prayers makes them depend upon him in all their needs and necessities he makes them deny themselves and works the grace of humiliation more and more and a trade of godlinesse and a course of holiness and piety now not one of these works are till a man is called all things work together for the best to those that are called Rom. 8. 28. this is a leaâ—ing work now all works come in now the word works and prayer works and the Sacrament works and afflictions work and sinne works when a man is effectually called this is the great wheele of motion now all things work together for the good of him that is called according to Gods purpose this is the first ground work the first breaking of the ice the first setting of a man forth towards heaven therefore we shall see when the Apostle is to write to any man or Churches commonly before ever he bids them do this or that the first thing he speaks to them about is this he tells them they are effectually called as Rom. 1. 7. afterwards he bids them yield their members as weapons to righteousness and adviseth them to walk in the Spirit and give up their bodies and souls as a living sacrifice to God not to be conformed to the world but to be transformed in the spirit of their minds and to walk in love and redeemâ— the time and abundance of other works he sets them about but first of all he names their effectual calling as who should say I take it for granted that â—oâ—â—re called it is a folly for me to bid you do this or that if you were not effectually called else I should alwaies be beating what damned and â—iserable creatures you are shall I bid you pray and professe Religion and you not effectually called you can never do this therefore this is the first thing 〈◊〉 called of God So when he writes to the Corinths 1 Cor. 1. 2. called â—â—e Saints it is the fore front of all his Epistles as who should say I shall speak abundance of things to you but you are called of God therefore he bids them do this and that and the other all works come after this effectual calling as it is in other particular callings suppose a man be called to be an Apostle all the acts and performances that an Apostle doth they come after he is called else they are not the acts of an Apostle but a medler therefore in all the Apostles writings when he doth the acts of an Apostle to exhort them and rebuke them in the Lord he shews his calling Paul called to be an Apostle as who should say do not judge amiss of me you may think what have I to do with you we have a Minister already what have you to do in Corinth meddle with your own places where you live mistake me not I am called to be an Apostle so that his calling to be an Apostle is before all other actions first he is called and then exhorts instructs reproves c. Several names given to effectual calling Fourthly Another reason is taken from the names that are given unto effectual calling first it is called a mans gathering unto Christ as Joh. 11. 50 51 52. it is the prophecy of Caiphas though he spake he knew not what yet he spake right as the place doth imply it is expedient saith he that one man should dye for the people and gather together the children of God that were scattered as who should say this is the first act that the Lord Jesus doth upon those that are his they were scattered till then and now when he comes effectually to call them he puts his first act upon them and gathered them to himself so also it is called a drawing unto God Joh 12. 32. When I am lifted up I will draw all men unto me that is when he was lifted up upon the crosse he would call the Gentiles all his elect people unto him he doth not speak of all men but he speaks of the elect he will draw all them to him he will call them home So againe it is called in Scripture the entring of a man into Christ as a Scholar that is admitted into a Colledge his name is first entred so effectual calling is a mans first entring into the Schoole of Christ into the family of Christ when a man is first entred into that blessed society as Joh. 10. 9. I am the doore if any man will enter by me he shall be saved and go in and out and finde pasture he speaks here of the first act of a mans coming before that he was quite out of doors this is the first act his first entring into Christ to be of his sheepfold and flock to feed upon his pastures and to have the benefit of his Scepter and be governed and guided by him as the true shepheard effectual calling enters a man into Christ Againe it is called a mans coming in Rom. 11. 25. untill the fulness of the Gentiles is come in that is until the elect Gentiles be effectually called now because he would expresse what effectual calling is he calls it the coming of a man in he was without before as other dogs were that had no part in the tree of life no interest in the salvation purchased as far off as those that were reprobates but now is his coming in and so I might instance in other names Lastly Because it is the first extract of election and predestination unto eternal life as Rom. 8. 30. Whom he did predestinate them also he called there was the first impression of the seale upon the wax there was the first image that he made whom he did predestinate them he called afterwards he justified them c therefore you shall finde in Scripture that election calling are put together because this is the first blush of it as Rev. 17. 14. The King of Kings Lord of Lords and they that are with him are called and chosen he puts them both together what a marvelous comfort is this to those that know they are effectually called of God! election and vocation are individual companions and cannot be separated one from the other that man that is elected it is certaine he shall be called this is that which makes a man actually elected my meaning is this though a man were elected before all worlds though now living in the estate of sinne and death and damnation a vile wretched sinner he was elected it may be but not actually elected in himself there was nothing of election in him there was no image nor seale of election stamped upon him nothing of it put forth in him therefore this is the reason why in Scripture vocation is called election 1 Cor. 1. 26 27. You see your calling brethren not many wisemen after the flesh not many mighty c. are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the one is the image and the
effect of the other he puts one for the other you see your calling how because God hath chosen the foolish and base people and not those that are more noble and excellent this is the reason for as election is before all times so vocation is in time it is the electing or choosing or calling of a man out of the world so that vocation and election are very much a kinne the one to the other it is just as Gods decree of creating and creating the creating of the world was just according to the idea he had framed in his decree so the calling of a man is just the image and idea of what God had decreed to a party from all eternity therefore it must needs be the first work that is wrought upon a man Vse 1. This sheweth us why it is such a dangerous thing for any man in Dangerous to erre about our effectual calling the world to mistake his effectual calling and think he is called of God when he is not because it is the first work of all therefore very dangerous to erre in it what to erre in the very first work of all in the maine and principal in the very beginning of all the whole workmanship it is a very grievous thing The Apostle St. James writing to Christians professing Religion to take heed they think not they have grace when they have not he bids them take heed they do not erre Iam. 1. 16. he speaks not there in regard of particulars but in the general it is dangerous to erre in any point but to erre in such a thing as is of this nature it is most woeful Reas 1. Because this is the foundation now it is a horrible thing in intellectuals Because this is the foundation in matters of theory to erre in fundamentals so it is in practicals it is an horrible thing for a man to erre in the very foundation of Religion in the first acquaintance with God in the very ground and bottom of all a man had need lay the foundation well because else the whole building falls effectual calling is the very ground of a mans going to God it is the very ground of a mans laying hold upon God and of the profession of Religion and all the building must come to nothing if this be not well laid God forbid I should go about to shake any man or call in question any mans Religion or hope or comfort I deny not people the professing of Gods name or the calling upon God or the coming to the Sacraments I do not deny thâ—â— this but I beseech you be sure that you have a good foundation for all for all will come to nothing elss you remember what became of the mans house that was built upon the sands that had no foundation Mat. 7. 26. When the winds came and the floods beate upon that house it fell the house came falling down as if it had never been built so have a care of the foundation it is a most miserable thing if the foundation be not well laid Secondly Because effectual calling is a thing that a man must have a thousand Because man most often have recourse to it references unto before he die if he lives he must every day have a reference to this a man can do nothing but he must still have a reference to his effectual calling he must ever and anon be looking back to this God hath called me to his glory and vertue he will be driven to this whether he will or no it is like a mans evidence when any wrangling companion shall question his right in his estate he must have reference to his evidences and if he find them hardly currant what a stound will he be put unto if he find his evidences rotten and unsound he knows not what course to take why effectual calling is that which a child of God must have reference unto all the dayes of his life from the first estating of him in the Kingdom of God from the first bringing of him to partake of eternal life when David was in affliction in body and minde and doubts came upon him thick and threefold he was faine to have reference to his effectual calling and that comforted him Psal 1 9. 50. This is my comfort in affliction for thy Word hath quickened me when he was â—n affliction of conscience and minde and body he began to look back time was when I was dead in sinnes and trespasses I never looked after God but thy Word hath quickened me this raised him up this was his comfort in his affliction the Lord had called him to his Kingdom and made him partaker of the work of grace and this cheared him had he not had reference to this he could have had no hold without this a man is as in a wilderneâ—s a lost man therefore what a feareful thing is it for a man to take himself to be effectually called when he is not it is as it were to lay a springe for a mans soul it is as a net for the devil to take a man and to carry him on in hopes and expectations and then when he looks back and sees his bottom and foundation he stands upon is nothing but conceit this is a miserable thing Because it is the beginning of Gods works on the soul Thirdly Because it is the beginning of the works of God now what a thing is it for a man to strike out of the way at his beginning if a man have a journy to go if he go out of the way as soon as ever he goes out of doores he must needs be wide he had been better have stayed at home a man were better go out of his way at any time then at the beginning if he go ten miles and then go out of his way there is some hope it is not all in vaine he hath gone ten miles onward of his journy but for a man to go out of his way as soone as ever he steps out of doors he is cast further off then if he had never stirred a foot it is an excellent thing when a man begins well Gal. 3. 3. Ye began in the Spirit c. though they struck out of the way afterwards and yielded to a great deale of carnal doctrine and fleshly propositions and were a world out of the way yet this was to great purpose that they began well St. Paul durst not but call them the children of God he could hardly tell what to make of them yet he saith little children ye have put on Christ and done thus and thus and went out to eternal life in a right manner therefore God will bring you in againe certainly you must come againe you began well you began in the Spirit but when a man in his very beginning shall erre his error was in principiâ— as ever he set out of doors he went clean contrary this man hardly ever returnes nay he had been
and his blindness and nakedness and captivity if the Lord do mean any mercy to a man here comes in his effectual calling 2 THES 2. 14. Whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ I Have spoken already of the prepatory work that goes before Effectual Calling the next thing I am to speake of is the parts of Effectual Calling and they are Two parts of effectual calling 1. Offering of Christ two First the offering of Christ and his merits the objective propounding of Christ and his benefits when Christ comes and offers himself to a man in the Gospel he came to his own John 1. 11. but his own received him not he came and offered himself to them I am the way the truth and the light I am the Messias and the Saviour of the world and I have eternal life and here I am take me and all with me this is the first thing in Effectual Calling the objective propounding of Christ to a man The second thing is the receiving of Christ not only the offering of Christ 2. The receiving of Christ to a man for so he offers himself to those that are not of God even to all but in Effectual Calling as there is an offer on Gods side so there is a reflection on Gods side as many as received him c. John 1. 12. they received him these two now make up Effectual Calling the offering of Christ and the receiving of him when Christ calls a man to him and he answers to his call thus you see the parts of Effectual Calling First to speak of the first the objective propounding of Christ and all the things of Christ to a man and this hath two degrees like the morning light that hath two parts the dawning of the day and the Sunnes arising so there Two parts oâ— degrees of offering Christ 1. General are two parts in this objective propounding of Christ to the soul the first is that general propounding of him to every creature now the soul thinks what to every creature then it is propounded to me as well as to any body else but the effectualness of this call is that it breeds the seeds of grace in a man it breeds saving desires and saving longings and saving and kindly mournings for the want of this sweet good when it sees such an excellent good and a possibility of it and that it is propounded to every creature then the soule thinks I may be one as well as any body else and so the soul longs after it The second thing is the personal propounding of this to those that have these 2. Personal seeds of Grace the first was general to one as well as to another but now this is to this mans person rather then to any body else and now the soul begins to think seriously this proposition is to me this tender is to me I hunger and thirst and long and therefore this belongs to me and the effectualnesse of this call is to make the soul come to Christ and cast himselfe upon him by faith these are the parts of propounding of Christ and both these are twofold 2. Both 1. External 2. Internal the first is the external part of it by the Word the other the internal part of it by the Spirit Now we are to speak of the first of these how the Word works this general call and for this I have chosen this text Whereunto he hath called you by our Gospel c. For the coherence of these words in the former verses the Apostle had told the Thessalonians of a woful falling away that should he among all visible Churches in the whole world almost that there should be a general defection unlesse of Gods Elect and they should have fearful declinings and he sheweth that the power of the Devil and â—â—s instruments should be the cause of this falling away he should come with strong delusions and then the just cause why God doth suffer the Devil and his imps to bring this about that all they might be damned that had phas 〈…〉 in unrighteousnesse the Lord would have them damned and this made the Lord suffer the Devil to work Apostacy and declining to them Now this is a fearful thing and therefore in the next place he comes to comfort the Thâ—sâ—â—lonians for they for their part the godly amongst them need not to be dismayed for fear of falling away as if they should not hold out but he would have them encouraged that they shall stand out for ever and he comforts them by two Arguments First by Gods predestination of them to life from all eternity God hath chosen you to Salvation from the beginning and then â—e laies down the meanes God had appointed for the attaining this salvation and that was through Sanctification in the Spirit as who should say 't is true there shall be such a falling away but you that are godly need not be dejected for God hath chosen you from all eternity and therefore will sanctifie you and keep you through his mighty power unto salvation that you shall not fall away The second Argument is their Effectual Calling that is in the text Whereunto he hath called you by our Gospel c. as who should say the Lord hath given you a pledge that you shall never fall away finally for it is plaine that God hath chosen you and he hath given a pledge of hiâ— Election for he hath called you therefore be of good cheare Well then in the words of the text you may consider these four things First Effectual Calling he called you Secondly the meanes whereby he hath wrought this in you namely the Gospel Thirdly the tearme whereunto he called them noted in this word hereunto which if you look into the former verse was unto 〈…〉 tion Fourthly what this salvation is it is a most admirable incomparable thing no tongue is able to speak it Oh saith he It is to the attaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ the very same glory that the Lord Jesus Christ was advanced to you have part and communion therein Now three of these points I lay aside the point that serves our turn is the second he called you by our Gospell That the thing that calls Gods people home it is the General tender of Doct. The Gospel or general tender of grace is that by which God calls men home grace indifferently to any man without exception whosoever will have it that is the Gospel When Christ should call Nicodemus after he had convinced him of his blindnesse and cursed estate and made him see he was a fool in all the things of God now he gives him a call and how doth he call him it was even this general tender John 3. 14 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent iâ— the Wildernesse so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish
