The Great Mystery of Godliness Opened, Exposition on verse · Verse 24
VERSE 24.
Even us whom he hath called, not of the Jewes onelyonly, but alſo of the Gentiles.
OUr Apoſtle in this Verſe entreth upon the third and laſt part of this Chapter; and the ſum and ſubſtance of this part is a declaration of that great work of calling the Gentiles, and refuſing and rejecting the Jewes, which was foretold by the Prophets; and this from the 24 verſe, to the end of the Chapter: and the Apoſtle falleth upon this matter, upon occaſion of that which he put down in the Verſe foregoing, that the veſſels of mercy are prepared of God unto glory; now he deſcendeth from the general, to the particular; and that which he had before ſpoken in foreign, in the general, he applyeth in foreign, in the particular; and he ſheweth who they are, that he had ordained to mercy, and they are the called of God, the elect of God, calling being an effect of Gods predeſtination, and a fruit and effect of Gods eternal election: and the Apoſtle doth appropriate this to the particulars, Even us whom he hath called; and he reduceth it to the ſubjects of it, Jewes and Gentiles, and he putteth down that diſtribution touching the ſubjects of Gods calling, not barely, but (if you mark it) very cautelouſly, and very warily, that his diſtribution might be free from all manner of exception, for he ſaith, not us whom he hath called, Jewes, and Gentiles, but even us whom he hath called, not of the Jewes onelyonly, but alſo of the Gentiles: and now becauſe Gods calling of the Gentiles, it was a thing odious and hateful to the Jewes, a thing ſeeming very abſurd and incredible; the calling of ſuch as were dogs, and without, therefore the Apoſtle dwelleth upon this point, and confirmeth it by a double teſtimony out of the Prophet Hoſea, in the 25. and 26. verſes; and then after this the Apoſtle doth further amplifie the calling of the Gentiles, by an Antitheſis, by the rejection of the Jewes, and that not of the body of the Jewes, but a remnant of the Jewes onelyonly; and this our Apoſtle alſo confirmeth by a double Teſtimony out of the Prophet Iſaiah, in the 27, 28, and 29. verſes. And laſt of all, the Apoſtle maketh a Collection, and he putteth it down by way of Anſwer to an Objection that might be made touching the calling of the Gentiles, and rejection of the Jewes, from the 30. verſe, to the end of the Chapter.
Now then to come to the particular handling of the 24. verſe. In this verſe for the general matter contained in it, we may obſerve two things:
Firſt, an inſtance given by the Apoſtle, touching the perſons that are veſſels of mercy prepared of God unto glory, he inſtanceth in himſelf, and others, who are called, even us.
And ſecondly, a diſtribution of the ſubjects of this calling, Jewes and Gentiles, the Apoſtle ranging the ſubjects of Gods calling into theſe two ſorts, Jewes, and Gentiles, and he putteth it down ſo warily, and ſo cautelouſly, that no Objection might be made againſt it, not of the Jewes onelyonly, but alſo of the Gentiles.
There is no great difficulty in the words, Even us whom he hath called] Or, according to the text Original, thoſe whom he hath called, namely us, whom he hath called, that is, whom God hath called; now Gods calling it is an act of his eternal love, whereby he doth pleaſe to call and invite men to ſalvation, this is the definition of Gods calling in the notion and generality: For when men are called by the preaching of the Word, and the Miniſtry thereof, and they hear it onelyonly with the ears of their body, that is, the external and outward calling, they are called to come to hear and obey, and they hear it, and anſwer not as Chriſt ſpeaketh, Matth. 16.20. many are called, but few are choſen; or elſe Gods calling is inward, and effectual, namely this, when men are called by the voyce of God, and the preaching of it, and they anſwer to it, their hearts anſwer, they are called effectually by the working of the holy Spirit, which bringeth them from Ignorance and unbelief to true knowledge and faith in Chriſt, and they are called out of darkneſſe into a marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2.9. the holy Spirit of God doth bend their hearts to yeeld to the call of the Lord, to receive the promiſe of mercy offered unto them, and he doth cauſe them to yeeld to the will of God revealed in their hearts and lives; this is Gods effectual calling, and this is the calling here meant.
