Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 2 · Lecture 8
THE EIGHT LECTVRE VPONUPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
2. THESSA. CHAP. 2. verſ. 11. 12. 13. 14.
11 And therefore God ſhall ſend them strong deluſion, that they ſhould beleeue lyes.
12 That all they might bed…mned vvhichwhich beleeued not the trueth, … had pleuſure in vnrighteouſneſſe.
13 But vve ought to giuegive thanks alvvay to God for you, brethren, beloued of the Lord, becauſe that God hath from the beginning choſen you to ſaluation, through ſanctification of the Spirit, and the faith of trueth.
14 Where-vntounto he called you by our Goſpell, to obtaine the glory of our Lord Ieſus Christ.
THE dayes bygone (beloued brethren in the Lord Ieſus) we hauehave heard a Prophecy of that uniuerſall Apoſtaſie that was to come, and of the reueiling of the Antichriſt, who ſhould be the head and ring-leader of this vniuerſall Apoſtaſie. We heard of the Antichriſt to be reueiled, he is painted out and deferyued in his owne collours before he was reueiled, euen as we ſee him this day: For Paul could not hauehave ſet him out more viuely in his nature, properties and actions, if he had ſeene him nor he hes done in this Prophecie: for he deſcryuos him euen as if he had ſeene him with his eyes. He hes deſcryued him from his nature, He ſhall be a man, ſayes he not a ſingle man ſimplie, but he meanes by this word one man, a ſucceſſion of men in one kingdome. As for his properties, he ſayes, he ſhall be a man of ſinne, and addicted ſlaue to ſinne. Next he ſhall be the ſonne of perdition, deſtinate to deſtruction and euerlaſting perdition from al eternity. As for his actions firſt in malice of his hart he ſhal oppone himſelfe againſt all thing that is called God, and is worſhipped either in Heauen or in earth. He ſhall oppone himſelfe both againſt the Majeſtie of God in Heauen, and againſt the majeſties of Kings and Princes on earth. Againe in pryde of his hart he ſhall lift himſelfe aboue eueryevery thing called God. More, in the pryde of hart he ſhall ſit in the Temple of God, as God in Gods ſeate vponupon the conſciences of men, to control them, which thing properly pertaines to God. No creature hes power ouer the conſciences of men, it is proper to God onelyonly. More, he ſhall ſhowe himſelfe in all his ſtyles dignities and names as God. He ſhall reaue theſe from God and ſhall cloath himſelfe with them. Laſt, he is deſcryued from that effectualneſſe and powerfull working which he ſhall receiue of Satan, and which at his comming he ſhall hauehave in the harts of men, partly by working wonders, partly by falſe and fraudulent doctrine. But in whom? He ſayes, in them that periſhes, that is, in them that are ordeined to deſtruction before the foundation of the world was laid; in theſe he ſhall be powerfull, they ſhall beleeue him in all that he does and ſayes. Then he ſets down one cauſe of the perdition of theſe men in whom the Antichriſt is and ſhall be effectuall. To witte, their owne merite and deſert, they will not receiue the louelove of the trueth, they contemne the light of the Goſpell, and therefore periſh ſhall they. God indeed hes decreed from all eternitie that they ſhall periſh; but, before the decreete be put in execution, their merite ſhall interuene, and in tyme they ſhall contemne the trueth of God, which ſhall procure that damnation, to the which from all eternity they were predeſtinate.
In the firſt verſe we read the Apoſtle ſhowes by what order damnation and perdition ſhall follow vponupon the contempt of the light of God in Ieſus Chriſt. Marke this. Damnation ſhall not follow vponupon the contempt of the trueth immediatly, but ſomething ſhal interueene, firſt there ſhall follow one plague of God: for he ſhall ſend vponupon theſe men ſtrange illuſions, that is, he ſhall hound out the Antichriſt with his effectualneſſe, and he comming with the effectualneſſe of Satan ſhall deceiue them, he ſhall blinde them, as it were, and put out their eyes. What ſhall followe on that? Being blinded they ſhall goe forwarde in their ſinne and ſo goe downe toward Hell, as it were, by another ſteppe. And as they contemned the light before, ſo now, being deceiued, they ſhall embrace greedilie lies. And what ſhall followe vponupon this? Embraceing lyes and vanities damnation ſhall enſue. This is the meaning of this verſe. Then, ye ſee, a man is not ſhot in Hell at the firſt. No, when a man hes committed one ſinne, God will not put him in Hell at that ſame inſtant, but he ſhall make him goe to Hell by degrees, from ſteppe to ſteppe, and from ſinne to ſinne in his juſt judgement, he ſhall make him ſtop from a ſmaller ſinne to a greater ſinne: and this he will doe by plaguing of him and inflicting on him either ſpiritual or temporall judgements, and being beatten he will not amend. No, mark this. A reprobate will neuer mend, all the temporall judgements in the world will not better him, but he will be ay worſe and worſe, ſo that if he ſinned before, now being plagued he ſhal go to a greater ſin, and ſhal not make an end of ſinning till he end in judgement.
