Office of a Mediator it was Covenanted between the Father and Him that upon such and such Conditions his Obedience Death and Intercession should be perfectly available on our behalf And for the making of those terms good it was Covenanted likewise that the Holy Spirit should be given to inable us for the performance of those Duties which were expected from us and that such a Measure should be accepted at our Hands as we should perform by our sincere endeavours according to our Capacities and Power Hence it was that Christ brought us Laws from Heaven to Regulate and Govern our Actions that we might not frustrate the Counsel and Love of God towards us that we might not at last fail of God's Grace nor come short of his Glory and of that Happiness which the Lord Jesus came into the World to purchase for us all The Price is paid and it was Love unspeakable in Christ to lay it down and in his Father to accept it at his Hands for us But though the general Purchase be made yet for the compleat Possession of it we must be careful to behave our selves so as God requires us in order to the conveyance of the Title to every particular Soul We must believe stedfastly on the Name of the Son of God and to this Faith we must add sincere Repentance from all Dead Works and make it our business to serve God in true Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our Life Without these Performances on our part Christ will in the end profit us nothing because he is the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. They only will have the Final and Everlasting enjoyment of God's Love to the World For the Law by which the Righteous Judge of all the Earth will proceed is very plain Rom. 2. 6 7 8 9 10 11. He will render to every Man according to his Deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality God will render Eternal Life But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey Unrighteousness He will render Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul that doeth Evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile But Glory and Honour and Peace to every Man that worketh Good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of Persons with God You see Men's Eternal Doom depends upon the Quality of their Lives and Actions here as they are either Good or Evil so will God reward them with Happiness or Misery hereafter And for this Reason it was that St. Paul calleth God the Saviour of all Men especially of those that believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. He is the Saviour of all Men Intentionally because He intended not to Reject any by an Absolute Decree or to exclude any from the Hopes and Means of Salvation but by the Doctrines and Holy Life of his Son Jesus Christ did intend to open and shew the way of Peace unto all and encouraged all People to follow it to the end and because too he sent Christ to offer him satisfaction for the Sins of all Men to Die for all Men and to Merit Eternal Salvation for all if all would lay hold on his Merits by such a lively operative and purifying Faith as is perfected by Charity In short because he hath done those things which were becoming and proper for a Wise and Merciful God to do for Sinful and Reasonable Creatures in order to their Salvation He is rightly called the Saviour of all Men Sufficiently Meritoriously Intentionally and if he be not to all Actually and Effectually so too it must proceed from the voluntary Neglect and Crimes of some who by their Evil Deeds hinder themselves from being Actually and Effectually Saved To Illustrate this by a plain Similitude such as it is Suppose a great number of us were Captives and Bond Slaves sold as Slaves were formerly wont to be Sold into the Hands of Arbitrary and Merciless Masters And suppose the King of his tender Compassion and Goodness towards us as having been his own Subjects should send a valuable Consideration and Ample Ransom with a gracious purpose to Redeem us all without exception but with a Proviso and upon condition of our true Faith and Allegiance to him though some out of a strange Love of Slavery or through Carelesness or Crosness of Temper or by some other Miscarriages might hinder themselves from being Actually Ransomed and so throw away their Liberty for ever yet this could be no disparagement to the King's Clemency and Goodness He would deserve the Name of our common Redeemer nevertheless the intentional Redeemer of us all and I doubt not but in such a case we should all think it very Reasonable for us to acknowledge the Kindness intended for all To apply this instance and to use the Scripture Expressions which relate unto it We were all once sold under Sin become the Servants of Unrighteousness taken Captives by the Devil who laid his snares for all Mankind But God of his Mercy sent his Son into the World to recover us all out of the snare of the Devil to lead Captivity Captive to give himself a Ransom for all to