not of the Jewes onelyonly,] That is, not thoſe onelyonly who are deſcended of the line of Abraham, of Jacob, and of Iſrael.
but of the Gentiles alſo.] Which was indeed a hard thing for the Jewes to believe, that is, even us, who are deſcended of another line, and come of another nation of the world, and are termed Gentiles, and are aliens from the Common wealth of Iſrael, even us who are ſtrangers from God, Epheſ. 1.12. ſo that we may eaſily conceive the purpoſe of the Apoſtle here to be this, viz.
Even us whom God hath called effectually, and by the work of his Spirit brought from ignorance and unbelief, even us whom he hath wrought upon by the preaching of his Word, and made it effectual for our calling to believe in him, even us, not onelyonly us who have deſcended according to the line, and from the loynes of Abraham, and of Jacob, but us whoſoever we be that have come of other Nations and People of the World, and are called Gentiles, and aliens, and ſtrangers, even us hath he called.
Now then come we to ſuch things as hence are offered unto us for our Inſtruction: And beloved, it is worth our marking (in the firſt place) that the Apoſtle putteth himſelf in the number of thoſe that are called of God, and doth aver himſelf to be a veſſel of merciemercy whom God hath called, even us; you, and I, We that are effectually called, are the veſſels of merciemercy. I as well as you, and you as well as I are in that number; Now then from hence it followeth directly.
That the Apoſtle Paul was aſſured of his own ſalvation, Doctrine. and he knew it that he in particular was one of Gods choſen, and that God had appointed him to life and glorie in Heaven, and that he ſhould come to be partaker of it; how? By his true, inward and effectual calling he knew it, and was aſſured of it that he was a veſſel of merciemercy, and that he was in the number of Gods Choſen, and ſhould one day come to eternal ſalvation in Heaven.
Admit this and grant it to be true, which the enemies of Gods Truth do contend about, that he had a ſpecial and Divine Revelation from Heaven, which declared to him that he was a choſen veſſel, yet he knew it not by ſpecial Revelation onelyonly but alſo by his effectual calling here affirmed: This Text is clear; but he knew it alſo by his effectual calling, and his effectual calling was an evidence that Heaven was prepared for him, and he prepared for Heaven; ſo that this is clear vnleſs they wil denie the evidence of the text.
And as this bleſſed Apoſtle was aſſured of his own ſalvation by his effectual calling, ſo doubtleſs they that are true Chriſtians, that are effectually called, they come to have a particular aſſurance of their own ſalvation that they are in the number of Gods Choſen; for the Apoſtle (if you mark it) doth joyn others with himſelf; he doth not only ſay, I, but you alſo, ſpeaking in the judgement of Charitie; therefore we are to abhor and deteſt that ſame damnable Doctrine of the Church of Rome. who teach, that a particular perſwaſion of a mans own ſalvation is preſumption, it is an illuſion and deceit of the devil, and (ſay they) you mock the people, and are blind leaders; but this is a damnable doctrine of theirs: for beloved, take away all aſſurance of a mans ſalvation, and you leave a Chriſtian in a miſerable caſe, we ſtrip him of all ground of joy, and true comfort and rejoycing, yea we take from him all ground of hearty thankfulneſſe, and encouragements of going on in a good courſe of life; for how can a man truly and ſoundly rejoyce in the apprehenſion of the joyes of heaven, when he is uncertain altogether whether he ſhall enjoy them yea or no; how can a man be thankful for that thing that he is altogether uncertain whether he ſhall enjoy it, yea or no? And how can a man go on conſtantly in a holy and good courſe of life, when he cannot tell whether it will bring him to heaven, or to hell, yea, or no? as the Papiſts Doctrine doth ſay, Oh it is a moſt uncomfortable poſition, a poſition of Deſperation that thoſe enemies of Gods grace do hold and teach, that a ſpecial perſwaſion of Gods mercy, and of a mans ſalvation, it is preſumption, and a falſe illuſion of the devil; for this is a Poſition directly contrary to the evidence of this Text.
