Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 12 · Sermon 102
SERMON CII.
Contains ſome choice Properties or Effects that accompany Effectuall Vocation, whereby men may examine and try themſelves whether they be ſo called or no.
ROM. 8. 10.
Whom he hath predeſtinated, thoſe he hath called.
I Shall conclude this Text with an inſtance of ſome choice properties or effects that do accompany this calling. For ſeeing to ſuch only belong Predeſtination, Juſtification and Glorification, Our life and eternal happineſs lieth in this, to he found in the number of theſe called ones. Our Saviour told the Diſciples, That they ſhould not rejoyce in that they wrought miracles, that the devils were ſubject to them, but rather that their names were written in the book of life, Luk. 10. 20. Much leſſe then may men rejoyce in being rich, honoured and bleſſed in this world, if they be not alſo called to grace and glory. The former are good things of this life only, the later of the life to come.
Firſt then, Wouldſt thou know whether thou art inwardly called, as well as outwardly, 1.then examine thy ſelf in thy real anſwer and obedience to it; For to be called according to Gods purpoſe, is to have the event accompanying it. God no ſooner cals but they hear. What God bids them do they do, what God bids them forſake they forſake. Oh but to how many do the Prophets ſtretch out their arms in vain! To what deaf men do we call? In what a Babel and confuſion hath ſinne caſt men, they are commanded to live holily, but oh the prophaneneſſe! God cals them to purity, but oh the uncleanneſs! Thus in ſtead of anſwering, there is the contrary diſobedience, God looks for grapes, and behold wilde grapes. Think not then it can be well with thee, that there are any hopes of thy Juſtification o… Glorification, as long as thou ſtoppeſt the ear againſt Gods call: if effectually …lled, thou wouldſt cry out, Speak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth; when God gave Abraham a call and command to ſacr fice his only Sonne, he riſeth early in the morning, and can lay his kinfe to the very throat of his only childe; Even thus when God commands thee to mortifie ſuch a ſinne, to crucifie ſuch a luſt, ſpare it not, kill it, elſe it will kill thee, it will damn thee; now the effectually called perſon, he gets up betimes, he layeth his knife to the throat of his deareſt luſts, and now he hates this Tamar more then ever he loved her: Oh, he crieth out, I muſt either part with God or ſinne, I muſt either leave Chriſt or this luſt, I cannot keep them both together, and then with much zeal and deteſtation, he caſts away his beloved tranſgreſſions, God then careth not for thy formalities, thy complements, thy duties, but is thy obedience ready? God cals thee to love him, to hate ſinne; Is this command obeyed? Obedience is better then Sacrifice: Didſt thou obey God in giving over thy ſwearing, thy drunkenneſs, thy luſts; This would be more acceptable then ten thouſand Sacrifices, or outward duties of Religion. Even the very inanimate creatures have obeyed when called upon, as when the Prophet cried, O Altar, Altar, hear the word of the Lord, and it rent in pieces; but thou continueſt obſtinate.
Secondly, The effectually called, they do carefully obſerve and watch againſt all thoſe contrary cals, that would turn them out of the way: For you muſt know as 2.God hath his voice calling; ſo ſin and the devil they have their ſweet Syrenian Songs; They have their cals alſo, one cals one way, the other a contrary way. Solomon tels us of wiſdom, that is, Godlineſſe uttering her voice in the ſtreets, crying aloud, Pro. 1. 7. To the ſimple and unwiſe that they get underſtanding: and then again he tels us of the whoriſh woman, as diligent to call in the ſimple man that paſſeth by, to defile himſelf. Our Saviour bids us Be wiſe as Serpents, Mat. 11. 16. Now as he ſtoppeth his ear that he may not hear the charmers, though charming never ſo wiſely, becauſe it's for his deſtruction; ſo much rather ought we to cloſe up the ear againſt all thoſe ſweet allurements of ſinne, and temptations thereunto: Ulyſſes his companions were all turned into beaſts, (as they feigned) becauſe they would drink of thoſe inticing cups, and hearken to the Syrenian Songs. And therefore men are degenerated into all luſts and beaſtlineſſe, becauſe they hearken to ſenſe, to luſts, they attend to their call and cry. As Eve giving ear to the Serpent, and not refuſing him at firſt, was immediately deſtroyed; now then the truly called ones, they ſtop the ear againſt the world, againſt carnal wiſdom, and hearken only what God ſaith, what the Scripture ſaith. It is many times the profeſſion of a Chriſtian; Oh if I could but know when God cals to me! If I could but underſtand his will what he would have me to do, then I would run after him; now there is no ſuch way to finde out God calling of thee, as to bid all carnal reaſonings, all fleſhly conſultations ſtand aloof off. If a man would ſee the true repreſentation of his face in a glaſſe; he muſt wipe off all the duſt and filth, and ſo if thou wouldſt diſcern Gods calling of thee from all other falſe cals, be ſure that earthly conſiderations be not laid in the ſcale: Thus Paul refuſed that conſulration which fleſh and bloud profered him, Gal. 1. 16. and ſo Chriſt bid Peter, Depart for he was a Satan to him, Mat, 8. 33. an adverſary to him.