Marke another thing here. Ye ſee what the Antichriſt is with all his force and effectualneſſe, his wonders and his doctrine whereby he is effectuall in them that periſhes. Is he without God trow ye? No, he is no other thing but a burrio ſent from the Tribunal of God to plague the ingrate world, as the king would ſend an hangman to hang a thiefe or murtherer; God in his juſt judgement ſends him to execute juſtice vponupon this ingrate world for the contempt of the light of the Goſpell. The Pope is Gods burrio whom God ſendes, for to plague this ingrate world for the contempt of the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt. When this great vniuerſal apoſtaſie began the great Antichriſt was ſent by God to be the worker of it. And, brethren, what trow ye is the cauſe of this trouble ſent in our Church this day? This high contempt of the light of the Goſpel hes beene the cauſe, and if we continue in this contempt, troubles ſhall not leaue off. This ſame Antichriſt the Pope by his ſuppoſts ſhall make adoe amongſt vsus, the Lord ſhall ſend an auenger to plague the ſoules of men that will not beleeue the Goſpell. Another thing marke here. He ſayes not that God ſhall ſuffer him, and ſuffer ſtrong illuſions to be wrought by him, but he ſayes, he ſhall ſend them, he ſhal be an efficient, a doer, and a principall directer of this turne. Then ye will aske, Is God the author of euill? I anſwere, there are two ſortes of euill, there is one euill that they call the euill of a fault, there is another euill that is called the euill of puniſhment, according to that ſaying of the Prophet, There is not one euill in the cittie, (that is, there is no puniſhment in the cittie) that the Lord doeth nor. As to the euill of a fault in ſinne, he is not the author and worker of it, but ſuffers it to be wrought by euill men. And as to the other the Lord is the author of it, as that ſaying of the Prophet before vttered by me witneſſeth. And therefore, Hell as it is a puniſhment, is ordeined by the Lord, and ſo this place is to be vnderſtood. Who hardned the hart of Pharao? Who giues vp men to a reprobate mind? Is it not the Lord to puniſh their ſinnes? But I will not inſiſt in this matter.
Laſtly I note in this place, that, this plague the Apoſtle ſpeaks of here, is, a blinding and deceiuing of the minde. There are two powers of the ſoule, the minde and the hart. This plague is eſpecially the plague of the minde. I ſhall make this cleare to you. There are two ſortes of lightes in the minde, there is a naturall light wherewith we are borne, and ther is a ſupernaturall light, which we get by the word and Spirit of Chriſt. Now there is ſuch a conjunction betweene theſe two, that, if a man, when the ſupernaturall light is offered from Heauen, refuſe and contemne it, looke what will follow. The Lord from the Heauen in his juſt judgement ſhall pluck from him the naturall knowledge, and ſet him vp blind in thinges naturall and common, he ſhall pluck the common ſenſe from him, that is, he ſhall render him ouer to a reprobate mynd without al judgement and diſcretion. What ſhall follow then? Then like a mad man he ſhall run here and there to fin; he ſhall paſſe ouer the bounds of common honeſty, he ſhall leape ouer all the lawes of the ſecond table, he ſhall be a rebell to God and man, he ſhall be a murtherer and a theefe, and he ſhall follow all concupiſcence in the world, and as for the firſt Table, which is concerning godlines, he ſets himſelf againſt: He will be an Idolater, an Heretike, an Athiſt, a man of no religion, and all this commes of a reprobate mynde which is procured of Gods juſt judgement becauſe that ſpirituall light was ſo contemned that he would not ſuffer it to be conjoyned with that naturall light. Therefore when we ſee theſe lightmynded men, and theſe that will be counted Lords and Peeres in the Land, repyne to this glorious light of the Goſpell, take vp the judgement of God that lightes vponupon them. The Lord ſuffers them to paſſe the bounds of common honeſtie, they are wrapped vp in a reprobat ſenſe. Count no more of them then of madde men whom the Lord in juſtice ſhall confound for euer. No, if they were here, I would ſay they were mad men, running headlong vnderunder the vengence of God to deſtruction. The Lord giuegive them eyes to ſee this and harts to vnderſtand that they may be reclaimed from this fearce wrath of the Lord. They want both naturall wit and ſupernaturall: for he that will not ſuffer this light of the Goſpell to be conjoyned with this natural light, he hes no wit at all, he is a madde bodie, he will not care to doe whatſoeuer euill he may both to himſelfe and others. The Lord ſaue vsus from this ſort of men.