Again, we ſee that the Apoſtle having ſpoken of Gods veſſels of mercy, that they are ſuch as are prepared unto glory, he doth adjoyn a particular inſtance, who they are that are prepared unto glory, even ſuch as are called of God, I, and you, that are effectually called: hence ariſeth this Concluſion, viz.
Doctrine. That Gods effectual calling is unto men, a ſure and certaine evidence of their election, ſuch as are effectually called amongſt men, and powerfully wrought upon by the preaching of the Word, and brought from their ignorance and unbelief and ſet out of the eſtate of Nature into the ſtate of grace, they have hereby an infallible evidence that they are ſuch as ſhall be ſaved eternally; and this truth we finde made good unto us in many places of Scripture, in Romans 8.30. VVhom he Predeſtinated, them alſo he called; where we ſee Gods effectual calling it is a fruit following neceſſarily upon Gods Predeſtination as the effect the cauſe, in Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to eternal Life believed; they that belonged to Election, they were wrought upon effectually to believe in Chriſt and the Goſpel, and through their Faith and effectual Calling, they were made known to be ſuch as were appointed to life and glorie in Heaven, in John 10.16. ſaith Chriſt, Other ſheep I have that are not of this fold; they alſo muſt be called, and they ſhall anſwer my calling and voice, and be effectually to their Calling, and ſhall know of what fold they are of, they ſhall receive my mark, and know my voice, and anſwer my call in 2 Theſſ. 2.13. The Apoſtle having ſaid, That the believing Theſſalonians were from the beginning choſen to ſalvation, he preſently ſubjoyneth in the 14. verſe. whereunto he hath called you by the preaching of his Goſpel, that you might obtain ſalvation, thereby ſignifying that their effectual calling was an evidence of their election, and to theſe many more might be added, all proving that effectual Calling is a certain evidence of Election, and it muſt needs be ſo for this Reaſon.
Becauſe God in time doth call all thoſe whom he hath before all time from everlaſting, fore-ordained, and ſet apart to life and glory in Heaven; and therefore effectual calling it is proper and peculiar onelyonly unto Gods Elect, others are called outwardly, but Gods effectual calling is proper and peculiar to Gods Childeren, and all thoſe ſhall in Gods due time be effectually called that are appointed to ſalvation in Heaven; ſo that it followeth neceſſarily, that Gods effectual Calling is unto men a ſure evidence of Gods Election of them unto ſalvation.
Now this point is of excellent uſe, Ʋſe: in the firſt place it maketh known unto us how we may come to be aſſured of our own ſalvation, and that, that we in particular are in the number of Gods Choſen and ſuch as ſhal be ſaved, a matter of great weight, and a thing indeed wherein many do erre and goe aſtray in this one point: as thoſe are ſtrongly deluded by the Devil, who thinke, (as many doe) that if men doe live a civil and orderly life, (whatſover they be, though they be Papiſts, Familiſts, Anabaptiſts, or whatſoever) yet if they leade a Civil and orderly life and carriage in the World, they ſhall certainly be ſaved; but theſe are deceived; for it is not a Civil and orderly living in the World, (as Conſcience doth enlighten them) that will bring to Life and Salvation; no Familiſt, or Anabaptiſt, can have any aſſurance that they ſhall have Salvation.
But if we would have aſſured Evidence, (that cannot deceive us) we muſt ſeek for the proofe of it in our hearts and ſoules, in our effectual Calling, ſee here what evidence of grace we have, then we need not in this caſe to climbe up unto Heaven, to ſearch the Court-Rols of Heaven; but we may take a ſhorter cut, looke into thy owne Charter drawne out with the bloud of Chriſt in thy heart, and therein looke to Gods effectual Calling; to the Evidence of grace in thine own ſoul, and that wil Evidence thee of thy Election, and that thou art in the number of thoſe that are Gods Choſen and herein I deſire that everie one wil deale truely with his owne heart and ſoul.