Thirdly, He that is effectually called, is carefull to walk in a worthy and beſeeming 3.manner of it. I beſeech you, ſaith Paul, that you walk worthy of your calling, Epheſ. 4. 1. Every man in any condition or eſtate, is to look to the foreign quod decet, what is fitting and becoming him. Thoſe actions are beſeeming a childe which are not an old man; men of better breeding have a ſutable deportment: And thus it is in Chriſtianity, Thy holy and heavenly calling ſhould raiſe up thy ſpirits, ennoble thy converſation. As Nehemiah argued from the office and truſt that was committed to him, Shall ſuch a man as I flee? Thou ſhouldſt then conſider, Shall ſuch an one as I tumble and wallow in the mire? Shall I that have ſuch an holy and heavenly calling, live like a beaſt? I here is nothing ſhould ſo confound and a ſhame a man for all ſinful and ungodly wayes, as that they are not ſutable unto, nor worthy of his calling. Michal did in a ſinful way deſpiſe David in her heart, when ſhe ſaw him dancing before the Ark, Thou haſt made thy ſelf (ſaith ſhe, 2 Sam. 6.) like one of the vile fellows this day; like one of the baſe ones of the world. She did this maliciouſly; but thou mayeſt truly ſay to thy ſoul, when overcome with unruly paſſions, inordinate affections; Thou haſt made thy ſelf like the vileſt of men to day. Do then things that are beſeeming your calling, that are a grace to it, that may bring an honor and a glory to it in the eyes of the world. Shall the Sunne ſend forth no more light then the dung-hill? Shall a Roſe ſmell no ſweeter then a noiſome weed? Dead Flies are not fit to fall in a box of ointment. As Jacob ſaid of his two ſons, when they had committed ſuch outragious wickedneſſe on the Sichemites, You have made me to ſtink before the inhabitants of the Land. Thus alſo mayeſt thou ſay to all unmortified affections, uncrucified luſts, You have made me to ſtink, to be loathſome and abominable before God. Therefore above all things look to this, that your converſation be as becometh this heavenly calling, you may not live as you liſt, walk as you pleaſe, make your luſts and your pleaſures a rule to walk by; but conſider what you are called to.