any one promise in the Bible to such a one as you that are so foul and filthy and cannot pray nor do any thing you see God casts you off where is any promise for you to hang upon Yes I can believe for all this because the Gospel is not tendered to sense and feeling and such and such things but to every one that would have Christ and I would have Christ and so much the more eager is my heart to have him the more I am troubled and cast down the more I would have Christ and grace here is my hold this is the thing the sure Word of Faith it is called the Word of Faith Rom. 10. 8. Now you know the Word of God is true whether a man believe or no and now when faith comes in it layes hold upon that general Word the thing is true so that if any man comes and believes though I never found it before I believed it yet now I may hang upon it and there is nothing in the world will put off Satan more then this he will say you have Christ how can you have him you are proud aye but I would be humbled you are dead 't is true but that is my grief and mourning I would be quickened and therefore would have Christ that I may be so and so here he hangs upon the general tender of Christ Thirdly because this is that same simple Scripture that is simply true in it 3. Because this is that which is true before all acts of man self before all acts in man a man cannot be effectually called by any truth but that which is true in it self before all acts in man now what truth can effectually call a man before any act of grace in man but only the general tenders of the Gospel these are the truths that are simply true in themselves Before any thing is done upon man it may be true that God hath elected me but it is not a Scripture truth before something be done in me the Scripture doth not say simply in it self that I am elected before some grace be put forth in me if I have grace put forth already in me then I may say that God did specially intend it to me and did elect me in Christ before all worlds but now these truths cannot call a man because before effectual calling nothing is done in a man therefore those truths that suppose any thing in a man cannot be calling truths the first truths that a man is effectually called unto a man hath no more to shew for it then any man else in the world therefore it must be meerly the truths of the Gospel in themselves what Christ did and so forth As for example these be the calling truths Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1. 29. God so loved the world that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal life John 3. 16. and Mat. 18. 11. The Sonne of man came to save that which is lâ—st but these truths concerning this mans election that God doth love him and hear him and accept of him these are not Scripture truths in themselves but when a man is called then they come in now a man may see that he is elected and accepted of God but these truths can never effectually call a man because effectual calling is the first thing that is done in a man and this work â—inds nothing in a man more then in any other and therefore it must needs be a general tender Fourthly because this is only that which every man is bound to believe it is 4. This only thâ—t which every man is bouâ—d â—o beleeve that only which a man is called unto God when he doth effectually call his people doth call them to do nothing but that which is every mans duty to do he calls them to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ which is one mans duy as well as another as Christ when he went to preach every where up and down saith he Repent and believe the Gospel as who should say it is every one of your duties to repent and believe the Gospel it is the very same truth that believed saveth Gods people and not believed damneth the reprobates as Mark 16. 16. He that beleeves shall be saved and he that beleeves not shall be damned as who should say both is the same truth that is propounded to this man that is saved and that man that is damned therefore they must be the general truths of the Gospel particular truths do not bind every man to believe it is not every mans duty to believe that he is elected that he hath intended his Son Christ for him rather then any other God binds not every man to beleeve this but he binds every man to believe that God is the eternal good of a man and this is to be had by coming unto Christ when a man can believe this and cast himself upon it this is true and saving faith when this draws a man to God and pulls him out of his sins and this is the reason that the Apostle saith 1 John 3. 23. This is the Commandment of God that ye beleeve in his Son Jesus Christ so that you see this is clear that it is the general tender of the Gospel that cals Gods people home to God whatsoever a man be an old sinner a young sinner a grosse sinner be he what he will if his heart stoop that he would have Christ and all Christ he shall not perish but have everlasting life Obj. But you may say faith is onely of Gods Elect how then can Ministers tender such a proffer as this whereas Christ is only given to the Elect I answer it is true that the Elect when all comes to all they only get it yet it is seriously tendred to all we had never heard of Election and reprobation but only because of this because that when the Gospel is preached we see that some receive it and some receive it not now thus you come to see election and reprobation for when a man comes to receive the call we see that that man is elected because no man takes Christ but by grace every man would stand out and refuse Christ but when we see a man takes Christ then we see he is elected and when we see another man doth not take Christ we see then that man is left to himself and hath a wretched heart and reprobate minde and God lets him have it still as he will have his sins so God lets him have them still yet notwithstanding this is very true that Christ is propounded to all and this the reason why our Saviour Christ saith Mat. 20. 16. Many are called but few are chosen the meaning is many are called but few there are that do answer this call there The tender of â—he Gâ—spel must bâ— without â—estrâ—int to election 1 Oâ—herwise the â—ect would have no ground
very thought of it dulls him it is like a stone upon his heart now let a man sin against grace and the goodness of God and Gods gracious dealing let a man sin against these it doth put a man to a most hard task to go through to go and humble himself before Almighty God and the soul shall find a world of conflicts that he is loth to come to it loth to deal about this bitter business to go about to renew his repentance with bitter remorse for his sins it is like a desperate debtor that hath run himself over head and ears in debt the very thought of coming to a reckoning is death to him he cannot abide to think of it it is like a boy that hath made false Latine if his Master should call him to construe and pearse it and give a rule for every word he knows it is not according to rule he hath not looked after rule and every thing is false now he cannot abide to come to construe and pearse it so when a man hath provoked God by his sins and hath broken his covenant and slighted his ordinances when God calls him to construe and pearse what do you make of such an action and such a word and such a thought the heart is even afraid of these things as a dog is of a whip it is an hard task to be brought to this as David when he had yielded to his security and idleness and unwatchfulness and so had given way to Satan you may see what an hard task he brought upon his soul and how his soul was ever afraid to go about humiliation how many frowning looks doth a man cast upon the pykes he must go through if he mean to obtain mercy it even deads him as a dagger at his heart David was loth to come to this to come to a reckoning to come to be humbled when Bathsheba sent him word that she was with child then God called him to a reckoning to be humbled God told him to his face it is high time to be humbled and ashamed God hath been laying rods in brine for thee and to bring thee upon the stage and to make thee odious and vile in the sight of the world yet he was loth to come to a reckoning he shun'd it and shut his eyes from seeing it he devised tricks to send Vriah home to his Wife and when this would not be but Vriah carried himself constantly with feeling of the case of the Church that then lay in the field against their enemies this could not but call for humbling yet he shunned it still and instead of humbling himself he went further into the briars and made Vriah drunk thinking then he would go home it is impossible but he should see the hand of God in all this that he gave him a warning to down on his knees but he shunned it again and instead of humbling himself he devised the death of Vriah and when nâ—â—s câ—me Vriah is dead which one would think should have been as an ha 〈…〉 r to have knockt him down he puts this off the sword kills one as well as another and till the Lord was pleased to set it on he could not be brought to humble himself thus it is sin puts an hard task upon a man a man may easily slip into sin it is a merry way unto it but when a man is once in he cannot get out again without tearing and rending and abasing and casting himself down before God this is an hard task and the soul shall find abundance of reluctancies and the very thought of it deads the soul unless the Lord be the more merciful A fourth reason why sin deads a man is because sin defiles the conscience for sin is a dead work and it goes into the conscience and defiles it until it be purged by the blood of Christ Heb. 9. 14. sin is a dead work and the winding sheet of it is the conscience presently as soon as a man doth iniquity this dead work runs into the conscience and catcheth hold and this defiles the conscience and puts guilt into it and nothing in the world more deads a man then a guilty conscience why because it knocks a mans fingers off from that which should enliven and quicken him it makes him see that he doth defile Gods promises if he medle with them Isa 38. 16. the promises of God are the things by which men live now when the conscience is guilty it doth even knock a mans fingers off from the promises it tells him this guilt must out first before he can apply the promises nay the very hearing of the promises deads his heart and this is the reason why good people as long as they have not clear consciences rather call for Sermons of judgement then of mercy and their consciences say the promises doe not belong to me I know God is an holy God and his promises holy and it is no meddling with them without holinesse therefore when a man gives way to sin he must needs dead his heart because he defiles his own conscience and therefore no wonder that there is so much deadnesse up and downe when there is hardly a clear conscience in the Country nay good people how slightly doe they deal in this case and hinder their own life and quickning because they have not a care to come before God with a cleare conscience The fifth Reason is Because sin doth either utterly destroy or mightily weaken all assurance of welcome with God and therefore no marvel if it dead the heart for if a man cannot look for comfort and entertainment with God when he goeth to him it takes man off from that willingness to come into Gods presence it makes a man shie of God and of Jesus Christ and his Ordinances it makes a man that he hath no desire to pray almost nay sometimes he hath no heart at all nay sometimes he totally omits the duty he is so afraid he cannot goe to God without carnal feares and mis-givings and horrours and this takes the heart quite off for a time that he cannot pray at all it is like a childe when he hath committed some villany that he knows his father knowes he is shy of coming into his fathers presence he is afraid to come where his father is he knowes be shall be chid and hear of his doings so it is in this case it is not thus with wicked and ungodly men for they can look God in the face but Gods own people when they sin against God it must needs take off that cheerful willingness to goe before God that delight to be in his presence that comfort in prayer sinne makes it an irksome thing sinne makes a man to have little heart to deal with God for the heart doth not love to be caught by God in Satans company or of any lust as a servant cannot abide that his Master should take him in any villany or unfaithfulnesse
the people of God and had Abraham for their father and were barren and fruitless and dissolute in their lives you may see how John Baptist answers their foolish conceit think not with your selves we have Abraham to our father c. Mat. 3. 9. he hath no need of you you are the children of Abraham but know God can cast you into Hell for all you are the children of Abraham and can make Heathens and Infidels children of Abraham so when the Jews boasted Mal. 1. that God had chosen them he hated Esau and loved Jacob and they grew to be insolent and disobedient to God and polluted his holy Temple and despised his name see what God saith I will accept none of these things at your hands I will gather me a people among the Heathens Mal. 1. 13. As who should say I want not people I can go among the Heathen and there have my worship regarded which you have slighted and neglected Thirdly There is no particular Church in the world hath a promise 3 No particular Church hath a promise of continuance alwayes to be a Church but it they grow careless and secure and unprofitable under the means the Lord will be gone he hath made no such promise to continue with them for ever 't is true there is never a godly soul never a member of the Church but God hath promised he will never leave him 2 Tim. 2. 19. and Mat. 28. 20. he saith so of his own people he will never leave them but the good things he hath begun in them he will perfect them in the day of Christ nay though all particular Churches should be destroyed God will have a care of these particular Saints of his Catholique Church that not any limbe of it shall cease but for particular Churches God hath made no such promises but upon condition Rom. 11. 22. if a Parish or Kingdom continue in the fear of Gods name and regard his commandements be fruitful under his Ordinances and thankful for his goodness then he will stay but otherwise saith he thou shalt be broken off though thou be the famousest Church in the world This may conâ—ound the Church of Rome who promise to themselves they â—se 1. â—o conâ—ound the Church of Rome shall never be unchurched though they have been unchurched many years yet they brag they are the only Church in the world Bellarmine brags that St. Peters chair shall never go from Rome and no wonder for the spirit of God foretold it Rev. 17. I sit as Queen and shall never be a Widow I shall be a Wife a Spouse for ever I shall see no sorrow you see how secure she is just the child of her proud mother Babylon Isa 47. 8. So 't is with the Church of Rome I am and none else I am she calls her self the Roman Catholique Church as if there were no Church but Rome all the Nations of the world if they will be a â—hurch must be members of that Church as it was said of Rome in Augusius time If Jupiter should come down from Heaven there is no Country for him to come into but Rome look into this or that country Rome hath to doe there so Rome notwithstanding her Apostacy is grown to that height of pride and security as if she were and none but she O poor deluded company there is scarce any true note of a Church of Christ among them and yet they make themselves to be the onely Church This may be an Item for all the particular Churches in the whole world Vse 2. To all particular Churches for England Denmark France wheresoever is any Here you see the Church of Sardis had but a name to live and was dead there was nothing but remainders in her and they were ready to die and come to nothing But what speak I of the Church of Sararâ— Where are all the famous Churches of Asta of Pergamus and Thâ—atâ—ra c. what is become of these famous Churches are they not turned into a wilderness and to worship Mebâ—met and Idols and are even grown as bad as Heathens But what need I speak of these Look upon the Church of the Jewes that were thâ— priâ—cipal people of God no Church like that Israel is my first borne there was never any Church under the Gospel that was his onely Church but Judaea was his onely oâ—e his pleasant Plant nay they were the Fathers of Jesus Christ according to the flesh Rom. 9. yet notwithstanding that Church was cut off When the holy City proved a Harlot when these people grew to be weary of God and his Ordinances and grew to be loose and would not be ruled by God and his Word the Lord gave them a Bill of Divorcement and sent them away therefore let us be warned by them it is a fearfull thing when God for Idolatry shall cast off Churches and yet we not tremble but live under security and hardness of heart and take not warning by it Jer. 3. 8. God saith Yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not but played the harlot When God cast off the ten Tribes Judah saw this and heard of this and could not chuse but understand this and yet she did not fear for all this So when this Parish or any other Parish shall hear of any Parish that is unchurched and unministred and God hath taken away his presence from among them and there shall be no signe of his gracious presence any more the Gospel is gone from such a place and we hear of it and yet doe not fear but are as secure as ever as unfruitful under the means as ever and doe not stir up our selves to be more obedient to God and his Ordinances but goe on to play the harlot and goe a whoring from God from day to day nay we are even ready to promise our selves peace for all this this is a fearful thing Mark what the Lord saith Jer. 7. 11 12 13 14 15. He speaks there of Jerusalem So when God hath poured out his plagues and punishments upon other Parishes and other places and hath taken away his Ark and the glory is departed from them and they are left in the shadow of death and we see it and yet tremble not at it God calls upon us from day to day to amend our lives that we miâ—ht finde mercy with him God tells us as he hath done to other Parishes in the Kingdome so he will doe to us the Lord will lay us desolate and waste as other parts of the land are and certainly the Lords wrath and vengeance is hard at our heels if we doe not speedily repent who knows how soon God may deprive us of his Word and Ordinances For 〈◊〉 not found thy works perfect before God If we take these words in sunder they containe these five Propositions First That the covenant of grace requires works Secondly That these works should be perfect Thirdly That they should not onely be perect