Haſte thou anſwered the voyce of God? God calleth upon thee in his Word, to come out of thy Ignorance and thy unbeliefe, and other known ſinnes, tel me, and deale faithfully, Art thou wrought upon by the Word of God? Doeſt thou come out of thy ignorance, and thy blindeneſſe of minde? by a through change from evil to good, is the courſe of thy ſinnes broken off? thy pride, thy drunkenneſſe, thy uſurie. Haſt thou thus anſwered the Call of God, and hath the Word had a kindely workeing upon thy ſoule, Romans 6.17. Doeſt thou finde ſweetneſſe in the Conſolations of the Word of God, and doeſt thou yield obedience to it in all things; in one thing, as well as in another? Not onelyonly in ſome things, but in all things that God requireth? yea, in thoſe things that doe moſt of all croſſe thy owne humour? Doeſt thou finde that the luſts of thy owne heart are curbed and ordered, and doeſt thot finde that thou art now brought to love God, to love his Children, to love his Meſſengers, to love the inſtrument of thy Calling? If thou haſt theſe things in thee, thou art effectually called; and being effectually called, thou art a man or a woman, that ſhall certainly be ſaved; my ſoule for thine, thou ſhalt come to Heaven, all the Devils in Hell cannot deprive thee of it. Oh then let every one trie above all things their effectual Calling which will aſſure them of ſalvation; and be an infallible Evidence for their Election.
Even us whom he hath called, not of the Jewes onelyonly, but alſo of the Gentiles.
Ʋſe 2 IS it ſo that effectual Vocation doth prove unto men infallibly their Election and ſalvation in Heaven? doubtleſs then effectual calling muſt needs be a ground of ſweet and excellent and heavenly comfort unto the ſoules of all thoſe that are indeed effectually Called? Haſt thou then good Evidence of thy effectual Calling? Art thou ſure that God hath wrought upon thee by the power of his Spirit? That he hath brought thee by the preaching of the Word out of thy natural eſtate of ignorance and unbelief, to true knowledge and faith in Jeſus Chriſt? Oh then comfort thy ſelf, thou haſt cauſe to rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and glorious, 1 Peter 1.8. For this ſealeth up unto thee this comfort, that thou art one whom God loved from everlaſting, from all Eternitie before this world was; that thou art one redeemed by Jeſus Chriſt, that thou art juſtified in the ſight of God; and acquitted and freed from the guilt and puniſhment of all thy ſins, and that they ſhal never be laid to thy charge; for effectual calling and juſtification joyn hands together, it giveth thee aſſurance thou art acquitted from all thy ſinnes both paſt, preſent, and to come, and ſhalt as certainly goe to Heaven, as if thou wert already in Heaven, and all the power of hell ſhal never be able to prevail againſt thee; therefore thou art in a moſt happie condition.
Object. But here happily ſome may ſay, here is a ſweet ground of excellent comfort (we muſt needs confeſs) if ſo be a man be effectually called, and truely believe in Chriſt; but alas (ſay the Papiſts) a man cannot know whether he hath the Spirit of God working in him or no; he may have a falſe ſpirit; neither can a man tell whether he doth truely believe in Chriſt or no. Now therefore to remove this ſtumbling ſtock of the Papiſts; Anſw. we muſt conſider that the Spirit of God is compared to fire, Matthew 3.11. He ſhall baptiſe you with the Holy Ghoſt, and with fire; and it is compared to the blowing of the wind, Joh 3.8. The winde bloweth where it liſteth, &c. So are all that be born of the Spirit; thereby giving us to underſtand, that as ſenſibly as a living man may perceive the burning of the fire, and feel the blowing of the winde, ſo ſenſibly may a Child of God perceiue in himſelf the working of the holy Spirit of God. And indeed it is the very office of the Spirit of God to teach Gods Children to know the things of God; ſo ſaith the Apoſtle expreſly, 1 Cor. 2.12. We, ſaith the Apoſtle, have not received the ſpirit of the world, but we have received the Spirit of God, whereby we know the good things that are given us of God; He teacheth us to know our Hope, our Faith, and a good life, it is the office of the Spirit, and he will certainly perform his Office.