Fourthly, He that is effectually called, doth alwayes deſire to go after Gods calling of him: For as in Philoſophy, we are nouriſhed by thoſe things we at firſt conſiſt 4.of, Thus it is here. By what means at firſt we come to be holy, to be godly, viz by Gods calling of us, we did not hearken to other cals. So it is ſtill in our progreſs. God ſtill calleth us by his Word to every duty, to avoid every ſin, and herein we follow God. Oh it is admirable wiſdom in all things to conſider what call we have! Thoſe ſervants are blamed for their raſhneſs, and not commended for their forwardnes, who come or go before they are called, before they have their errand. Pſ. 25. 9. The upright he will teach and guide in his way, Pſ. 32. 8. And ſo David, Thou wilt guide me with thy eye: As a father by his eye doth ſignifie what he would have his ſonne to do; ſo it is here, God doth by his Word either particularly or generally give him a call to every action or condition. And he that was at firſt wrought upon by Gods calling, doth ſtill look after this Starre to guide him. He that undertaketh any thing, doth any thing without Gods calling, doth as the devil tempted our Saviour, Set himſelf upon a pinacle, and throw himſelf headlong. For this is the onelyonly ſupport and encouragement under any aſſaults, that all is done in obedience to Gods calling us. Thus Moſes, Iſaiah, David, Jeremiah and Paul, with many others, could never have conflicted with all the difficulties they did, had not this calling of God ſupported them; ſo then as at the firſt our ſpiritual life came by a divine calling, thus the progreſſe alſo is by Gods calling; we do not iutrude our ſelves, we go not before we have a command, we hearken to what God will ſay; and hence it is that the devil doth ſo induſtriouſly imitate the voice of God; Even as the beaſt Hyena imitates the voice of the Shepherd to deſtroy the ſheep; he pretends revelations from God, he brings forcible interpretations of Scripture; ſo great a matter is it eſpecially in doubtful things, and where the Scripture hath onelyonly general rules, and not particular determinations, to diſtinguiſh the voice of God from the voice of Satan, or our own deſires. How many are apt to take the dictates and deſires of their own ſpirits for the voice of God! As the old Prophet counterfeited a voice and call of God contrary to what the other Prophet had received, and thereby ſeduced him: It is then a ſure and good ſign of a called perſon, in all matters, ſpecially of great concernment, to regard Gods calling, whether it be to do or to ſuffer: whereas wicked men they never attend to Gods directing of them, Gods guiding of them, never pray about this, or ſtudy and meditate about this, but as their luſts and profits carry them, ſo they run headlong.
Fifthly, He that is effectually called is greatly thankefull even to aſtoniſhment 5.and raviſhment, for this high mercy vouchſafed to him. The grace of the Goſpel whereſoever it doth powerfully work, doth ſo ſoften and melt the heart, that praiſe and thankfulneſs is the great duty he ſtudies; Oh how ſhall I be thankful! and the Lord inlarge my heart to praiſe him! What am I that God ſhould call me! Oh, Why is my Soul ſo barren, ſo ſtreightned! Why doe I not runne all over? Why doth not my heart boil within me? Thus a man partaker of this heavenly calling is affected; See the Apoſtles aggravation of Gods mercy herein, 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according … his own purpoſe and grace. The Apoſtle melts himſelf into raviſhing thoughts about this, The God that needed me not, yea the God that was ſo greatly offended, and provoked by me, he out of his free grace cals me from ſinne and danger, from all that eternal wrath I was obnoxious unto; and therefore Bleſſe the Lord, O my Soul, and let all within thee bleſſe his holy name. You may obſerve the Apoſtle Pauls diſpoſition, when he hath occaſion to ſpeak of Gods converting and calling us out of the former luſts of ſinne he lived in, he is ſo tranſported that he never ſatisfieth himſelf with a thankful remembrance thereof; Wherein men are affected, and what they account extraordinary mercies, there they will alwayes be ſpeaking; Their Meditations are ſweet and burning about it. So that it is a ſure ſign thou waſt never yet effectually called, if thy ſoul many times break not out with joy and thankſgiving herein. Shall outward mercies, ſafety, wealth, honours, ſo work upon thee, as we ſee they did on Haman, and ſhall it not much more prevail with thee to be called to be Gods friend, and Gods favourite? How ſhould all the afflictions and diſcouragements in the world be eaſily ſubdued, when this conſideration prevaileth with thee!