In the verſe that followes firſt we hauehave the effect that enſues vponupon this ſinne of beleeuing of lies; vponupon the firſt ſinne the contemning of the trueth followes; the next ſin of beleeuing errors and lies, vponupon this ſin againe followes judgement and indignation that they may be condemned, ſayes he. In the next part of the verſe he repeats the two ſinnes vponupon the which damnation proceeds, the firſt is inſidelitie, vvho beleeued not the trueth; the ſecond is beleeuing of lies and vntruth, and all maner of vnrighteouſneſſe. He joynes theſe two together, not beleeuing the trueth and beleeuing lies, and they go together neceſſarly: for if thou beleeue not the trueth, of neceſſity thou ſhalt beleue vntrueth. If thy hart repoſe not on God and his trueth, of neceſſity thy hart ſhall repoſe on the deuill and vntruth; the hart cannot want ſome faith. Thou muſt hauehave ſome faith and ſomething to put thy confidence in▪ …ſhal make this plaine. The hart of the creature cannot ſtand alone, but eſpecially the hart of the ſinfull man cannot ſtand vp, except it hauehave a leaning-ſtock or prop to vphold it. The harts of all the kings of the earth cannot ſtand alone, but they muſt repoſe on ſomething:Māshart muſt eyther ſtand on God, or on Satan. for this is the difference betweene God and the creature, God will ſtand him alone, he needes not a foundation or leaning ſtock, as the creature needes: for it muſt lean euer on ſomething or elſe it is impoſſible to it to ſtand. Now there are two thinges whereon man repoſes, either man repoſes himſelf on God & his truth, or elſe on the deuil & his falſhood. If thou leanſt not on God on Ieſus Chriſt and his Goſpel, of neceſſity thy confidence ſhal be on Satan the Antichriſt, vanities, lies, and falſhood. Wel then when thou haſt leand thee ouer on Satan and lies thou wilt ſtand no longer nor does vanities and lies, yea nor the deuill will ſtand, and he will not ſtand ay, albeit he hauehave ſtrength for a time, yet he and vanity and lies ſhal fal downe and thou ſhalt fal downe with them: for if thou be found leaning on lies and on the Antichriſt thou ſhalt periſh with them.
The word he vſes is to be marked. He ſayes not, they that beleued lies, but they that had pleaſure in vnrighteouſneſſe. Euen as we ſee and finde by experience repoſing on God and his trueth is with a joy of the ſoule. So when a man is leaning on the deuill and on vanitie he hes a kinde of pleaſure and delite in his repoſing on them, but it is a falſe and deceitfull pleaſure, a fained reſt and joy, and heere I take vp the plague of the hart (as I did before of the mynde) when he makes the hart with a pleaſure to reſt on Satan and vanitie, vvhen the hart is beatten with a ſenſleſneſſe that it cannot grippe a ſolide thing, but grippes vanitie, and leanes on it, as if it vvere a ſolide thing: vvhen it thinkes fleeting vanitie to be ſolide, vvhen it is fleeting in the Aire it beleues it be on the ground. So that the plague of the hart is when it is made ſenſleſſe that it cannot grippe a ſolide thing but vanitie and lies, and this plague is of Gods juſt judgement. Marke then here the order. Wickednes and malice begins at the hart firſt, ſo that when the truth is offred to the minde, the malice of the hart oppugnes and will nor let it enter in the minde. Rom. 1. 28. Epheſ. 4. 18. vponupon this God beattes firſt the minde and caſts the man away in a reprobate ſenſe. But, lets he the hart alone? No, the hart that beganne the miſcheefe eſcapes not, but he beattes the hart that would no…let the trueth enter, with a ſenſleſneſſe to liue vponupon lyes and vanities, and ere ſhe knovve of her ſelfe ſhe and her leaning-ſtock ſhall be both beatten downe to Hell. So beware of this malitiouſneſſe to the trueth: for if thou hauehave a malitious hart againſt this trueth o… God, aſſure they ſelfe thou haſt a blinde ignorant mynde plagued of God, and thou, thy hart and mynde and all thou leaneſt to ſhall be plagued with Gods euerlaſting deſtruction Lord ſaue vsus from a malitious hart: for all ſtandes in the diſpoſition of the hart; if it be plyable to embrace the trueth, thou ſhalt get true knowledge and ſolide joy, otherwayes woe to thee for euermore.