And beloved, did not the Apoſtle know on whom he had believed, 1. Tim. 2.12. I know on whom I have believed; and cannot a Childe of God know aſſuredly that he truely believeth in Chriſt by the works and fruits of his faith purifying his heart, working in him a love to God and his Children, Gal. 5.6. becauſe they bear his Image, may not he certainly conclude true faith worketh by love?
Object. Oh but (ſay the Papiſts) for all this a man cannot know whether he truly love God or no: Do you (ſay they) prove your faith by your love.
Anſw. This is more fooliſh then the other, for if one man love another he knoweth it, and in what meaſure he loveth him, and cannot a Child of God that layeth aſide all earthly pleaſures, and denieth himſelf and ſtandeth for Chriſt and his Goſpel to the ſhedding of his bloud, and yet not know whether he loveth God or no? ſurely then Chriſt did ask of Peter a very idle and frivolous queſtion which were blaſphemie to think; in John 21.15. Peter loveſt thou me? Peter might have ſaid, Lord, thou knoweſt no man can tel whether he love thee, or no, but Peter ſaith, Lord, thou knoweſt that I love thee; ſo that a man may truely know whether he loveth God or no, and ſo be aſſured of his effectual calling.
I but (ſay the Papiſts) grant this, Object. that a Childe of God may know the good things given him of God, and may know Gods love for the preſent, and know himſelf in the ſtate of grace, yet here is a point you littlc think of, ſc. he cannot be ſure of his ſalvation, unleſs he hold out unto the end.
And herein they contradict the plain evidence of the truth of God, Anſw. for Chriſt ſaith, John 3.36. He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God; hath everlasting life: He hath one foot within the gates of Heaven alreadie: For indeede the life, grace and holineſs in this life ſhal be made perfect in Heaven, and the life of the godly here in this world, and of the Saints in Heaven is all one in ſubſtance, differing onelyonly in degree; theirs is perfect, ours is imperfect; and the Apoſtle ſaith, in Romans 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus; ſo that the faith and grace of Gods Children is permanent and laſteth for ever, and this Doctrine of theirs is a meere Antitheſis or contrarietie to God and his Word, 1 Peter 1.5. Gods Children are kept by the power of grace unto ſalvation; doubtleſſe Gods Children ſhal continue unto the end, Gods grace ſhal never depart from them, for he hath made many gracious promiſes to that end, as namely theſe, that God will put his fear in their hearts, that ſhall never depart from me, Jeremie 32.40. And that he having begun the work of grace wil perfect it in Philippians 1.6. And that Chriſt Jeſus is not onelyonly the Authour, but the Conſummator and finiſher of our Faith, Hebrewes 12.2. Let then the enemies of Gods Grace, Papiſts, or Anabaptiſts belch out their blaſphemies, they ſhal never be able to drive a Childe of God from this comfort, that commeth by his effectual calling, that he ſhall certainly be ſaved.
And I might further adde this as a third uſe, Ʋſe: that ſeeing Gods effectual Calling is ſo ſure and certain an evidence of our Election and ſalvation; therefore men ought to make ſpecial account and reckoning of the preaching of the Word; becauſe it is the ordinarie means of Calling, and of conveying grace, and faith, into the hearts and ſouls of men, Romans 10.17. Faith cometh by hearing, and therefore miſerable is the caſe of all Recuſants, Papiſts, Anabaptiſts, and Familiſts that refuſe to hear the Word, and alſo all prophane Atheiſts that deſpiſe the preaching of the Word, and alſo Carnal Goſpellers that are wearie of the preaching of the Word, it is a burthen unto them: but to paſſe by this.
Again further, obſerve we in the next place, that the Apoſtle he rangeth the calling of God into theſe two ſorts, not onelyonly Jewes who came of Jacob, which was no ſtrange thing, becauſe they had many excellent priviledges, but alſo even us that are Gentiles; of another Nation and People, heathen Pagans, ſuch as were without the Covenant, without God, aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, dogs, ſuch as were not worthie of the name of a reaſonable creature; hence then the Concluſion is this.