should sâ—â—rch us oâ—t is it good for us to leave all this wâ—â—â— to him to neglâ—â—t 〈◊〉 soules to lay aside our lives and consciences and bosâ—mâ—s and never to â—ansick thâ—m from â—ay to day never to enquire into our owne bosomes that we may reforâ—â— our selves but leave all to God to search us doe you think this â—ill doe will saith Job Then when afflictions and death and judgement shall come that then God should search you and lay before you your works therefore as you desire when God shall search you you may be found upright be careful to search your selves FINIS 2 TIM 1. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began IN this verse the Apostle declares what God hath done for him and for Timothy he hath saved us that is he hath redeemed us with the blood of his Son and freed us from sin and from Satan and from hell and hath given us title to eternal life he hath saved us 2. He hath called us that is he hath given us a pledge of this that we shall be saved that we shall The reasons of Gods mercies to Paul and Timothy certainly have salvation compleatly and fully for he hath called us Now he illustrates this two wayes first by shewing what kinde of calling it is which he here means and that is an holy calling he hath called us with an holy calling and then 2ly By shewing the reason why God would do these things for him and for Timothy these are great things what to save them and make them heirs of his Kingdome and to call them to the fellowship of Jesus Christ and give them interest in all Gods goodness and mercy what should be the reason that should move God to do so much for Paul and for Timothy he doth here expresse this three wayes First by removing all false causes not according to our works as who The removing of false causes should say it is not for any thing in us there was nothing in us that moved God to do this 2ly He layes down the true cause of it in the next words but according to The true cause of it his own purpose and grace that is he hath done it freely out of his own mercy and love and according to his own purpose Lastly He proves this and that by three arguments that this must be the Proved by three arguments cause and no other the first is this it was a gift that was given us therefore it must needs be free 2ly It was given in Jesus Christ as who should say he did not look at any thing in us there was nothing in us that was in his eyes no it was meerly for the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ Lastly Another argument is taken from the time when and that is from all eternity before the world began The point that I will handle out of these words is this that it is an excellent Doctrine thing for a man to be able to say that God hath effectually called him the Apostle here speaks it as a great comfort to his soul and the soul of Timothy and as a pledge of Gods everlasting love and salvation to them both that the Lord had called them and had been pleased to take them out of the world and to make them partakers of his Kingdome and glory Now for the opening of the point I will here first shew you what kinde of For the opening of the point calling it is that is here spoken of and it is not that calling whereby God doth call people to an office as of a Magistrate or a Minister but he speaks of a general calling of a calling out of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan into the Kingdome of his dear Son to be made partakers of eternal communion with himself 2ly It is not an outward call whereby wicked men that go on in their sins are called for so a reprobate may be called he may be called out of his own sinful courses and wretched estate and condition to the participation of Jesus Christ thus every man is called all men are called by Gods Ministers as Mat. 22. 9. the King sent out his servants to bid all that they found to the marriage Secondly A reprobate may be called inwardly by Gods Spirit I mean the How a reprobate may be called Spirit of God may go along with Gods Ministers to strive and wrestle with the soul and conscience of a man that remains in his sins Prov. 1. 24. because I called and ye refused therefore will I laugh at your destruction and mâ—â—ke when your fear cometh Thirdly A wicked man may be called not only with an outward call of How a wicked man may be called the Minister and with an inward call of the Spirit but with some efficacy it may go a great way so far forth as to make a man come in some kindâ— as it was with the man Mat. 22. 12. He was called together with the râ—sâ—â—â— come to the wedding and he came but he came without a wedding garment nâ—w one of these callings are meant here for in this sence many are called but 〈…〉 sâ—n Mat. 22. 14. But the calling here meant is a different calling from them and that in three things First It is a call according to Gods own purpose when God calls a man and hath a purpose to make a man come in deed and to come home this is A calling to Gods purposes the calling here spoken of Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things worke together for the best to Gods children that are called according to his purpose as God calls them so he doth purpose to make them come to himself and make them partakers of everlasting mercy God hath no such purpose when he calls the reprobate he hath a purpose indeed to do them good if it be not through their own default but yet notwithstanding he hath no such purpose and absolute intention to do them good he hath no such purpose to bring them to his Kingdome and carry them quite through in the business Secondly This is a secret in Gods own bosome and that is another difference How one calling differs from another wherein this calling differs from the other it is such a calling wherein God puts forth his power and the greatness of his power too God called the light and it came God called the Heavens and they came when as they were not God calling of them they were made to come so when God doth call a man by his Spirit he calls a man powerfully he doth powre in divine instincts of grace and faith and all other holy vertues whereby the soul is made able to come to God the Lord gives the heart a kinde of touch that being touched by his Spirit it must and
shall and will know God in Jesus Christ it puts in divine things into the soul whereby the soul must needs know him and come to him and be reconciled to him 1 Joh. 3. 9. he puts his own seed into him he that is borne of God sinneth not for the seed of God remaineth in him the Lord puts an holy kinde of ointment upon his eyes and makes him see and that abides in him 1 Joh. 2. 27. The holy anoynting which ye have received abideth in you Thirdly It is a continual call it is not a call and so away a call for a year Gods call is an effectual caâ—l and so an end but it is a continual call he never leaves calling of him till he comes home to him as 1 Thes 5. 24. Faithful is he that hath called you who will also do it as who should say he hath called you and doth call you and he is faithful and will do it he hath called you heretofore and made you come to him in truth and sincerity and he will still continue his call he will still do it more and more the Lord draws his people nearer and nearer to himself Now I will prove the Doctrine by divers particulars First Because a man then may be able to look back upon all his life even from Then a man may reflect on his life past his cradle to this day even before his call and see Gods love to him as Paul though he could not see it before yet when God had effectually called him he is able to look back upon all his former time and space he had lived even from his mothers womb Gal. 1. 15. Who hath seperated me saith he from my mothers wombe and called me by his grace and so it was with David I have been cast upon thee saith he even from my mothers belly Psal 22. 9 10. it is not likely that David was converted then but when God had effectually called him then he was able to go back all along even to his very infancy and trace Gods goodness towards him in this and that even to his very bringing him into the world Secondly This interests a man in all the promises of God 2 Pet. 1. 3. Who This interest a man in the promises hath given unto us all things pertaining to life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue if we know that God hath called us to glory and vertue then we know that God hath given us all things that pertaine to life and godliness to this life and the life to come we know it when God hath effectually called us we know that all the promises belong unto us as the Apostle speaks Acts 2. 39. For the promise is to you and to your children and to yours that are afar of even as many as the Lord our God shall call look how many God calls so many do the promises belong unto all the promises of mercy and grace and comfort of strength and direction and eternal redemption the compleat working of it all these promises from the first to the last they all belong to a man when God hath called him when the Lord effectually calls a man he takes him out of the world to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and in whatsoever he hath done or suffered or purchased for his people Thirdly It doth sweeten all Gods promises to a man what is the reason we can hear such admirable things out of the Word and yet they affect people It sweetens the promises to a man generally for the most part no more then a dry chip though they hear of the promises of God what promises he hath made to his people to their Prayers to their hearing of the Word to their receiving of the Sacrament what promises he hath made in adversity and prosperity in sickness and in health in life and death when they sin through frailty what promises they have to help them up againe when they are to do any thing what promises to assist them and go along with them when they are called to any employment what promises to sustaine them and bear them out I say though all these things be delivered to people things that were sweeter to David then the hony and the hony combe Psal 119. 103. Yet generally people are not affected with these things the reason is because they are not able to say that God hath effectually called them therefore when they heare such things the heart cannot lay hold upon them they think with Francis Spera I have no part in these things they think 't is true they are so to Gods people but they think there is little comfort little sweetness in them because they cannot say that they are effectually called of God Fourthly If a man be effectually called this helps a man to pray Psal 119. 94. I am thine save me when David was able to say thou hast called me to be one of thine then he was able to pray to God Lord save me Lord help me It helps him to pray I am thine thou art my God when he was able to say that he had interest and propriety in God this did exceedingly help him and encourage him with boldness in prayer but when a man questions his effectual calling every petition a man puts up it is choaked a man cannot pray to God but he is beaten off there is no strength in such a prayer as soon as ever Paul was converted saith God to Ananias behold now he prayes Act. 9. 11. Paul had prayed a thousand times before no man in Judea prayed more then he but God took no notice of his prayers but when God had effectually called him by his grace now the Lord took notice of his prayers and observed them and heard them and regarded them and inclined his ear to them behold now he prayes Fifthly This is a great encouragement to all goodness in outward things Knowledge of our effectual calling a help to good actions it is a great encouragement to a man to take them in hand when he seeth he hath a calling thereunto Gideon was very earnest with the Angel that he might see he had a calling to that he was to go about Judg. 6. 11. So it is in this divine calling it is a great encouragement when a man can see that he is called true it is that every man is called but I speak not of the general calling but of the effectual call when a man can see that he is effectually called of God this helps a man in all good actions then a man may go to God as to â— Father he may go to the Sacrament as the seale of his righteousness and saith then a man may take Gods name into his mouth God challengeth the wicked for doing of it without his call Psal 50. 16. What hast thou to dâ— to take my name into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be
called make their calling sure it implyeth they may do it the Lord laies no impossibility upon his own servants that he hath called to his Kingdome and glory but together with his precepts he sheweth them where grace is and the throne of grace is open for them and they have an interest in God that quickens the dead and have an open highway to the throne of grace to have any thing that they are required to do Thirdly Because the knowledge of our effectual calling is the ground of Of the knowledge of our effectual calling thanksgiving for it God requires that they that are effectually called to have such mercies should be thankful to God for it now how can a man be thankful for that which he is ignorant of whether he have it or no that is but a mockery as carnal people in their thanks will put in things they know not we returne unto thee O Lord all possible praise and thanks for election vocation justification c. Carnal people put these things into their graces blessing God for these things now if a man come to them do you know that you are elected and called and justified and have a true ground and hope of glory nay that we cannot tell say they this is a foolish thanksgiving this is to make a mock of God and to lie before him the Lord will have no such thanks but sing praises with understanding as the Scripture speaks he will have real and reasonable service now unlesse a man know this he cannot be thankful to God aright The Apostle willing the Corinths to be thankful for their calling the poore Corinths that were despised and ignoble and mean and of the lower rank of all the Town he wisheth them to glory in Gods goodness and in nothing of their own how doth he urge it you know your calling not many wise men after the flesh not many noble c. but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise c. 1 Cor. 1. 26. you see it many there are that God hath called among you and you see what manner of persons they are it is palpable and you cannot deny it therefore I would not have you glory in your selves but in God so Col. 1. 12 13. giving thanks unto God the Father saith he that hath made us meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son the Lord expects thanks for this effectual calling when God hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdome of his dear Son that is when he hath effectually called us we should give thanks to God for it now how can we give thanks to God for it when we are uncertain and ignorant of it surely the Spirit of Christ and the Lord Jesus Christ loveth the glory of God and that God should have praise from his people for every mercy therefore without doubt they may come to know it because otherwise God should require that of them which they are not able to performe Fourthly Because this is the very end of the word of God it is one of the Why the word of God is written to us ends why the word of God is written to us indeed there are other ends besids this it is to convert to strengthen to direct to comfort to counsel it is to build up and to pull down the end of the word is to pull and hew some down to be cast into the fire but one end is to acquaint the people of God with the mercies of God and with graces and mercies and kindnesses he hath laid up for them in Jesus Christ and how they are called to these things this is one end of the word that they may know these things that God hath vouchsafed 1 Joh. 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life c. I have written to you that do believe to you that are effectually called that you may know that you have eternal life you have it but I would faine have you know that you have it Now the Word is a sure Word that will not faile us Fiftly Because the soul of a man it hath the power of reflection in it and The soul hath the power of reflection it is able to reflect upon it self and know what it self doth and what it self hath the soul of a man is a reflective being and reflects upon its own bosom whereby it is privy to what it thinks and what it saith and what passages there be therein 1 Cor. 2. 11. What man saith he knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man the spirit of a man that is in him knows the things that be in a man it is privy to its own affaires as it is with wickedness so it is with good actions and thoughts now for wicked courses we see that the conscience is privy to what sins and corruptions are in a man as Sâ—lâ—mâ—n told Shimei thou knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to that thâ—â— didst to David my Father thou knowest it thy heart is privy to it thou canst reflect upon thine own bosome and canst tell what wretched speeches thou didst speak thou art able to utter them in order as thou art privy to it as Solomon saith Eccl. 7 22. oftentimes thine own heart knoweth that thou thy self likewise hast cursed others he speaks of one that hath cursed thy own heart knows that thou hast done it saith he so it is in good actions and things that are in a man a mans heart is privy to it if a man obey the call of God how can a man do it but he must know that he is effectually called If a man do mourn for his sins and grieve for his iniquities the heart knows its own bitterness it is able to reflect upon what it self doth so if a man do desire grace and hunger and thirst after righteousness and pant after the living God he is able to say I do this Psal 42. 1. As the hart pants after the rivers of water so doth my soul pant after thee O Gâ—â— his own heart shall be able to reflect upon it if thou humble thy soul and set thy self to prayer and approve thy self to God from day to day look into thy bosom and there thou mayst see it But it may be objected then how is it that those that are effectually called Obj. are very doubtful and have many questions and are uncertaine whether they are called or no if it be so how come these doubts and troubles and perplexities that are in the minds of good people that are effectually called of God and we find by experience that they were effectually called I answer first we must know that though the