Now in the next verſe the Apoſtle leauing off this doctrine and prophecy concerning the Antichriſt and this … Apoſtaſie, turnes him to the Theſſalonians and beginnes to comfort them, thinking well that the Theſſalonians vnderſtanding … theſe that the … Apoſtaſie from Ieſus Chriſt; and that the Antichriſt ſhall come with effectualneſſe to deceiue the world, ſhould be diſcouraged with ſuch doctrine. Therefore he beginnes to comfort them. And certainely if we knew what? Apoſtaſie were▪ and … danger is … it, … what is the … Antichriſt, what a deceiues he were and what falſe doctrine were when it is ſowne among people, and what domage it imported, the verie name of Apoſtaſie and of the Antichriſt and falſe doctrine would terifie vsus and diſcourage vsus altogether. For I trow therebe none of vsus but if a canker enter in a joint of our finger we would … for it. Brethren, falſe doctrine is a canker and there is as neuer a canker that wil conſume ſo, as the canker of falſe doctrine, and ſo, when it enters in the Church, there is not a member of the Church but it ſhould be fearde for it, and aſtoniſhed to ſee it: but alas, there is not feeling of the ſpirituall canker, we … ſo gro…e in our … that we cannot …eele the … ſpirituall things. But to come to the words, …, ſayes he, ſhould thank God … for … Wherefore? Becauſe that God … from the beginning …. As he would ſay, be not feared with theſe thinges: … and on a … He ſayes Brethren, Our eternalelectiō proceds of Gods louelove.…. The cauſe of this ſtyle is in the word following … for this eternall election commes of a ſpeciall louelove of God; for if he had not loued thee, he had … came of an vnſpeakable louelove of God towards thee, as the reprobation came of … hatred to the reprobate. Therefore Rom. 9. 13. It is ſaid, Iocob I ha…e loued, but as for Eſau I hauehave hated him from all eternitie, and therefore I caſt him away. Well ſince election commes of louelove, it is not without cauſe when we ſpeake to the elect that we call them the beloued of God. This is a token of louelove when God hes elected a man from all eternitie, and there is not a man, (looke to your experience) there is not one, I ſay, when they …eele their election, (for thou ſhould feele it and finde in thy hart that thou art choſen of God) but they will feele it with ſuch a joy and ſenſe of louelove of him that hes choſen them as is vnſpeakable: for there is no…one gift of God but when we feele it and conſider it, it brings with it a ſenſe of the louelove of him that gaue thee the gift, and it wakens vp the joy of the hart exceedingly. What matter of the benefite, it with the benefit beſtowed on vsus the ſenſe of louelove be not communicated: for the leaſt and ſmalleſt benefit giuen with a ſenſe of louelove▪ is … not a great benefit and gift without the ſenſe of louelove. When God caſtes a kingdome to a man in hatred▪ there is no joy nor ſweetneſſe in it, becauſe there is no ſenſe of louelove; no if it were but a morſell of meate giuen, of louelove, that louelove will▪ make it ſo ſweete to …ee that thy hart ſhall be vnable to … the ſweetneſſe of it. Therefore whateuer God giues thee, be it little or much, labour to feele that it is giuen of louelove to thee: otherwayes there is no true pleaſure or joy in it: for all true joy is when the louelove of God is ſhed abroad in the harts of men by the holy Spirit Rom. chap. 5. verſe 5.