That Gods effectual Calling of men out of the eſtate of nature into the eſtate of grace reſpects not mens perſons, it reſpecteth not any ſtation, Doctrine. condition or qualification; the excellency of the Jew is no help, nor the baſenes of the Gentiles, no hindrance to Gods effectual calling, the Lord calleth ſome high, ſome low, ſome rich, ſome poore, ſome maſters, ſome ſervants: yea, it is worth our marking, that the Lord called ſome few among the Gentiles before Chriſts incarnation, as Jethro Moſes his father in Law, Job, Ruth, and others, that might be named in 1 Cor. 7.21. Art thou called being a ſervant, thereby implying that the ſervants may be called aſwell as care not for it, and in 1 Tim. 6.2. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh of believing maſters, ſo that ſome of all ſorts and conditions are called, and the ground is this.
Reaſon. Becauſe Gods grace is moſt free, effectual calling reſpecteth not the qualification of men: for if it were tied to the qualification of men, then in all likelihood thoſe perſons ſhould be called of God ſooner then others who are of beſt diſpoſition, of beſt wit and underſtanding, and beſt towardneſſe, thoſe that are moſt civil in their carriage, and moſt unblameable in their lives; but it is not ſo, for the Apoſtle ſaith the contrarie in 1 Cor. 1.26. God hath refuſed the rich and wiſe of the world, and revealed his ſecrets to babes, not to noble and great, and learned men; yea, we finde in the dayes of Chriſt, that Publicans and harlots were made to know the good things of God, when the Philoſophers among the Gentiles, and the Scribes and Phariſees, and Doctors among the Jews were paſſed by, and paſſed over, ſo that God reſpecteth not perſons, nor ſtations, nor qualifications.
Ʋſe 1 This being a truth, ſurely then that cannot be true which ſome do hold and affirm, that Gods grace, and the effectual calling of men, it is given unto men whom God ſeeth fit to receive it, and able to uſe it; If this were ſo then there ſhould be a natural correſpondencie in men anſwerable to the ſupernatural Will of God; then there ſhould be a power in nature to uſe the grace of God, which indeed is an old rotten Pelagian hereſie, long agone rooted out of the Church of God.
Ʋſe 2 This may yield a ground of ſweet and of excellent comfort to ſuch perſons that are of poore and mean condition in the world, of mean gifts, of mean parts in reſpect of underſtanding, here is a matter of ſweet comfort for them, for they are commonly deſpiſed of the men of the world that are of proud diſpoſitions; and indeed ſuch is the curſed corruption of our hearts, that men doe commonly exempt themſelves from the hearing of the Word, becauſe they are ſilly and ſimple poore people; alas ſay they, it is for learned men, for great men, for ſcholars to heare Sermons; we are poore unlettered men and women, and ſo hereby they wrong themſelves; but marke what the Holy Ghoſt ſaith of Wiſedome, in Proverbs 9.9, 10. VVho ſo is ſimple, let him come to me, and thoſe that are deſtitute of wiſedome and underſtanding, let him eate of my bread, and drinke of my wine. And the Lord Jeſus rejoyced in his Spirit, when he conſidered that his Heavenly Father had hid (the things that concerned his Kingdome) from the wiſe and prudent, and revealed them unto babes. So then for to conclude, art thou one that art a mean perſon, and of ſimple underſtanding, be not diſcouraged, for Gods effectual calling is not revealed to rich and great men onelyonly, but whoſoever attendeth to the voyce and call of God, and to the Miniſterie and preaching of his Word among the Gentiles; As Solomon ſpeaketh, Proverbs 8.33. That doth beat the threſholds, and trample in Gods Houſe, and be diligent, and frequent in hearing the will of God; aſſuredly ſhall in Gods due time be wrought upon and effectually called, and be made a Member of the myſtical Body of Chriſt Jeſus: Therefore doe not thou abſent thy ſelfe from Gods Word, but come cheerfully to it, and hear upon all occaſions.