knowledge of a mans calling Ans may be had yet it is had by degrees it is a gradual knowledge a man cannot know it all at first dash God doth not manifest his favour and love all at once to his people and when he gives it he doth not presently tell a man what he gives him though there be wayes for him to know it and find it out yet the Lord doth not open himself to his people all at the first nay he doth not so to his own Son Christ Jesus in respect of his humanity as he grew in stature and wisdom so he grew in favour with God Luk. 2. 52. The divine nature manifested it self more and more to his humane so God doth manifest his favour and love and openeth himself to his people more and more according as they grow in goodness they grow in this knowledge as they are more and more pure in heart the more do they see God and Gods goodness to them and what God hath done for them this knowledge though it be to be had yet it is to be had by degrees and the people of God have it not all in one degree some have it in a higher degree and some in a lower but every man hath some of this knowledge that he is called of God it is impossible that a man should be effectually called and be wholly and totally ignorant of it Secondly As this knowledge is gradual so it is experimental a man knows The knowledge of effectual calling experimental that he is called by experience chiefly and mainly as when a man knows by experience that he comes to God and draws near to God and that he doth abstract himself from the world and worldly wayes and practises and layes aside more and more the carnal wayes of men and doth approach nearer and nearer unto the things of God in Christ if a man hath experience of these things he comes now to say God hath effectually called me and hath been pleased to do me good when he finds this by experience that these things â—re wrought in him then he can conclude this at the first he was like a man in a vision he could hardly believe that God had effectually called him as it was with Peter when the Angel delivered him out of prison he was as one that had seen a vision he had not thought it had been a real thing he could not tell what to make of it Act. 12. 11. but when he came to himself now saith he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and delivered me out of prison At first he could not tell what to make of it but afterwards when he saw he was in the streets and that the iron gate opened to him of its own accord now saith he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and delivered me So it is with the people of God at first when they hear something from the Father they know not what to make of this call at the first but afterwards when they come to see this lust and that lust fall off and these and these heavenly works in their souls they now know of a surety that God hath sent his Spirit into their souls and delivered them from sins and Satan and hell and damnation c. At first they were like dreamers they were not able to say whether they were called or no as the children of Israel when they were delivered out of captivity they could hardly believe it at first Psal 126. 1. When the Lord turned away the captivity of Zion we were as those that dreamed we could hardly perswade our selves that God had delivered us out of captivity with such a mercy so great a favour so unlikely so improbable it could never enter into their hearts almost we were like those that dreamed but when they saw they were in Jerusalem and were helped and assisted and heard the Gentiles talke of it and all the people runne up and down when they saw it was so and had experience of it then they saw God had done it indeed and did believe it so when a man is first effectually called to come out of his sins the Lord knocks off his bolts and plucks him out of the jaile of hell and sets him as it were in Jerusalem he is at first as a man that dreams he can hardly believe it is so as it was with David when God called him to be King he could hardly believe it it could hardly enter into his heart that he should be King over Israel especially being dayly persecuteed by Saul and calamities heaping up themselves against him he could not conclude it but when the Lord had set him in his Kingdome and given him victory over his enemies now saith he I know that the Lord saveth his anointed now he could speak it and found it by experience that the Lord had made him his anointed and saved and delivered him from all his enemies before he was ready to deny it and say Samuel was a lyar he had anointed him to be King but I said in my hast all men are lyars but when he had experience of it now saith he I know that the Lord hath saved his anointed Thirdly As the knowledge of effectual calling is gradual and experimental so likewise it is very spiritual it is a marvellous spiritual work and therefore The knowledge of effectual calling spiritual no marvel though it be something insensible indeed there be things in it which are very sencible and conspicuous as may be a reprobate may be galled at a Sermon he may have his eyes broad open to see his sins and iniquities and may be wonderfully wrought upon and may have the sencible work of vocation by the very Spirit of God but the very specificalness of it whereby this effectual calling doth differ from all other callings this is a marvelous Spiritual thing and therefore no wonder that it is insencible sometimes and many of the people of God feare they have it not these things may be done in the soul of a man and a man not know it and yet it may seem strange that the eyes of the blind should be opened and the feet of the lame should walk and the dead should be raised and the devils should be cast out it is strange I say that these things should be done in a mans soul and yet the man in whose soul they are done should be ignorant of them it is a strange thing but the works of the Spirit are wonderful secret the actions of the Spirit are very invisible when a man humbles himself and prayes and mournes these are sencible he knows what they are many talke of hunger and thirst and reformation c. But to see the saving sanctifying gracious work of God in these things that is a marvelous hard thing to find this and it is very spiritual as Solomon saith Eccl. 11. 5. As thou knowest
not the way of the Spirit nor how the bones grow in the womb of a woman that is with child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all if it be so in natural things that we know not how the bones of the child grow in the womb much lesse these things of the Spirit so our Saviour Christ saith Joh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth even so is every one that is borne of the Spirit that is every one that is effectually called of God for regeneration is a part of this effectual calling to be effectually called of God it is the blowing of the wind a man knows not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth there is a world of ignorance about the wind so there is about the workings of Gods holy and heavenly Spirit when our Saviour was a working of regeneration in Nicodemus his heart was at the same time saying how can these things be Christ was working these things in his heart and the very same time when he was questioning how can these things be So Gideon at the very same time when God said unto him the Lord is with thâ—â— thou mighty man of valour Judg. 6. 14 â—5 Gideon was doubting that the Lord was not with him and that he had no might nor strength as our Saviour said of the seed that was sown in the ground Mark 4. 26. As if a man should cast seed into the ground and sleep night and day and the seed springeth up and grows he knows not how so saith he is the Kingdome of God and as our Saviour saith so it shall be at the last day when Christ shall say come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you for I was hungry and ye fed me c. But marke at the very same time the righteous that did all this and our Sauiour Christ did witness to their faces that they had done it the righteous shall answer when saw we thee hungry and fed thee c. They hardly knew they had done these things the actions themselves they could not but know of they knew they had fed and cloathed the poore children of God but that they did it to Christ for Christs sake they could hardly see this when did we see thee thus and thus and did so and so that they looked at Christ in this they had hardly so good eyes hardly so good a heart so I might instance in more I say the works of God they are marvelous spiritual and of a wonderful subtil substance they may be wrought in the soul of a man and yet a man may be something doubting and questioning whether they be wrought in him yea or no nay a man may be afraid they are not Fourthly Another reason is because the knowledge of a mans effectual The knowledge of a mans calling hindred for a time calling may be very much hindered for a time partly in regard of loathness of heart to leave some lust though a mans heart may be subdued and humbled for the maine yet there may be a great deal of holding back though a man cannot stand out in sin as the wicked do yet there may be a great deal of backwardness and unmortifiedness in the children of God and conscience may see it now when conscience seeth it conscience will hide effectual calling from a man and object how can you say you are effectually called when you are so borne down with such a lust and hanker so much after it now if our own hearts condemn us God is greater then our hearts and shall condemn us much more it is a pitiful thing when a man 's own heart shall condemn him and his own conscience shall be questioning whether he be right or no sometimes it falls out thus even those that are called yet in regard of unmortifiedness there is such a deale of matter that the conscience hath to object that a man cannot believe indeed and soundly that he is effectually called for at first when Christ comes into the soul before it hath gotten the mastery and victory the Spirit doth work exceedingly in the dark as when it works poverty of spirit sorrow for sin endeavour to leave all sin hatred and detestation of a mans own wayes loathing of a mans own self shame confusion before Gods footstoole there is such a smoak in the soul where the Spirit doth these that a man cannot see them as if a man be working in a smoaky house though he work excellent things a man can hardly perceive what he doth so there is such a deal of smoak in the heart such a deal of corruption stirring that it hides the sight of the work of God from a man yet the work of God goeth along as suppose two armies in a field and the battel be doubtful the guns fly off and the swords clatter and the dust ariseth and there is such a confusion that neither themselves nor others know which way the battel will go but sometimes some fall on one side and sometimes some on the other side and if a man should stand on an hill and see this battle he cannot tell on which side it will be sometimes he thinks it will be on this side and by and by it is turned on the other side and so while it is doubtful it cannot be determined and concluded on which side the victory will fall So it is with the war between the flesh and the spirit the war is very doubtful before the odds begin for there is a great deal of evenness at first nay the Spirit seems to be the weaker side and the flesh to be the stronger and there are many falls and foiles given to the soul and the flesh is too strong afterwards it begins to be something equal and the battel to be poyzed now while the battel is so doubtful a man cannot tell on which side the victory will be whether on the spirits side or on the fleshes side whether on graces side or on sinnes side but when the warfare is accomplished I do not mean perfectly for that will never be in this life a man may then see on which side the victory will go a man may see ten thousand corruptions lie dead with their throats cut and the Spirit standing triumphing and conquering more and more we may now see which way the victory will go the Spirit reigns and grace reigns and humility reigns and heavenly mindedness reigns and all the graces of Gods Spirit have dominion over the whole man Another reason why the knowledge of effectual calling is hindered is because The knowledge of our effectual calling may be hindered by ignorance of ignorance a child is a man though he doth not know it so it is with a man that is a new beginner in Religion he is a new man though he doth not know it he hath that in him that let
him have but time let him but grow he will quickly be able to look upon it and be able to see what it is so it is with the people of God they are at first very ignorant what God hath given them as the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians Eph. 1. 17. that God would let them be no longer children but that God would open the eyes of their understanding that they might know what the hope of their calling was that he would let them know what he had given them they hardly knew what they had at the first they had an effectual calling from God and they had a thousand hopes they might hope to be strengthened against corruptions to be delivered in six troubles and in seaven they might hope when they died to be translated into the Kingdome of immortallity and glory for evermore they had this hope now saith he the Lord of heaven and earth open the eyes of your understanding that you may see the hope of your calling and the exceeding riches of those things that God hath bestowed upon you Againe they may be ignorant of the voyce of the Spirit they do not understand A young believer is ignorant of the voyce of the Spirit the Spirits language when a child of God is first effectually called he comes into a new world and meets with a new language he is a Barbarian to it and that is barbarous to him he cannot understand the language of the Spirit the Spirit speaks many comfortable things and there are many works of the Spirit whereby the Spirit doth speak to a man for his comfort and consolation if he could take them as a man that comes into a strange Countrey he lives a very uncomfortable life at first he hears them speak but he cannot understand them they speak strange language he cannot tell what to make of it but the longer he is there he comes to understand such a word and then such a word and it may be a sentence now and then and so in the end he understands them plainly so at the first when God calls his people into a new world the Spirit speaks many things to them but yet iâ— is in an unknown tongue it is gibberish to them they cannot tell what to make of it but when they come to understand the dialect they come to rejoyce Againe the children of God are ignorant of the work of grace they think certainly never could any of the children of God that were aright beâ—n that A child of God is ignorant of the work grace estate that I am they never find their hearts so like a log in prayer when I go to the Sacrament sometimes I behave my self like a block and cannot behave my self in any competent manner as I ought certainly none of Gods people can be thus an I am they are ignorant what may be in the people of God what may stand with the truth of God and so they question their estate and conditions out of ignorance afterwards when they come to more experience and finde the wayes of God in them and come to have a knowledge of their owne corruptions and of the goodness of God in purging them out more and more in the end they are able to speak it to Gods glory and their own consolation Againe the knowledge of a mans effectual calling may be hindered by being unresolved of a mans Christian liberty when there be Christian liberties that a How the knowledge of effectual calling may be hindred man hath need of every day and yet notwithstanding a man is not resolved upon it many a man thinks verily if he should finde any delight in the good creatures of God if he should be merry or chearful at any time if he should be talking of his calling in the world and speak of it in his communication and follow his calling diligently if he should be angry and let bitter words fly at any time though his nature make him so he thinks verily and concludes that he hath no grace he is a very worldly carnal man he savours of these things here below he savours of the creature and he is carnally merry though a man may take care for outward things moderately and be chearful so for anger a man may be angry be angry saith the Apostle â—â—t sin not now if he be angry at any time though the thing be lawful and he hath Christian liberty in the thing yet not knowing his Christian liberty this doth exceedingly trouble a man many times and makes him question his effectual calling there be abundance of Christian liberties that we have need of every day and have need of the knowledge of and when the soul and conscience doth not know his Christian liberty I do not speak of this in regard of the world they had need have straight limitations curbs and we had need put in all the caveats that can be for they are apt of their own accord to take too much elbow-roome every man is ready to stand upon his liberty what he may lawfully do but though wicked men damne their own soules in these things yet it is fit the children of God should have their portion and know it and the want of this knowledge hinders a man from the knowledge of the things given him of God Againe a man may be ignorant of the tenderness of Jesus Christ and of A man may be ignorant of the tenderness of Jesus Christ the infinite bowels of the Sonne of God and how chary he is over his people and that he regards a graine of wheat under an heap of chaffe it is very probable that the son of Jâ—roboam had a taint of the family he was taken from which was marvelous foule yet notwithstanding God takes notice of the good things that were in him though in the Churches in the Revelation foule and grievous things were found yet the Lord notwithstanding takes notice of any thing that was good in them if there be but a drop of true saving grace in the heart God will take notice of it though a man be but smoaking flax God will be tender of it now many a child of God doth not know the tender compassions of Jesus Christ and that he will accept them notwithstanding a thousand weaknesses and though they have but a little hold and a little strength to put forth in the wayes of God and they see how many thousand things they can say against themselves when they see not the tender compassions of Jesus Christ and what a tender Saviour he is the tender mercies of our God as it is Luke 1. This hinders them from the knowledge of that which otherwise they might know Againe it may be hindered very much through melancholy it is the very It may be hindred through melancholy coach that the devil rides in as Divines speak it corrupts a mans imagination and fills it with groundlesse fears and doubts and makes a man