Now what ſayes he, We, to wit, I and they who writes with me, thank God, and not that onelyonly, but vve ſhould thank God, Mark it. All offices of thankfulneſſe that we can doe are debt and no merite, if thou loſt thy lyfe for Gods cauſe, there is no merite in thy part: all merite and deſert is on the part of God, as for thy part it is but debt: and thankeſ-giuing is a debt we ought to God, not for our ſelues onelyonly, but we are debt-bound to th…nke God for the graces beſtowed on another: and a Paſtour is cheeflie bound to thanke God for the graces beſtowed on the people. He ſaies more, alvvayes, not for one time or two, but euer and euer. Thankſ-giuing is a debt that ſhould be euer in paying, euer counting and telling downe; as Paul ſayes to the Rom. 13. 8. Pay louelove euer: for thankſ-giuing is a debt will neuer be pa…de, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. Now he ſubjoynes the cauſe wherefore he thankes God, that is the argument of conſolation he miniſters to them. Becauſe, ſayes he, the Lord hes choſen you from all eternitie. Bleſſed is that bodie that the Lord hes made a choiſe of Paul in the 2. Tim. 2. chap. 18. 19. verſ. when he hes ſpoken of the defection of ſome, and that there were ſome Heretikes namely Humineus and Philetus, thereafter he ſubjoines a comfort, but, ſayes he, the foundation of God ſtandes ſure hauing this ſeate the Lord knovves vvho are his ovvne. Whereby he ſtrengthens the godly that they ſhold not be diſcouraged when they heard of that defection, and his argument is from that ſolid foundation of their election: euen ſo here when he hes ſpoken of this▪ vniuerſall defection and effectualneſſe of Satan, he miniſters this argument of conſolation to them, their eternall eternall election. Then the leſſon is. The choſen of God they ſtand faſt,The elect are not ſubiect to finall defectione▪ they are placed without all danger of defection and falling away, at leaſt finallie, and are not ſubject to Hereſies and errors as are the reprobate, and therefore well is that ſoule that is ordeined to ſaluation: for the deuill will neuer hauehave power to ſeduce that ſoule by Hereſies. Indeed the ſoule may be deceiued for a tyme: for this effectualneſſe of Satan by the Antichriſt is hardlie eſcaped, euen by the elect, yet they …tand ſure: For a man hauing his ſaluation ſtanding on this ſolide foundation, euen the election of God that man ſhall not altogether fall away, but when he hes beene wandering to and fro for a while and hes ſlidden, then the hand of the Lord ſhall pluck him vp againe: and why not? Who is able to ſhake the foundation of the Lord? Is Satan able to ſhake that decree of the Lord concerning thy ſaluation? Men will change and alter mens decrees, but how vvil… thou get that decree of the Lord altered? No thou canſt not. But as God himſelfe is vnchangeable, ſo is the decree of thy ſaluation. Indeed thou may make the elect of God ſhudder and ſhake while he is heere, but as for his ſaluation it is keept vp in Heauen where the decree is, and therefore it is impoſſible to ſhake it. It ſhall be impoſſible to ſhake the man of… this ſolide foundation of his election. Againe learne. If it be ſo as it is indeede. The Apoſtle when he would comf…rtmen when he ſee… one aſſault on this ſide, another on that ſide, one behinde another before, he telle… them, thou art ſetled on a ſolid… foundation, looke to it, lift vp thy eyes to that decree of God. Now if the Apoſtle … this kinde of argument,Certain…y of election requiſite. what men are theſe that teaches, that men ſhould not hauehave a certaintie o… their election; while they ſtand in the midſt of Apoſtaſie? Men will ſay, this is curioſitie and preſumption, but alas, what comfort canſt thou hauehave except thou bear the decree of thy election in thy boſome? Alas, what joy canſt thou hauehave in thy ſoule, or how dare thou preſume to ſeeke for mercy or life eternall, if thou haſt not this certaintie that tho… art one choſen of God; if thou knew what this matter meant, as I ſpeake it to thee, thou would neuer reſt til thou got ſome aſſurance of thy election.