Sixthly, He that is thus called according to Gods purpoſe, he is careful not to apostatize or to go back again into that courſe of ſin and wickedneſſe, out of which he was 6.called. As a man called out of fetters, and a dark dungeon, by all means takes heed that he be not thrown in there again. The Iſraelites were called only bodily out of Aegypt, not in their affections and heart, when they ſo deſired to make themſelves a Captain, and to return thither again; yea when they loathed that admirable Manna, and deſired their former Onyons again: Oh it is a ſign thou waſt never powerfully called! who for a time indeed haſt given over thy beaſtly luſts, wilt commit them no more, but not long after doſt return to the practice of them again; This makes it worſe with thee then if thou hadſt never begun to cleanſe thy ſelf. Our Saviour hath a notable Parable to this purpoſe, of a man out of whom a devil was caſt, but he returned again, and brought ſeven worſe with him. Mat. 12. 45. Oh look to this then you who formerly have given ſome hopes of being called, you heard a voice within you, ſaying, Doe no more ſuch abominable things. You begun to pray, to weep, to be greatly affected; oh the conflicts that your ſouls formerly felt, but now all ſtreams are dried up, you are as barren, as prophane as ever! Know to thy terror and trembling, thou haſt cauſe to examine whether the mighty power of God hath not yet called thee. No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back is ſit for the kingdom of Heaven: Our Saviour did alwayes attend to this, to lay ſuch principles in thoſe that would be his Diſciples, that they might never revolt: Therefore he told them of the worſt afore hand, and daily inſtructed them about the danger of not perſevering: He that is truly called doth ſtand immoveably like a rock, Like Mount Sion that cannot be removed; and indeed there is great reaſon for it, Can he be better then he is? Doth not God make up all things to him? Are his former luſts and the pleaſures he took in them equal to God, and the enjoyment of him? Was there not bitterneſs and gall even in the ſweeteſt honey of any of his ſins? But at Gods right hand there are rivers of pleaſure for evermore.
Laſtly, He that is thus called doth keep up his heat, and comfort himſelf with that hope of eternal life, and glory to which he is called. Hence Paul ſaith, He preſſeth forward for the mark of his high calling. As a man in a race attends not to any Phil. 3.directions, but fixeth his eye upon the crown that he runneth for. Thus Paul did, No earthly or worldly temptations do hinder him; but his heart, his thoughts, his affections are ſet upon that eternal glory: Therefore we are ſaid to be called to this hope. A man never hath true hopes till he be thus called. Alas, What becomes of wicked mens hopes? they place their hopes in outward greatneſſe, in outward power, in outward glory; now theſe periſh like the graſſe of the field: When Death comes, when Judgement comes, then all his hopes periſh: but the righteous hath hope in his death; and it is a lively hope, death and the grave cannot quell it. We ſay, If it were not for hope the heart would break; but what hope haſt thou who liveſt in thy ſins, not forſaking of them? Will the world, will thy luſts, thy carnal friends be any longer a comfort to thee? Oh it is much that every wicked man doth not tear himſelf, and roar out with horrour, I have no hope! God is offended, Chriſt did not give himſelf for ſuch as I am, living in, and loving of my ſins. Till I come out of this eſtate, there is laid up no hope for me. Go then and conclude with thy ſelf, I have no hope as yet but about worldly things: Oh miſerable man that I am! There is but a ſtep between me and death, between me and hell, and yet I look not out; but when thou art called, then thy hopes will ſurely be eſtabliſhed.
Uſe of Exhortation. Are the called of God thus qualified? then what matter Uſe.of Lamentation is here, to ſee ſo few ſuch among the number of thoſe that are outwardly called? Where is the man of whom we may pronounce all theſe things, that he readily obeys, that he honours this calling. that he deſireth to follow God in all things? Who is the man that doth this? Now the truth is, the tempations of ſin and the world, they call ſo violently, ſo pleaſingly the contrary way, that it is no wonder if ſo few follow God. But to perſwade you to refuſe theſe Dalilahs alwaies tempting of you,
Conſider firſt, What ſin and the world cals you to, …s i… not to thoſe waies that end in death, in hell? You will ſee your folly, when you finde it too late, when the arrows of Gods anger have darted through your Liver and Heart, then you will howl and cry out; Oh how have our ſins deceived us! Even as Ja…l called in Siſera to her houſe, Come in my Lord, Come in my Lord, but it was his death. Do then any luſts call to thee and invite thee? ſay, Whether will theſe lead me? Whether will they carry me?
2. Conſider theſe pleaſures of ſin that invite thee, they are but for a moment, they are but a blaze, though they may tickle for a while, yet the ſmart and torment will endure for ever. O Atheiſts, if we believe not theſe things! And oh fools and mad men, if when we do believe them, we labour not to eſcape them! As Saul ſpake about David, Can the ſon of Jeſſe (ſaith he) make you great or honoured. why then do you follow him? Oh remember, Can the devil, can the world make you for ever bleſſed? Can they put on robes of glory? Doth not God only theſe things for them that obey him calling?