should have it in the end though as yet he had it not and this stayed his soul to go on in all his wayes as David when he was cast down and had much ado to keep his hold and had no assurance at that time Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Psal 42. 11. though he were cast down and dejected this was his stay I shall yet praise him c. he did verily believe he should rejoyce in his holy name and overcome those distresses and have the Lords mercy sealed to his soule and have his mouth filled with his praises Why art thou cast down O my soul I shall yet rejoyce in his holy name I shall yet shew forth his prayses I shall yet be able to apply his promises and be able to say he is my God and my Redeemer Againe the children of God that are effectually called though they doubt Faith contrary to doubting never so much yet their faith is of a contrary nature to their doubting and excludes doubting Mat. 21. If you believe and have faith and doubt not saith the text not as though faith cannot have doubtings stand with it but faith is of that nature as excludes and expells doubtings and fights against it as fire against water and such a man fights against doubtings as he would â—ight against temptations to murther adultery he knows that infidelity is the mother of all sinne and therefore faith fights against doubting and goeth to the throne of grace to be established Lastly Though a child of God doubt of his condition yet this is certaine that Christ is the power of God to that man though he know not whether he A child of God may doubt of his condition be effectually called by Christ yet Christ is the power of â—od to his soul as 1 Cor 1. 24. Vnto them which are called Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God He is powerful to his soul for the humbling awakening quickenning of him for strengthening of him against sinne for the making him hold out in the waies of God he is of power to him in all his ordinances in prayer in hearing the Word and in all his wayes But it is not so with others that question the effectual calling Christ is not the power of God to them Christ is of no effect to them he may be of some effect for enlightnings and stirrings and outward reformation but to bring them to goodness and holiness indeed and to hatred against sinne Christ is not the power of God to those persons but he is foolishness to them Now the next thing that I will shew you is a point that hath been a little touched but I will passe over what hath been spoken and will speak more at large of it I desire to speak more particularly and punctually of this same effectual calling And the first point we will take out of it is this that effectual calling is the Effectual calling is the first gathering of men unto Christ first gathering of men unto Christ the first making of men to come to Christ the first putting of a man into the estate of grace it is the very portall â—o religion the very entry into eternal life it is the first bringing of a man to pertake of the Lord Jesus Christ and to have fellowship with him so it is called in Scripture the gathering of the elect home Isa 56. 8. I will gather saith the Lord the out casts of Israel he prophesieth there of the effectual calling of the Gentiles and God saith here this is the first thing that I will do I will gather them to my people I will make them come home to the Lord Jesus Christâ— this is set forth unto us by our Saviour Christ in two principal parables one of the Net Mat. 13. 47 48. againe the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Nâ—t c. So that here speaking of the effectual calling of people this is said to be the first act of God in it namely the gathering of them for the Kingdom of heaven by the preaching of the Word and this net is the Gospel that is preached the sea is this world the fishes are men and the good and bad are elect and reprobate not as though the elect were good before they are effectually called but they are called good because of Gods designation and decree to make them good and he looks upon them as such as shall be good and such as he hath purposed to make good in his time Now the Gospel doth draw out of the world Gods elect by a general call it calls both elect and reprobate but effectual calling is the gathering of good fishes that in the end of the world shall be put into vessels by themselves so that effectual calling the first act of it is the gathering of men home to God the other parable is Luk. 15. 4 5. What man having lost an hundred sheep c. all the lost sheep of Israel and of Gods election that are in their lost estate as well as other people before God takes them in hand here you see the first act God doth towards them before which they were altogether lost and are now found againe is the fetching of them home the taking of them upon Christ his shoulders and bringing them home unto him I say effectual calling it is Gods first making of a man to come to Christ you may see it 1 Pet. 2. 4. To whom coming as to a living stone ye also are built up c. he alludes unto their first effectual calling when God did first deale with them he made them to come to him to be put into this building the children of God after that they are effectually called are said to be in this building but this first act of God is the putting of them into this building the bringing of them to be laid into this excellent edifice for there is no such building in the world is it a building whose foundation is Christ and all the Saints of God are built upon it it is the most admirable building in the world now effectual calling brings a man and layes him into this building before a man is effectually called he is as a stray sheep as a sheep scattered abroad and roaming and ranging up and down the waies of sin and of death whom the devil hath poâ—nded as a stray he is departed from God and is roaming up and down in the world he is in a lost estate till God come with this effectual calling and bring him home 1 Pet. 2. 25. For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned to your shepheard that is ever since your effectual calling you are come home to God that was your returning time before you were as chickens subject to the kite till this â—hen
gathered you under her wings and made you safe so againe it is called the drawing of a man unto Christ Joh. 6. 44. No man cometh to me except the Father draweth him that is except the Father effectually call him he cannot come unto me now this bare and naked calling cannot do it without drawing therefore it is here called drawing of a man before which a man was altogether out of Christ therefore this is the first act God performes upon a man to draw him to Christ the man is as unwilling to come to Christ naturally as any else his lusts draw him another way and he is as heavy as a milstone and his heart is lumpish to the things of God till the father draws him and pulls his affections and thoughts and minde to come home unto Christ this is the first act God doth and againe it is called the bringing of a man to Christ Joh. 10. 16. other sheep also have I saith Christ which I must bring unto this fold he speaks here how that he means to call the Gentiles all the elect of God among them now because they cannot come they have no strength of their own to come therefore he saith he must bring them unto him Againe there must be application of Christ unto a man now effectual calling is the first step to the application of the Lord Jesus Christ to a man There must be applying of Christ to a man we know the Lord Jesus is the Redeemer of the world he hath taken away the sinnes of the world satisfied the wrath of God wrought righteousness for Gods elect he hath overcome death and sinne and Satan and hath expiated for us and wrought an everlasting salvation by his own death and passion in the daies of his flesh Christ hath done this now except this be applied to a man what is a man the nearer now the first step of the application of the redemption of Christ is wrought by this effectual calling of a man unto him then the Lord begins to make a man have union with Jesus Christ before a man was like a branch out of the vine a dead branch that could do nothing he could not repent or serve God or please God or do any thing he was estranged in minde and heart and will but when God doth effectually call a man he doth first work this application of Christ that a man may have union with him and effectual calling is the first putting of a man into the estate of grace the first estating of a man into eternal life it is the first ingraffing of a man into the Son of God it is the putting on of Christ the Saints of God after they are called weare Christ and walke in Christ but at a mans first effectual calling there is the putting of him on it is the first notice that a man hath of salvation the first tydings that comes to the soul of eternal redemption by Jesus Christ people heare it with their outward ears before but never do they come to heare this in their souls and spirits till now this is the first notice and inkling of it when God doth effectually call them then he begins this work as Col. 1. 6. which Word is come unto you speaking of the Gospel it is come unto you and bringeth forth fruit since the day you heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth that is since the day you were effectually called then was the first time of hearing this blessed Gospel your ears were deaf till then your hearts were dead in sins and trespasses till then but when you were effectually called then was the first knowing of the grace of God in truth therefore it is called in Scripture the first beginning of God to do a man good it is the first beginning of all the goodness of God towards a man as Phil. 1. 6. being confident in this that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ that is he that did effectually call you as he did begin a good work in you and did begin to put forth his eternal good will and pleasure in you and powred forth the beginning of his mercy and grace and favour into your souls now he that hath done this will never leave it till he hath brought it to perfection So againe it is called the first building of a man for heaven this is done in effectual calling Acts 15. 14. Simâ—on hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles saith the text to take out of them a people for his name that is the Word had effectually called the Gentiles and this ver 16. is called the first building of the Gentiles and the first plucking of them out of the other people of the world to be a people of God This is the first day of a child of Gods consecration it is called the forming of Christ in a mans heart when a man comes to be formed in the womb of the Church before he was a non ens he had no being in the world he was but a natural man but this new workmanship never came into the world till now when a man is effectually called So againe it is called a mans first entring into Christ enter in at the straight-gate as who should say obey the call of God come in a mans effectual calling is a mans first entring into the estate of grace I speak the more largely of it because I would have you understand the Scripture that speaks of it in these phrases I say effectual calling is the first step to the application of Jesus Christ the first step of putting a man into the estate of grace the first bringing of a man to Christ The first reason of this is because before effectual calling a man was without Before effectual calling no interest in Christ out Christ and had no interest in Christ no communion or fellowship with Christ he was altogether dead in trespasses and sinnes a cursed creature a damned creature in the estate of sinne and condemnation whatever parts or gifts he had all were no better then may be in a reprobate Eph. 2. 12. before that time you were without Christ aliens and strangers from the commonwealth of Israel may be you were civil but you had no union with Christ though you were constant hearers of the Word which is a laudable thing yet you had no union with Christ may be you were decked with admirable qualities and jewels as the Prophet shews a man may be decked with golden vertues and afterwards turne to drosse a man may have admirable things in him before he hath this but there was nothing of God in a man nothing of Christ in a man no saving operation of Gods Spirit at all in a man no union with Christ this is the first passage of a man from death to life from nature to grace from the devil to God we are
passed from death to life saith the Apostle this is an allusion to a mans effectual calling afterwards a man brings forth the fruits of life and is alive to God but when a man is first effectually called there is his passage from death to life he was a dead man before Now this effectual calling therefore is the first work that is wrought in a man because it is the first passage of a man from death to life it is a transition from sinne hell and damnation to be in Christ therefore marke how Peter speaks when he had a hope that his hearers were effectually called Acts 8. 40. Save your selves saith he from this untoward generation as who should say this is your first parting from the world the first shaking of hands and bidding them farewell if you be effectually called as you seem to be come out from among them and save your selves from this untoward generation this is the first bursting of the bonds between you and sin the first breaking of the league between you and carnal company now save your selves from this untoward generation and make it appeare that you are called this the Apostle sheweth Gal. 1. 13. that before he was called he had nothing in him at all you have heard saith he how in times past beyond measure I persecuted the Church c. I confesse I had goodly things in me and I profitted in the jewish Religion above many my equals in my own nation being more jealous for the traditions of my fathers I was marvellous strict and forward and for the letter of the law I was marvellous zealous and blamelesse there were excellent good things in me but I had nothing of Christ all this while but when it pleased God who seperated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace c. as who should say now here was the first dawning of that blessed light in my heart now begun that to appeare when God called me by his grace and first revealed his Son in me then was the deed done and never till then so also he shews that he was a cursed creature living in iniquity it may be himself and his companions took him to be as good a man as any was in all Israel but see how he casts his own water Tit. 3. 3. We our selves also were sometimes foolish serving divers lusts c. but after that the kindness and love of God appeared c. from thence he began to be in the estate of grace when God called him out of that bad estate when God made a breach between him and his old courses when he made the first rent and division and revoke then grace began to appeare from that time forward I was in Christ thus you see that effectual calling is the first work of God in a mans soul it is the first bringing of a man to Christ and the first making of a man to put him on Secondly Because before effectual calling all was within God what Effectual calling declared in the heart God would do with this or that man may be he meant to save him may be he meant to dam him may be he meant to open his eyes maâ— be he meant to let him go on and live and dye in blindness may be he meant to turne his heart may be he meant to let him go on with the world all was within his own bosom there was no inkling that ever this man should have grace and eternal life nor man nor Angel nor himself could perceive any such thing a man might have vaine hopes and false conceits but no inkling from heaven but he was as faire to be a reprobate as the devils in hell but when God effectually calls a man then he begins to declare what he intends to this or that man he begins to open his brest and shew what purpose he had in himself from all eternity as Eph. 1. 9. having made known unto us saith the Apostle the mystery of his will which he purposed in himself c. it was all in himself before shut up in his own secret and privy bosom but when God did effectually call us saith he then did he make known unto us the mystery of his will it was a mystery locked up it was a secret thing that ever he had a purpose to bring us to such things to let us see such mercies now here was the breaking open of this seale now it began to shew it self now the Lord declared what purpose he had in himself now he makes it appeare that we are his elect and chosen and his beloved ones as Paul saith of the Romans to all that are at Rome beloved of God called to be Saints c. Rom. 1. 7. you will say how do you know we are beloved ones If you be called to be Saints I dare be bold to say you are beloved of God God hath made it to appeare that he loves you I could not speak thus before you were as vile drunkards and profane persons as any were in Rome but now I dare be bold to say you are beloved of God nay more grace and peace be to you from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ you are called to be Saints and if you are once called then it doth appeare you are the beloved of God it is Gods golden scepter no man could tell whom the King would call to him no man could tell this or that man should be called rather then another till he held out his golden scepter Hest 4. 11. So it is with God when God doth hold out this golden scepter to a man now a man hath an inkling that the Lord hath chosen him and will be good to him and hear him and help him in all his wayes and pardon him and do every good thing for him as Mark. 3. 13. I use it onely as a similitude our Saviour Christ was there in the mount and the people were below in the vally now saith the Text he called unto him whom he would and they came unto him he was in the mount and all his Disciples were in the vally now no man could tell who should be an Apostle Andrew saith Christ come up now he was one who should be next no man could tell Peter come up then they knew he was one too c. Therefore this calling was the first intimation of Christs purpose to them it was secret in his own bosom whom he would make Apostles before but when he called them it came forth Andrew sees he is the man and Peter sees he is the man c. Thirdly Because all other works follow this work of effectual calling All works follow the work of effectual calling there be abundance of works that God doth work upon his people that he hath chosen to his Kingdom and glory he doth justifie them and pardon their sins and sanctifie and cleanse them from iniquity makes them grow in grace hears their