Now in the end of the verſe the Apoſtle ſhowes by what middes the Lord chuſ…s a man to ſaluation, … Look… the middes … and the faith of the trueth. Marke it▪ The decree of God to ſaluation, is not without middes; but as he hes ordein…e thee to ſaluation, ſo hes he ordeinde thee to paſſe by ſuch a way… He ſayes not ſimplie▪ My will is that this … ſhall be …, but he ſayes.Sanctification & faith meanes requiſite. It is my will that this perſon get lyfe … by ſuch a middes, that is by ſanctification, and by faith in Ie…us Chriſt; and therefore as there is a decree of the end, ſo there is a decree of the middes. Thou art appointed by the decree of God to lyfe, and tho… ▪ art likewiſe appointed to come to that lyfe by middes. There are two middes to come by this life▪ The firſt is ſanctification, which is nothing but our regeneration …rought in vsus by the Spirit of God. The ſecond is ſaith holden in the truth, which is the ground of holineſ…e that ſprings out of the hart of him that beleeues in Ieſus Chriſt. S… ſayes the Apoſtles Act. …5▪ 9. Hauing their harts …urged by faith, ſo that without faith there can be no holineſſe in a man. And all this ciuile faſhion of d…ng is doing without faith. Men trowes they doe well enough if they keepe ciuile honeſtie. I ſay to thee, it is but a counterfaite doing: for where there is no ſanctification in the hart … hypocriſie. If the louelove of this Goſpell and …aith in it b… not in the ha…, all thy doings are but counterfaite▪ and they ſhall not be a meane to ſaluation: for it is true holineſſe comming of a true faith in this Goſpell, that is a middes of thy ſaluation. And therefore all other outward ſhowes, how honeſt and ciuile that euer they appeare to be, I ſay to thee, they are no middes to thy ſaluation, and thou ſhalt neuer be … to … by them, for all is hypocriſie, therefore that thy life and forme of actione may d… …hee good to thy ſaluation, thou muſt hauehave this faith in the Goſpe…l and trueth of Ieſus. If ye will joyne theſe two together … and faith in the trueth of Ieſus Chriſt, thou ſhalt be ſaued, and thou ſhalt goe on in the way of thy ſaluation to the which thou▪ wert appointed from all eternitie. Ye ſee then heere further, brethren, before that euer that eternall decree concerning ſaluation take effect and be put in execution in the world to come, what muſt be done in this world. This decree muſt be put to execution in faith and holineſſe in this life, firſt in faith and then in ſanctification. Then would thou know how thou ſhal know the decree of thy ſaluation? (for there is no decree extant in the counſell of God concerning thy ſaluation) I will not bid thee runne vp to Heauen raſhly▪ but take vp the aſſurance of that decree in the execution of theſe mids ere thou come to the end▪ I ſend you to eaſie meanes, haſt thou faith and holineſſe, and perſeueres in them, conclude and ſay with thy ſelf, Lord I thank thee▪ I am of the number of thy choſen, thou haſt giuen me the arleſpenny of my election, I hauehave gotten that bleſſed Spirit of Ieſus that ſeales vp my ſaluation. I hauehave gotten faith and holineſſe bleſſed be …e that hes giuen me theſe thinges. And ſo it is not curioſitie to be ſure of thy ſaluation, nor it is no temeritie to ſeeke the certainty of thy election Brethren, there is no doctrine ſo true, and ſo good and profitable, but wicked men abuſes it and turnes the grace of God into wantonneſſe. lipiturians and Libertines whoſe pleaſure is in vncleanneſſe when once they heare of election, they, will ſtart vp and ſay, If I be choſen, what matter what I doe? doe what I will and play the wanton as I pleaſe, my election ſtands ſure, I muſt be ſafe. Vaine man, fye on thee looke▪ what the Apoſtle ſayes, God hes choſen thee to ſaluation. But how? by theſe middes, they muſt hauehave ſanctification that is wrought by the Spirit of God, thou muſt liue holilie in his ſight, and then thou muſt beleeue, thou muſt hauehave faith that is throgh the trueth of Ieſus Chriſt, or elſe thou wert neuer choſen. If thou haſt not faith, if thou haſt not an holy life, no ſaluation for thee.