to be thrown to the Lyons as he was on his tedious Journey to Rome where he was to Suffer he sent before-hand to the Christians there an Epistle wherein he most Importunately and Passionately desired them not to use any means in the World to prevent his Martyrdom but rather assist the earnest Desires he had to Die for the Lord Jesus He Prayed heartily that it might be his Lot to be torn in pieces by the Wild Beasts which were provided for him and that he might find them Fierce and Ravenous He profess'd that rather than fail he would Court nay Constrain them to Devour him He express'd his Wishes that he might endure any Torments the Flames the Cross the united Force of Savage Creatures Manglings Dilacerations the dispersing of his Bones the chopping of all his Limbs into pieces the Consumption of his whole Body nay all the pains the Devil could bring upon him so that he might but enjoy Jesus Christ He declared that all the Kingdoms of this World would do him no good without Martyrdom and that he had much rather Die for Christ and to be with Christ than be Monarch of the whole Earth and the true cause of this his Flaming Zeal was the great Sense he had of Christ's wonderful Affection in Dying for the World which Commanded from him the return of these Passionate Affections to God and his Redeemer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said he my Love was Crucified I have briefly observed these things to shew that Love is a most powerful Affection when it is Sincere Hearty and Earnest Of all the Affections of the Soul it is that which will not be concealed or lie idle There is a vehemence in the Nature of it which will break forth and discover the Delights and Desires that are within And therefore to Fit and Temper our Minds duly for those Performances which God looketh for as a Genuine return on our part for his abundant Love to us all and as necessary means in order to the Final and Everlasting Fruition of himself we must raise our Affections to this hihg and noble Pitch to Love the Lord our God With all our Heart and with all our Soul and with all our Mind Mat. 22. 37. Our Saviour there calls it the first and great Commandment not only because it is of prime Obligation but moreover because it is the main Genuine spring whence all Acts of Obedience to God do naturally flow INDEED Solomon tells us That the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom Prov. 9. 10. And doubtless the consideration of God's Power and Justice is a very necessary thing to keep People in Awe nay the only thing that is a Check upon those who would not stick to commit Iniquity with greediness and run out into all manner of Excesses were it not for fear of God's Judgments in this World and of Hell Torments in the next But though this be a good restraint and highly needful in its kind yet it is far from being so excellent a preservative of Virtue and Religion as the Love of God is For this Fear is in some Men the Effect of an Absurd Slavish Disposition Proceeding purely from Self-Love and from a Natural Principle of Self-Preservation which makes them forbear those Sins for their own sakes only which otherwise they would readily Commit were there no Danger And as for those positive Acts of Obedience to the Divine Commands which they perform they proceed too from the same servise Principle so that it is at best a Forc'd and Unwilling Obedience extorted meerly to Pacifie a terrible God that is Arm'd with Power to Revenge the Contempt of of his most Sacred Authority And tho' there is and ought to be in the very Best and most Holy People a Fear of God or a Dread of his Displeasure and of Eternal Punishment A Fear that is well pleasing unto God and very useful to themselves yet in those Pious Hearts it is attended and mixed with a very Ardent Love and so it is an Ingenuous Fear a Filial Reverence like that Awful Regard which Dutiful and Affectionate Children have for their dear Parents at the same time they are afraid of their Displeasure and Obey but Obey with Chearfulness and Delight It is Love that most generous Affection of the Soul it is that which makes Fear such a good and kindly Principle of Action and the warmer our Love is the more Extensive Hearty and Acceptable will our Obedience be Therefore that we may Answer the Love of God to us by a chearful performance of those things which of his great Mercy and Goodness he hath proposed to our Practice that thereby he may fit us for true Happiness in Heaven To Answer I say this his unspeakable Love to us all we should use all possible endeavours to Enflame our Souls with such a Love towards him again as wrought so vigorously in the Saints of Old who counted not their very Lives dear to them So that they might finish their Course with Joy as St. Paul said of himself Act. 20. 24. In the closing of this whole Subject which began with the Contemplation of God's Love and is now to end with the Consideration of ours It will be requisite for me to shew these two things First How we may acquire Secondly How we are to Express that Divine Affection which I now speak of 2dly First then The way to Acquire this Love is to represent God to our Minds as the best of all Beings and that in a two fold Respect 1. As the most Desirable Delightful and Amiable good in his Nature and 2. As a Being that is most Communicative of Goodness and Happiness to us 1st First We should represent God to our Minds as the most Amiable Good in his Nature Some Perfections are very indearing and Attractive of our Affections tho' we be supposed to be never the better for them As that Perfection of Body which consisteth in External Beauty and Loveliness inviteth the Spectators Affection though the Person so Accomplish'd is and is ever like to be an utter Stranger to him The Beauties of the Mind are much more Attractive of a Rational Affection Wisdom Truth Sincerity Faithfulness Gentleness Meekness Patience Righteousness Mercy a Condescending Temper and whatever comes under the notion of true Goodness these are Amiable Vertues and Dispositions which we cannot but Love one another for though they are in us but in a scanty Measure and are mixed too with many Infirmities Such as they be they are Derived also We are beholding for them to that Supream and first Cause who is the Fountain of all Excellencies and therefore they must needs be most Amiable in God because in Him they are Absolute and Infinite nor can we conceive any Perfections Intellectual or Moral in the most Excellent Creatures no not in the Blessed Angels themselves but what are transcendently Glorious in the Father of Spirits whose Excellencies admit of no boundaries or Abatement