better never to have stepped forth when a man steps into a way which seems good to him commonly that way is death to him when he hath gone a thousand miles as he thinks in the profession of Religion and hath gotten the apprehension in his owâ— soul to be the child of God then to lay it down it goes to the heart of him he will build an high wall in his own imagination certainly it is thus indeed it is better to turne then go forward but it is the corruption of a mans heart he cannot abide to returne it will be a shame to him and there must be such a do that he is not able to beare it I do not desire to unsettle any man if a man hath but his fingers ends to lay hold upon Christ any truth to hang upon him let him hang God for bid I should shake such a one but if your error be in the beginning and if you have gone out of the way you were better to returne for you will never go right Vse 2. Here we may see the reason why the Scripture is so urgent to See why Scriptuâ—e uâ—geâ—â— us to make out calling sure make our calling sure because this is the first entrance and admission into Jesus Christ there is an excellent place 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. Wherefore the rather brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure for he that doth these things shall never fall for so an entrance shall be made unto you into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ make it sure why for if you do you shall never fall that is not all neither though this is a great matter is not this a great matter for a man to be sure never to fall away but he shall stand and hold our for ever what a mercy is this yet this is not all for saith he so shall an emrance be made unto you into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ as who should say your effectual calling is the very entrance into the Kingdom and glory of Jesus Christ it is the very first entring into the way of eternal life if you are assured of this you are in a faire way you are in the gates of heaven you are in an excellent way if you have made this sure therefore make that pastlal peradventure that you were called indeed of God to partake of Jesus Christ Reas 1. The reason to urge this is first because effectual calling is such a Reas 1 first work that as God doth it at first so it stands for all a man shall never be called more God doth it once and will never do it againe look what God gives a man at first he gives him once for all you may see it Jud 1. saith he I would have you earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints when God did effectually call his Saints he delivered to them faith and he delivered it to them then once for all never to give it to them againe but then they had it once for all as it is said of Christ he was once offered for all Heb 9. So when God doth effectually call a man he doth give him this call once for all he gives him faith once for all and grace once for all but you will say when God gives grace he reneweth it every day and affoards new helps and new assistances 't is true and without this no man can stand without supply from God continually the very elect could not persevere unto the end but yet God gives them no new graces he gives them more of the same love to God and more of the same faith and more of the same desires and endeavours after goodness but the thing is never to do againe as Christ saith to the woman of Samaria 1 Joh. 4. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst when Christ brings a man to this well and gives him the first draught he shall never thirst more he shall never have it to do againe God doth it once for all that is that man that is once effectually called is never uncalled if he hath once faith given him he is never totally deprived of it it is once delivered to him for all times afterwards now this shews us that it concerns us nearly to be assured of this when a man hath done a thing that can be but once done it must stand for all and the thing is good and necessary would he not be sure of it such a thing is effectual calling Secondly Because all the promises meet here as all the streams meet where All the promises of God meet in a mans effectual calling the fountaine opens its self so all the promises of God meet in a mans effectual calling when God effectually calls a man he saith take my Son come unto me cast thy self upon me and be ruled by me he doth this effectually and saith thus to him thou shalt have my Son and with him all things pardon of thy sins the peace of a good conscience I will give thee power against â—ll thy lusts the gates of hell shall not prevaile against thee I will keep thee here in this world through faith unto salvation take my yâ—ak upon thâ— and learne of me and thou shalt have all these things and therefore Rev. 19. 9. Blessed is he that is called to the supper of the Lamb these are the true sayings of God as who should say though you may question it and doubt it and call it into controversy I tell you it is true these are the true sayings of God and you may build your self upon it you are blessed if you be once effectually called of God all the promises of God belong unto you Acts 2. 39. the prâ—mises belong to you and to your children to as many as God shall call all that are called of God all the promises of God belong unto them as soon as ever Christ hath effectually called a man he opens his liver-veine and le ts out all his heart blood upon him all belongs to that man it is like the first joyning of hands between man and wife with all my goods I thee â—ndow when God first takes a man out of the world to live unto him and seek his Kingdom and labour to please him and from this time forward to believe in his name with all his goods he him endows he gives him title to eternal life to all the helpâ— and furtherances that ever he shall need for this life or eternal life he shall have all now what a needful thing is it when all the promises meet here as at a fountaine head here is the spring let forth how needful is it I say that a man should labour that he be effectually called of God we should look for iâ— every day and pray to God to have it and strive to have it appeare unto us that our calling is sound here is
but have eternal life As who should say I bring an indifferent doctrine I propound it to all creatures and thou maist have a part in it as well as any other Whosoever believes shall not perish if thou hast a heart to believe and come unto me thou shalt not perish but have salvation So when our Saviour sent his Disciples to call his Elect throughout the world mark what directions he gave them he calls people with a general call Whosoever will let him take of the water life whosoever hath a mind to be saved to know God and have Communion with him and be united to him whosoever hath a minde to these things tell him I am for him he proclaimes it over the whole world tell every creature in the whole world He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved here is no exception put in but preach the Gospel to every creature tell every creature what I have done for the sins of the world and how I have opened the Kingdome to whomsoever will enter thus God calls his people his Ministers go up and down and tell them they may have pardon and grace and righteousnesse for nothing come and buy without money though you cannot give a farthing token for it but be poor and miserable and cursed creatures Come here it is wine and milk and bread and all without money you shall have it for taking and carrying away so Rev. 22. 7. Whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely it is a quicunquae vult thereis none exempted if any man will he may be saved if he have a will a minde a heart to it he may have salvation Now here be three things I would shew unto you first what this general tender is whereby God effectually calls his people Secondly why it is by a general tender Thirdly the uses First what is this general tender of Christ and grace to every creature that What is this general tender of Christ hath a minde to it and it is this that Christ is the only alsufficient meanes to make a man happy that whereas he is out with his Maker he alone can set him in again though he be under a thousand miseries in this life and under a thousand eternal miseries in the life to come there is in Christ an alsufficiency to make a man happy God is the fountaine of all goodnesse and till his goodnesse is opened in Christ Jesus this is that same general thing as Paul saith 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. We preach Christ crucified unto thâ—se that are called the power and wisdome of God as who should say this is the thing we go up and down every where preaching that Christ was crucified for the sinnes of the world and hath power to save any man that comes to him it was the wisdome of God he found out this meanes it was an impossibility in the wisdome of men and Angels how man should be saved the Wisdome of God hath found out the Lord Jesus Christ to be the meanes and he is the power of God to save any man that believes and wheresoever we come we preach this Doctrine So again you may see Heb. 7. 24 25. This man hath an unchâ—ngable Priesthood for he is able to save to the utmost all those that come unto him c. As who should say he is a publick Saviour he is not onely able to save these and these but all that come unto him he is able to save them to the utmost whosoever you are though you be never so wretched and reprobate to every good work though never so foule and all the nitre in the world cannot cleanse you never so stubborne and all the meanes and Ordinances you have enjoyed have not tamed you why yet here is a Saviour for you he is able to save you to the utmost though you be never so out with God and though God be never so much displeased with your sinful courses and all the Angels and all the world cannot take away Gods wrath from you yet he is able to save you to the utmost if you will come unto him This is the tender of the Gospel delivered to every man Now in the next place I will shew you the reasons why God calls people home by a general tender in this fashion First because this is the surest ground of faith suppose a soul that is effectually Reas 1. This the surest ground of faith called shall afterwards feare and question and by what warrant do I hope to be saved by Christ and by what warrant do I look to be heard for Christs sake and how is it that I â—ay hold upon such promises and cast my self upon such things in the Gospel upon what acquaintance do I presume that the Lord Jesus will see you assisted in all my wayes and helped in all estates and conditions and save my soul when I die Why saith he I have a good warrant for I see in Scripture that Christ is tendered to all and whâ—soâ—ver believes shall noâ— perish but have everlasting life and whosoever will have him may I could not tell indeed I was elected before I heard the Sermon but I heard that any man might have Christ that would and I am sure I would have him and I finde in Scripture that he came to save that which is lost and I am sure I am a lost creature and if he came to save that which is lost I have warrant to believe This is that which grounded Saint Paul this generall offer This saith he is a faithful saying worthy to be received of all men that Christ died for sinners whereof I am chief 1 Tim. 1. 15. As who should say here is the thing this is that which comforts me and staies my soul I see that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners and I see it is a faithful saying and worthy of all men to be received all men whosoever have a heart may receive it and I am sure then he came to save me and this is my hold I have no other hold but this But now if a man were called by any other call but this a man could have no ground for his calling if the Scripture should say they only are called that are elected he would have no ground for his call Secondly because this is the best answer to Satan many times a man will be 2. This is the best answer to Satan put to heavy straits and will have much ado to answer Satan sometimes a man will be under uncertainty sometimes under want of feeling and sense sometimes under horror of conscience and a mans sins may come to a mans view and feares may step up in the soul then Satan comes how look you to be saved you are a wretch you have a stiffe faith indeed What believe and no sense and feeling such a horrible wretch and such a guilty conscience and you believe What have you to shew Is
for their faith are few that have grace to do it the most part of the world will rather have their lusts then Christ and therefore there are but few because God hath chosen but few Now the reason why the tender of the Gospel must be delivered without any restraint to election is First because if there were not such a proffer without exception to any that will have Christ then the Elect should have no ground for their faith a man cannot see he is elected till after he hath faith no man hath faith and repentance at his first effectual call now how shall a man have any ground for his faith when the Gospel is propounded onely to the Elect every man will be at a stand I know not whether I be elected or no I am as fair for hell as any for ought I know I have sins to damn me but no election as far as I know you preach Sermons all your life time I can beleeve none because you preach only to the Elect so the children of God can have no ground for their faith because there is no particular place of Scripture that bindes a man to beleeve his election therefore it must be a general proffer of the Gospel propounded to every man John 6. 35. there saith Christ He that will come unto me I will in no wise cast off there you see it is general any man that will come to Christ whether Elect of God no matter Ministers should not stand demurring and questioning I know not whether these be Elect or no do you deliver the Gospel and afterwards it will appeaâ— who are elected and who not by their receiving or not receiving the Gospel leave you that to me preach you how men may be happy and what a miserable estate they are in but if they will come out of their sinnes they may receive the pardon of them tell them that whosoever comes to me shall in no wise be cast out be they what the will Secondly because though election be first in Gods order he doth first Elect 2. Because in reference to men calling is before election a man before he calls him yet with the Elect with Gods own people it is clean contrary first they must be effectually called before they can have any inkling of their election in the point of knowing of it therefore 2 Pet. 1. 10. the Apostle saith give all diligence to make your calling and election sure first make your calling sure else you can have no inkling of your election now when this is sure you may be sure of your election before the point of effectual calling there must be no talking of election either in the Minister that preacheth or people that hear this election is a thing in Gods own bosom which comes after the receiving or rejecting the Gospel the one will reveal election the other reprobation Thirdly because there is a difference between men and devils thereis no 3. Because there is a difference between men and devils possibility for devils though they would never so faine to be saved for Christ took not upon him the nature of Angels Heb. 2. 16. he did not meddle with them therefore now we cannot say to them if ye beleeve you shall be saved because there is possibility for them though they would never so faine but there is a possibility for all men to be saved if they would believe there is sufficiency of merits in Christ and it was intended to the sonnes of men to as many as would have it though indeed all men would have none of him if they were left to themselves yet notwithstanding the Gospel is offered to all every man might have him but that he will not have him But there be two Objections against this doctrine 1. Because this seems to be the contrary to the doctrine of many godly and religious Divines heretofore who seem to say that the Gospel is only for the Elects sake it is the doctrine of many Divines if I knew who were elected and who were not I would not deliver it to them this is a dangerous doctrine yet the ground of the doctrine is true that the Gospel is properly bestowed upon the Elect To us a child is born to us a child is given that is to the Elect but yet this is not contradictory to that which I now deliver I deny not that Christ is given intentionally to Gods Elect upon beleeving yet he is tendered to others to and intended too upon that condition God cannot mock people and make as though they might have eternal life and cannot have it though never so faine it is not so but God deales seriously with people for every man shall have Christ that hath a true and sincere heart now it is true this heart is only given of God because otherwise a man is stubborn and stiff-necked and will not give over his sins and deny himself but will rather have his own courses then Christ though he may have eternal life by him yet the proposition of the Gospel is general to every man that will believe and will have Christ and this is necessary and this is the very self-same doctrine that all Divines have preached heretofore only it is delivered otherwise and the reason why there is a necessity of delivering it thus is because this is the form of preaching set down in the Scripture and this is the way to fish out Gods Elect and the best way to settle their mindes and establish their consciences and this is the best way to feel and groap in Congregations who are of God Wilt thou have Christ and eternal life and be delivered from thy sinnes thou mayest then have the pardon of thy sinnes and the favour of God now if a man be of God he will hear us if he be not he will not hear us this is the way Scripture sets down as you may see John 1. 11. He came to his own and his own received him not Christ came and offered himself to his own he calls all his own people the very reprobates are his own in respect of the offer but in respect of receiving it so the Elect onely are his own ver 12. To as many as received him he gave power to be the Sonnes of God So Acts 8. 37. The Eunuch would faine have Christ by baptisme what hinders me but I may be baptized let me enter into Covenant with Christ what should let me Mark what Philip saith If thou beleevest thou mayest could he tell whether he were Elect or no no but he feels him with the general tender of the Gospel what lets me he saith nothing lets thee if thou canst beleeve he could not tell whether he were elected or no but saith he if thou canst beleeve with all thy heart thou mayest have Christ and all the benefits of the Covenant of grace if thou hast a heart and minde unto it thou mayest have it and after he pâ—ofessed he