Then ſhortly in the next verſe. Hauing ſpoken of faith, he ſhowes how a man commes by faith, how he gets it. He ſayes, vntounto the vvhichwhich ye are called. Faith thou is gotten by calling, if a man be not called and cryed on, as it were, with a ſhout from Heauen, O, the dead bodie will not waken! for if thou be not cry edon, thou wilt not get grace to beleeue, if thou be not cried vponupon by the cry of God in his word thou ſhalt neuer get faith: for faith is kindled vp by the voice of the Euangell. The Lord ſayes Iohn 5. 28. 29. The houre ſhall come, and novv i…, vvhen the dead ſhall heare the voice of the Sonne of God, and they that heare it ſhall liue, meaning the dead in ſinne. So faith riſes by a crye and call, when he ſayes come out of that death thou that ſ…eepeſt; if thou heare, thou ſhalt incontinent ariſe and beleeue. O the power of the voice of God! It is his voice onelyonly that makes the dead ſoule heare and to beleeue. It is not thy free-will that makes thee to anſwere; it is the cry of God onelyonly that kindles vp faith in thee, and what meanes vſes he to call men by? Euen the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, which is the voice of God: For what is the word of God but the voyce of God ſhouting and crying vponupon thee? So calling is by a word and voice. Now, calles he thee by the voyce of the Law? No, long would thou hauehave lye… ere thou had anſwered to the voyce of the Law, the more it cry vponupon thee, thou wiltly the longer dead. What is the voice then? The ſweet voice of the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, when it is tolde to thee that the Sonne of God is incarnate for thy ſake, he hes ſuffered and is riſen that thou may get remiſſion of ſinnes and life euerlaſting: in one word, the ſpeach of the croſſe of a dead man, it is the ſpeach that puts life in thee, and ſo no faith without calling and no calling without the voice of the Goſpell, and no life without the voice of the Goſpell. Thou ſhalt neuer ſee the face of God without thou heare the voice of the Goſpell.
Yet marke. He ſayes, our Goſpell, that is, that I Paul and my fellow laborers miniſtred. Then I aske, what is the mouth out of the which the voice of the Goſpell ſounds, and by the which the Lord calles the dead man: Euen the mouth of ſillie ſimple men; and therefore Paul cals it his Goſpel. Pauls mouth Peters mouth, and the mouth of all the faithfull miniſters are the voice of God to the end of the world calling thee to faith, and therefore doe they call this Goſpell their Goſpell. The Lord hes ſo ordeined that without the mouthes of ſillie men no voice of God ſhould be heard in the earth. Goe to thy chamber, read as thou wilt, thou ſhalt nor come to Heauen if thou contemne the mouth of ſillie men: for without the voice of ſillie men that ſoundes this Goſpell there is no voice of God calling thee to faith. And therefore without this baſe miniſtrie is no ſaluation for thee. I ſay farther, If the mouth of this miniſtrie whereby the Lord ſpeaks be contemned by thee, there is no faith, no life appointed for thee God hes ſo bound himſelf to this miniſtrie, that if thou contemne this ordinance thou ſhalt neuer ſee Heauen. He will hauehave thee ſafe by a fooliſh preaching, or elſe thou ſhalt neuer ſee heauen Say not might he not ſend Angels? No, cloſe thy mouth: for by fooliſh preaching thou ſhalt be ſafe and by no other means. Mark this ye that contemne the preaching of the word of God out of the mouthes of ſillie men.
Now in the end of the verſe he ſets downe another end of this calling, the firſt end was faith: the other is the participation of the glorie of Heauen in Ieſus Christ, all is in Chriſt, glorie is in him, ſo thou ſhalt not get either grace or glorie if thou get not Chriſt, alwaies this is an end both of election, and vocation, life euerlaſting. Election is from all eternitie, vocation is in tyme, and lyfe euerlaſting followes as the onelyonly effect and end of both. Now the calling beginnes here, and what other thing is al our preaching but this, come to Ieſus Chriſt the Anchor of your faith and life, and this cry holds … till Chriſt Ieſus come, and then he will cry out that laſt cry. Come ye bleſſed of my Father and inherite the kingdome prepared for you, and then the choſen ſhall enter in the participation of that glorie through Chriſt that neuer ſhall end. And therefore to this Ieſus the Anchor of our life and the caller of vsus to life and glory with the Father and holy Spirit we render al praiſe and honor for now and euermore.
AMEN.