casts himself upon this and this draws him to Christ and if he love God and labour to please him and obey him and throw away all whatsoever displeaseth him if this makes him heavenly minded and long after the knowledge of God and the revelation of it this deads his heart to worldly things and makes him spiritual if it be thus this is true and saving faith and not dead faith This is encouragement to those that are without How many are there Vse 3. For encouragement to all that are without among you that are yet in your sinnes and were never yet brought home to Christ Consider what an excellent invitation here for you the Gospel is sent to every Creature under Heaven as you may see Col. 1. 23. You may have Christ if you have a will you may have righteousnesse if you have a will to it you may have redemption if you have a wil to it you may be delivered from sin and Satan if you have a will to it you may have the favour of God if you have a will to it you may have Christ if you will have all Christ he will come to you and will receive you as you may see an excellent place for this 1 Cor. 6. 11. The Apostle there saith that drunkards and adulterers and covetous persons shall never inherit the Kingdome of God such were some of you but you are justified in the Name of Christ as who should say there is no limitation in the Gospel of God as none in the tender of it so none in the execution of it for all you were drunkards and prophane and covetous yet you have found mercy with God by entertaining of this this methinks should envite people and draw people to come to Christ whosoever hath a minde not to perish not to go in a hard heart not to be worldly and without God in the world here Christ doth envite them all to come Matthew 22. 9. Go into the high-wayes saith Christ and whomsoever you finde bid them to the Marriage God knows who we may finde here at Church to day may be some of you are drunkards some enemies to God some hardned in your lusts some relapsed and fallen back into your carnal courses after profession of Religion some mockers and despisers God knows whom we finde we are bid to go into the high-wayes and bid all we finde therefore in the Name of Christ let me speak to you come to Christ will you let your sinnes damne you rather then receive Christ to save you think of this and if you will but follow Christ in all his Ordinances He hath shewed thee O man what the Lord requires of thee that thou shouldest be humbled and see what a wretched creature thou art that thou shouldest see what is amisse in thy soule and use all courses to reforme thy selfe he hath shewed thee how he would have thee pray what company he would have thee keep what kinde of carriage he would have thee use he hath shewed thee O man what he hath required hast thou a heart now to come to Christ he can help thee to all this and though thou hast not power to do all this yet if thou hast but a heart to do it to walk aright and live aright and spend thy dayes well in this world Though thou canst do none of all these things if though hast but an heart to do them and dost beleeve that eternal life is in Christ and this draws thee to Christ if thou doest but beleeve that in him is acceptance with God and he can bring thee to God for pardon and peace and hope and glory if thou doest beleeve this and the faith of this doth draw thee to come unto God I tell thee all thy sinnes shall not damne thee never a one of thy sinnes shall rise up in judgement against thee whatsoever thy conscience whatsoever the devil hath against thee whatsoever feares terrours discouragements are upon thee they shall never withhold thee from eternal life do but come to Christ and lay hold upon him and here he offers himself unto thee thou art not excepted or excluded unlesse thou exclude thy selfe If thou beleeve not thou shalt be damned but whosoever beleeves shall not perish but have everlasting life Use 4. For terrour to the obstinate Vse 4. In the last place this is for use to those that are obstinate namely to be as hell fire and the flames of Tophet in their soules and consciences You have heard the tender of Christ that salvation is in Christ and none other What a miserable taking are you then in that will not have him if we should carry the Gospel up and down into any place would not every one make it welcome If we should carry it into Innes and Taverns and amongst the basest wretches in the Countrey would they not say we will have Christ a man would think so as God saith Matthew 21. 37. Certainly they will reverence my Sonne not as if God were deceived in his expectation but he speaks of the probability of the thing in all reason one would think if they may have eternal life and Gods good will and pleasure toward them that they may have acquittance from all damnation that they may be happy for ever certainly they will receive my Sonne gladly they will take him and receive him in all reason one would think it were so but we see it is otherwise they will not take up Christ and abandon their own courses they will be vaine they will be company keepers they will be worldly and will neglect the best things they will have their pleasures and they will have their fopperies and fooleries they will not have Christ there be many things in Christ that every man would have the very devils in hell would have it namely to be redeemed from hell to have some peace in their consciences but the Regiment of Christ the dominion of Christ to have all Christ this they will not this therefore is no comfort to stubborne sinners but hell and damnation is the portion of all that refuse him Ezechiel 34. 16. See what the Lord there saith I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them with judgement you that have fat hearts and strong your hearts are strong and your consciences are strong and all our Sermons are not able to make you shake those that are fat and strong saith the Lord I will feed them with judgements none of the mercies and comforts of the Gospel belong to such And assure your selves if you care not for Christ Christ cares as little for you as the Prophet speaks Esay 49. 5. Though Israel be 〈◊〉 gathered I shall have glory in his eyes so though you be not called and brought home though you be not saved I shall have glory saith Christ I shall be known to all eternity to be a Saviour to be a Prince to be the glory of the world I shall be glorious
men shall rise againe as John 5. 28. Marvel not for the houre shall come that all flesh that is in the grâ—vâ— shall come forth if all that are dead shall rise again then every man shall rise again though his name be not named in Scripture so it is hear we read in Scripture that Christ saith John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink now the Lord includes a particular in it and brings it to the soul thou thirstest thou wouldest faine have Christ here are the promises here is all mercy in my Sonne believe in him come and receive him take him and thou shalt have them so if Christ saith whosoever believes shall be saved then Saint Paul might safely conclude a particular word to the Jaylor belâ—eve in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 31. so that you see here is a particular word though not particular directly yet equivalent to a particular namely a particular in the general and the Spirit of God doth speak this to the soul and makes the soul hear it Every man therefore that hath heard it c. When God calls the soul home he makes the soul hear his voice here a Doct. When God calls the soul he makes it hear a particular voice particular voice and word to him believe in the Lord come unto me for salvation relie upon me for eternal life the sinnes that trouble thy soule cast thy self upon me for the forgiving of them the diseases miseries distempers thou art subject unto lay hold upon me and rest upon me for the delivering thee from them the Lord when he calls a man effectually he speaks it not onely the Minister and the Word speaks it but the Lord speaks it and so the soul hearing of the Father comes to Christ thus you may see the Lord holds the free promises of the Gospel before the soul and bids a man relie upon them as Peter dealt with his contrite hearers the Spirit of the Lord going along with his word Acts 2. 39. believe saith he for the promise belongs to you and to your children c. as who should say when God calls a man effectually he holds forth his promises and propounds them to the soul beleeve this promise and rest upon me for it thus the Lord doth call a man home he sends his promise before him he sets up hope before him he sends the gracious invitation of the Gospel before him and bids him relie upon it thus God dealt with his Elect Câ—rinths 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is faithful saith the Apostle by whom ye are called to the followship of his Sonne Jesus Christ as who should say when God called you he spake to every one of you in particular come and be fellow heirs with my Son come and have every good thing with my Sonne come and be a sonne with him come and be an heir of grace with him and have title to eternal life and salvation God calls you saith he to beleeve that he is faithful So I might instance in many more though there be never so many in the Congregation yet the Lord doth not speak to them all they do not all hear his voice they all hear the Minister but that makes them not to come that doth not the deed but when the Lord calls a man he comes he joyns with the Word and speaks to this or that man and takes him alone and whispers him in the ear and tells him where mercy is and bids him rely upon him and though sense and seeling be against him though all fears and objections be against him he bids him believe and be of good cheere he shall have all these mercies it he will believe in him as he saith Esay 51. 20. Look unto Abraham your father for I called him alone and blessed him mark it the Lord took him alone and spake to his heart between him and himself so when the Lord speaks to a soul and calls him by his grace he calls him alone and takes him alone though all the Congregation hears the same Sermon yet he takes him alone and speaks to his heart and bids him beleeve in him for I will never faile thee it is a sure foundation he may build upon it for ever and ever Because no man could come unto Christ else for we see daily though Reas 1. Elâ—e no man could come to Christ Ministers call all the Congregation and assembly yet people do not stir they are dead in their sins they cannot hear the Minister no it must be a louder voice and one that is more powerful and effectual unlesse the Lord come and bid a man beleeve he can never do it therefore John 5. 26. See what Christ saith Verily I say unto you that the hour shall come when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God here comes an Almighty voice that speaks to the raising of a man out of the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and faith and he shews that there is a voice of Christ that speaks to the soul that though the soul be dead yet it shall heare and live so Ephesians 5. 14. and were it not for this call no man could beleeve That so they may have a ground for their faith the soul cannot first beleeve â— That we may have a ground for out faith and then come to the promise but the Lord brings the promise first and then makes the soul to beleeve he lets in the promise first and then causeth the soul to lay hold upon it the soul doth not first come and then look to the promise but the soul first looks upon the promise and then beleeves as you may see Psal 119. 49. it is the speech of the Prophet David Remember thy Word O Lord wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust the Lord lets in a word of promise into Davids heart then caused him to hope in it and made him look upon it as a thing tendred and propounded to him and so made him relic upon it if it were not for this call of God who were able to beleeve for without this call the soul when it seeth its dulnesse and deadnesse and untowardnesse and unworthinesse it would go away it would say I cannot look to the promise I cannot do this and that and I have no faith and what have I to do with the promise therefore the Lord when he effectually calls a man he lets in the sight of his promises he holds forth his free and gracious promises so that now the soul can say the Lord calls me by his grace and though I be never so wretched and my heart be stark naught though I be as reprobate to every good word and work as the vilest in the world yet here is a free offer and I will relie upon it it is tendred unto me otherwise why should God propound it so freely why should he hold it forth
Christ hath eternal life he that believes in Christ hath a present possession of that he believes in Christ for eternal Confidence in Christ for life and salvation is true justifying faith Arg. 1. From the several expressions of faith in Scripture â— Trusting life is his for the present he hath present justification and acceptance with God and hath a title to all good and all the mercies of the Covenant of grace Now we come to prove this that this confidence is a true justifying faith and the Arguments to prove it are these and the first is taken from the several expressions of faith in Scripture Psal 78. 22. it is called a trusting they believed not in God Why They trusted not in his salvation so that faith is a trusting in God when a man hath confidence in God and can fiducially leane upon God for all good things As Alexander trusted his Physician when his Physician gave him a Potion before he took it a friend of his wrote unto him do not take the Potion the man is set to poyson you if you take it you are a dead man he read the letter and then took the Potion and then gave the letter to the Physician and said I have trusted to your faithfulness and cast my self upon you if you have given me poyson you have killed me you see by the letter I have witness of it but I trust you and suppose you have not done it So faith is a trusting upon God when the soul resolves to follow God in all wayes and when the world and the flesh come in and object if you be so strict and follow these courses you will undo your self and be laughed at and loose your friends your very living depends upon such a course and you will be a begger and will never have any delight you are given to pleasure and laughter but all these must be gone farewell all carnal pleasure Well but the soul now believes in God God bids him come to him for comfort for friends for delight for pleasure for the satisfaction of all his desires and he shall want no manner of good he trusts upon this and he will never leave God never leave his wayes this is rooted in him and now he can go to God and say the Devil told me I should loose my friends and I should never have comfort never be able to live my flesh and my own heart said so but I have trusted thee and if friends go so farewell friends if means go so farewell them I am told so flesh and blood say so but I believe in thee is eternal life and in thee is all peace and happinesse and comfort and this is that which drawes me to thee and keeps me to thee and I rest upon thee for all good thus you see that faith must be an affiance in God because it is a trusting in God Secondly it is called a relying upon God as Asa when the Aethiopians and 2. Relying on God Lubims came against him the Scriptures shewes that he believed in God now mark how the Scripture expresseth his faith 2 Chro. 16. 8. Because thou didst relie upon the Lord therefore he delivered them into their hands May be the world might tell him what do you think to overcome these enemies with strictness and fasting and praying You had more need make a league with the King of Syria and take some other course but he relied upon God and if he failed him he failed him he would relie upon him and therefore faith must needs be an affiance in God Thirdly faith is called a staying upon God when a man stayes himself upon God Isa 50. 10. there faith is expressed by staying a mans self upon 3. Staying upon God God He that sitteth in darkness and seeth no light let him trust in the Lord and stay himself upon his God It is a similitude taken from a staffe and old man that dares not trust to his own legs but thinks I shall fall and get some mischiefe he takes a staffe and stayes himself upon it now is this all that he looks upon that he conceives the staffe is able to bear him so a man that hath no staffe knows that such a staffe is able to beare him that is not the thing but this man doth not only believe the staffe is able to beare him but he commits himself unto it and leanes upon it and if he falls he is content he laies the bulk of his body upon the staffe and dares leane upon it so it is with faith it is not only an assent to this that God is wise and omnipotent and gracious and an hearer of prayers and that he comforts them that mourne for sinne and satisfies them that hunger for righteousnesse he not only believes there is a Christ and salvation in him he not only assents to these things but he staies upon them and commits himself to them Fourthly it is expressed by a mans rolling himself upon God Psal 37. 5. 4. Rolling ones â—elâ— on God We translate the words Commit thy way unto the Lord but in the Originall it signifieth to roll a mans way upon God so Psal 22. 8. He trusted God would deliver him it is the same word is used here he rolled himself upon God this is a similitude taken from a Cart-wheele that rolls it self about the Axeltree and staies it self upon it and helps it self in its motion it could not move but for that and by vertue of that it moves to and fro So this is true faith not only when a man assents to the promises of God but rolls himself upon God moves his soul upon Christ and commits himself unto Christ in all his wayes Fifthly faith is expressed by adherence and sticking unto God Psal 119. 31. I have stuck unto thy Commandements Lord put me not unto confusion as who 5. Adhering unto God should say Lord here I hang here I hold here I will stick fast I will ever fear thee I will ever obey thee here I hang and hold and will keep my hold Lord put me not to confusion that is Lord I hope thou wilt do as thou hast spoken Lord let me not be confounded let me not be scoffed at in the world if I be put to shame I am confounded doth this man now only believe the promises in general No but he relieth upon these promises he dares go and take this Bear by the tooth and dares venter upon those harsh duties that are crosse to a mans will and seeme to have no good in them What because he assents to the promises that they are true No but because he is confident that the promises shall be performed So Deut. 4. 4. there saith Moses to the Israelites You that did cleave to the Lord your God you are all alive at this day as who should say though your brethren went away from God some to satisfie their lusts as in the matter of quailes
is Faith and the means of confirming this Faith are the Two Sacraments First The Sacrament of Baptisme we are baptized into the same Body Secondly The Sacrament of the Lords Supper intimated in one part of it namely the Cup which is put for the whole and are made all to drink of the same Cup we are all of one and the self same Body as many as are in Christ are endued with the same Spirit not one endued with one Spirit and another endued with another Spirit but by one Spirit we are Baptized into one Body our Baptisme is one and our Food one it is altogether one though our condition in the world be never so different bond or free though our Countrey and Nation and Parish be never so various one to another one of one and another of another Jews and Gentiles we are all baptized into one Body and this is done by one and the self-same Spirit Now to speak of the putting of a man into the Body of Christ We will shew you these Five things First What this Body of Christ is Secondly What this putting of a man into it is Thirdly That this is done by the Spirit of God Fourthly How the Spirit of God doth it How a man is made part of the Body of Christ Fifthly The Application of the Point For the First What is this Body of Christ which is Spirit of God VVhat this Body is doth ingraft his people into In a word It is the invisible Church of God which is a peculiar company of men and women out of all Nations under heaven predestinated to eternal life gathered together by the Word and made all one in Christ This is the Body of Jesus Christ so that here are Five Things that are to be opened First It is the Church of God as the Apostle saith Col. 1. 18. He is The invisible Church of God the Head of the Body the Church So that the Church is the Body of Christ that same peculiar company of men and women as Saint Peter calls them You are a chosen generation a peculiar people a royal priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. The Author to the Hebrews calls them The Assembly of the first born Heb. 12. 23. And Christ himself calls them A little flock in regard of the multitude of other people that is in the world and are not of this brother-hood Now I call this invisible for though their persons and courses and manner of life be seen and known and they may be known who they are yet all of them were never known nor ever will be there may be more then we can tell and fewer then we think of The foundation of God is sure having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Lord had seven thousand in Israel that had not bent their knees to Baal when Eliah could see never a one So that this is the First Thing it is the invisible Church of God Secondly It 's such a company as is gathered out of all Nations under heaven Gathered out of all Nations As Saint John speaks Rev. 7. 9. After this behold and loe I saw a great multitude of all Nations and Countryes and Tongues c. Though it be a little Flock in respect of the Reprobate yet it is a great multitude considered in it self and they stood before the throne and before the Lambe with long white Robes and with Palms in their hands This white Robe is the Righteousnesse of Christ Jesus imputed which begets another Righteousnesse which is inherent in some measure and the Palms in their hands is the sign of Victory over Sin Death and Hell and this is a great multitude and it was out of all Cities and Nations and Kindreds of the world and therefore our Saviour Christ speaking of his own taking of this company home unto himself at the last day see what he speaks Mat. 24. 31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather his Elect from the four Winds from the one end of the Earth to the other The Lord gathers here one and there another as a man would gather a Posie in a Garden here a flower and there a flower This is Another Thing in the Body of Christ it is a Company gathered out of all Nations and People and Places at one time or other Thirdly This same godly Company are a Company of Predestinated Predestinated unto life men unto Eternal life For there are none but the chosen of God that are the true Body of Christ this is a company only of Elect men and women and babes therefore they are called Elect Rom. 8. 33. They are such a company as are written in the Lamb's Book of life Rev. 21. 27. Therefore all those that seem to be of God and go a great way with the people of God and yet turn back as Orphah from Naomi Ruth 1. They were never of this number 1 Joh. 2. 19. They were not of us they went out from us if they had been of us they would have continued with us So that it is only the Elect of God that are of this Company that are the Members of this Body Fourthly It is such a godly Company as is gathered by the Word of God Begotten again by the VVord The Word of God gathers them together they as well as other people by nature are of another Body of another Corporation as vile and as wretched and as miserable in themselves if left to themselves but God found them when he passed by them and said to them Live they were defiled as well as others in their bloud but the Lord turned their hearts by the Word and doth beget them again thereby This is that immortal seed whereby God doth beget them again unto eternal life Fifthly They are such a company as are made one knit and combined together in Christ though themselves are never so many and never so remote and distant from one another may be they never saw one another nor ever heard of one another one lives in one Country another in another one in one parish another in another and have little bodily communion and are not known one to another may be some of this company are in heaven already and some upon earth yet they are all one in Christ they all meet together in one heart and soul in Christ Jesus they are all of one minde in him as being all one body as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 12. 12. And they are all one seed Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the Promises made He saith not To seeds as if they were many but To thy seed as of one that is Christ that is which is Christ and all that are Christs they are one seed the seed of the woman indeed all men come forth of the womans loins the wicked as well as the godly only here is the difference The one is the seed
had he baptized him So Paul dealt with the Jaylor Acts 16. 30 31. when Paul saw the Jaylor ready to stab himself how could he tell whether he were elâ—cted or no yea when he cried out What shall I do to be saved he might speak out of horror and conscience how did Paul know that he was elected but he feels him with the general tender beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ saith he and thou mayest be saved whatsoever thou art he doth noâ— stand upon his election but beleeve in Christ and his Gospel and believe eternal life is in him and rest upon him for it let this be a means to pull thee out of thy sins and to seek after righteousnesse and communion with him if thou hast faith thou shalt be saved Obj. The second Objection is this that this doctrine seems to favour our adversaries our adversaries say that Christ died for one as well as for another and the Gospel is to be propounded to one as well as to another and it is as much for one as for another now if we say so too we shake hands with them Answ 1. I answer First there is a great deal of difference between that which the Pelagians speak concerning this thing they say that Christ intended his death no more to one then to another no more to Abraham then Pharaoh no more to Peter then Judas look what minde God bare to one à parte ante he bare as good a minde towards the other now this we peremptorily deny and it is an horrible blaspheming of the grace of God towards his people for he will have one rather then another Acts 13. 48. as many as was ordained to eternal life beleeved as who should say as many as God had chosen they took Christ and none else God did intend Christ to them especially more then to the rest he gave them a heart and let the rest go on in the stubbornnesse of their hearts Secondly they say that Christ came to bring nothing but a possibility of salvation into the world now that any man is saved is through the ability of a mans will that one man will be saved another will not this man will beleeve in Christ another will not This we peremptorily deny too for this is to blaspheme the Lord Jesus Christ to say so for 't is true Christ hath wrought a possibility for others they might have been saved but would not the rebellion of their hearts damned them their unbelief sent them to hell but yet he first brought an actuality of Salvation for some for he had his name for this Mat. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sinnes nay the Father and he did indent one with another that he dying upon the crosse should see his seed Esay 53. 10. Thirdly they say that Christ might have died and none have been saved which is an horrible impiety for a man once to speak whereas certainly Christs death could never have been frustrated if Christ did die for his people â—â— will save them the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them he will gather up all that do belong to his election Lastly the adversaries say that as there is a generality in the offer so there is an universality in the grace now this we deny too that there is an universal grace God gives more mercy to his own people then to others to 〈…〉 ven saith Christ c. Mat. 13. 10 11. so to you it is given saith the 〈…〉 e not only to beleeve in him but to die for him Phil. 1. 29. so that God gives more grace to his people then to others he gives onely common 〈◊〉 to the wicked 't is true God is not wanting to the wicked God will ever be aforehand with them and they shall have more then they make use â—t now wicked men the Lord leaves them without excuse for they stick â—ot at an impossibility but at a will they will not come in that they might â—e 〈◊〉 they will not do that which God hath put into the power of their hands to do God gives them knowledge and they will not practise it God shewâ— them their sinnes and they will not leave their sins may be God makes theâ—â— leave their sinnes and then they return to them againe it may be God makes them that they never return to their sins again but then they take up onely a kinde of forme and there they stick and go no further thus they â—â—ck at the will they will not have the Gospel upon Christs termes The first use of the point is this it is a great comfort and encourageâ—â—nt Use 1. For the comfort and encouragement of Beleevers to the faith of all Gods people what an excellent and sure word is thâ—s when they shall finde that they have such an excellent warrant to lay hold upon Christ when he is so publickly tendred in the Scripture there is a common salvation in Jesus Christ Jude 3. Christ hath made it to be common for any man that will have it upon the tearms thereof it is as common as Adam was As in Adam all died so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15. 22. not as though all men simply shall be made alive for all men possibly are not alive as all men possibly are not dead in Adam for there might be millions of men after the world is ended but only those that are in the loynes of Adam all men that came out of the loyns of Adam shall die so all they that ever are in the loyns of Christ as all they are that will have him they shall be made alive it is as general as Adam as many as were in the loyns of Adam and lived and died so shall die so all that are in the loyns of Christ and have a will to come to Christ shall be saved for it is the will that carrieth all the soul when a man will do or suffer any thing for Christ whatsoever sin Christ will have him leave he will leave it whatsoever duty Christ will have him take up he will assume it he will break through all hindrances and use all means he will have it the righteousnesse of Christ is for every one that will have it I will have it saith the soul therefore it belongs to me the Gospel of salvation is tendred to every one that hath a minde to it I have a mind to it upon the Gospels tearms and therefore it belongs to me The second use is of confutation to confute those that desire faith by the full assurance of the pardon of a mans sins and the salvation of his soul this is a Use 2. For confutation dangerous doctrine and condemns the half of the generation of God nay all of them at one time or other you see how the Gospel calls a man to believe concerning justification and salvation it calls to beleeve in the
record of his Son that he is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world that he is eternal life that he is the way the truth and the light that he is the hope of glory that he is the way of coming to God the Father now when a man hath this saith in a lively manner and this pulls a man out of the world draws him to Christ this is the true faith this is the faith of the Gospel faith is not defined by assurance in Scripture but by beleeving in Christ John 3. 18. by trusting upon Christ Ephes 1. 12. by resting upon God 2 Chr. 14. 11. by relying upon God 2 Chr. 19. 8. by adhering and cleaving to God in Christ Acts 11. 23. this is true faith when a man relies upon God when he believes this same blessed record and throws himself and casts himself upon it and will obey God I may say to you all that have this faith as the Prophet Esay saith to such as you are Who is there among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servants though he sit in darknesse and seeth no light yet let him rest upon the Lord and stay himself upon the God of his salvation Esay 50. 10. as who should say though you be in the dark and have no light no assurance no sense and feeling no inkling of Gods mercy though you be in darkness and know not where you are yet if you have a heart to fear God and obey the voice of his servants and hearken to the tender of the Gospel trust in the Lord your God relie upon him for all want of sense and feeling for all darknesse for all want of light in you for all want of comfort and stay your souls that way yet trust in the name of the Lord relie upon him for all his mercies though you be at this passe Object But the soul will say I am afraid I have nothing I have no interest Object in Christ but what of that Answ If thou be never so much afraid mark what David saith Psalme Answ 56. 3. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee as who should say though I be in the middest of fears and doubts and terrors of conscience what time this fear comes upon me I will cast my self upon thee so that this is that which the soul is to do that beleeves the tender of the Gospel and this draws him and works upon him it is not a dead faith but an operative faith it pulls him and draws him to Christ he must have Christ and he must have righteousnesse is there such a faith then relie upon God though thy fears come upon thee yet urge thy self to trust in God Obj. And againe it may be objected I have hardly any hope that ever I Object shal have the pardon of my sins that ever God will hear my prayers and accept my duties and performances What of that if thou hast this faith Answ Mark how it was with Abrahams faith when God told him he should Answ have a sonne though it were above hope besides hope against hope yet he believes in hope so though thou hast hardly any hope yet above hope believe under hope and though thou art put besides all hope and art even ready to be at the brink of despaire yet through thy self upon God if I perish I perish go on in the ways of God and seek after the ways of Jesus Christ and rest upon him from day to day and strive to draw neerer to him to have communion with him and though thou beest put besides hope yet believe under hope Obj. Again it may be objected again if I have any faith it is such a weak Object faith that I can hardly perceive it is any at al God will never receive me surely Answ I answer it is not the strength of faith that justifies but it is faith Answ that justifies the plaister may heal the wound though the hand be weak that lays it on faith is the hand that lays hold on Christ and Christ is the plaister that is applied to the soul now though the hand be never so weak yet it will do the deed as well as a stronger so it was with the Father of the child that came to Christ he could hardly see he had any faith he could not simply deny he had faith but Lord saith he I believe help my unbelief he cried and spake with tears he saw such a deal of unbelief that the tears trickled down her cheeks Matthew 9. 24. yet notwithing that faith got mercy from Christ Mark what Christ saith Mat. 18. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones if Christ will not have his little ones despised of men then certainly he will not despise them himselfe Object But you will say weak faith will save indeed but I question whether Object I have any faith or no therefore how can I lay hold and embrace this same mercy then Answ I answer though thou beest put to this at any time do as the Answ servants of God have done for it may be the case of the very servants of God yea of the best of Gods servants now you may see what they do in such a case how they run to God and pray to him Psalme 61. 2. When my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher then I. The Prophet Davids heart sometimes was overwhelmed but he now went to the rock Christ when I am in this case saith he lead me to the rock shew me Christ guide me to him set me upon him Object But then it may be objected I cannot pray if I could pray Object it were something but I can hardly pray I go to pray and when I am down upon my knees I can say nothing this may be the case of Gods choisest servants Romans 8. 26. Paul puts himself into the number We know not what to pray as we ought we know not what to speak as we should but yet God hath appointed his Spirit to help us in such a case though Hezekiah Esay 38. 14. could not speak a word but chatter like a Crane or Swallow and mourne as a dove yet he had experience that God heard him at that time So Psalme 77. 4. The Prophet there confesseth he was in this case that he could not pray I am so distressed saith he that I cannot speak he meanes to God and it seemes he found by experience that he could not pray nor tell how to poure out a request to God he was was even stopped and stifled in his prayer yet in the first verse he could speak it that God heard him for all this Well then here you see is the ground of the faith of any poore soul though he have not any assurance yet if he hath this faith to relie and rest upon God if the Gospel calls him and he comes at this gracious tender if he