Effectual Calling and Election, Sermon 5
SERMON V.
2 Pet. 1.10.
Wherefore the rather, Brethren, give all diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure.
THe Doctrine I am yet upon in the proſecution of theſe words, is this, That Chriſtians ſhould put forth a great deal of diligence to make this ſure to their ſouls, that they are effectually called by Jeſus Chriſt. In the managing of which, I laid down the laſt Lords day twenty Propoſitions; ten in relation to wicked men not called, and ten Concluſions for the comfort of them that are effectually called by Jeſus Chriſt. I am now to proceed in the diſpatch of ſix caſes of conſcience, which I ſhal handle about effectual calling. Three of which concern men not effectually called, and three touching Believers, who are called by Chriſt to grace here, and to hopes of glory in the world to come.
The three firſt caſes touching wicked men are theſe:
Firſt, Whether a wicked man be able to reſiſt his own call?
Secondly, What temptations doth the Devil ſuggeſt, to keep a wicked man from entertaining and embracing the cal of Jeſus Chriſt?
Thirdly, What deluſions doth the Devil uſe to deceive Hypocrites, to make them preſumptuouſly believe that they are effectually called, when they are not?
There are three caſes more touching godly men: As
Firſt, Whether may a man that is effectually called, be any way aſſured that he is ſo?
Secondly, If a man may be aſſured, then what is the reaſon many a godly man is not aſſured of his effectual calling?
And then Thirdly, How may he come to get the aſſurance of his effectual calling? I begin with the firſt, about wicked men that are not called; and the caſe is this.
Firſt, Whether may a wicked man, a man as yet not called, be able to reſiſt and keep off his own cal?
And that you may underſtand the anſwer hereto, I muſt lay down this diſtinction; That there is a twofold callng of Chriſt:
A Significative calling, and an Operative calling.
Firſt, a Significative calling, which is ſuch a calling whereby Chriſt in the Miniſtry of the word, ſignifies and declares what he would have men to do: Now this kind of cal, wicked men may reſiſt; this cal, I ſay, and this revealed will of God, in declaring what grace he would have men act, and what ſin he would have men forbear: Therefore we read, Acts 7.5. You ſtiff-necked people, and uncircumciſed in heart and eares, you have alwaies reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt; meaning the Preaching of the word, by the Miniſtry of his Apoſtles. So Prov. 1.24. I have called, and ye have refuſed, &c.
But then ſecondly, There is an Operative calling, and that is ſuch a call, whereby God doth not onelyonly ſignifie to a man what he muſt do, but with the ſignification of his wil, gives a man a power to do what he cals him to do, accompanying the word with his Spirit, making the heart ſtoop and yeild to Jeſus Chriſt.
Now this cal no man can reſiſt; Grace is irreſiſtible; and this effectual calling by the operation of the Spirit, a man cannot reſiſt. Al the gain-ſayings of the heart, and al the ſtoutneſſe of the will it muſt ſtoop, and muſt be brought under ſubjection to Jeſus Chriſt, Iohn 6.37. All that the Father hath given me, ſaith Chriſt, ſhall come unto me. They ſhal not be able to withſtand Jeſus Chriſt, but they ſhal come in unto him. So Iſa. 55.10. As the rain comes down, and the ſnow from heaven, and returns not thither again, but waters the earth, to make it bring forth, ſo ſhall my word be that goes out of my mouth, it ſhal not return in vain; but ſhall accompliſh that which I intended, and it ſhall proſper in the thing whereto I ſent it. As al the world cannot hinder the rain from coming down on the earth, no more can any man in the world, if God hath an intent to convert and cal him, hinder the benefit of the word from redounding upon his ſoul.
Now the anſwering of this caſe thus briefly, wil admit of a double Uſe.
Firſt, an Uſe of Condemnation to wicked men,Ʋſe 1. that have often reſiſted the ſignicative call of Jeſus Chriſt. When Chriſt hath ſignified, this is my wil, I would have you leave theſe courſes, and I would have you walk in theſe waies; Chriſt ſignifies his will in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel; yet let Chriſt ſignifie what he wil, you wil do what you lift; this is for thy great condemnation.
Secondly, The anſwering this Query, Ʋſe 2.is for conſolation to elect men, who are not yet converted. Doſt thou belong to Gods Election? Why, before thou art converted, thou haſt a ſtubborn wil, thou haſt a gainſaying heart, thou haſt a ſtout ſpirit againſt God, thy heart is as hard as an Adamant, as hard as the Rocks; yet here is thy comfort, all the gain-ſayings of thy ſpirit, and all the ſtubbornneſſe of thy wil, it ſhal not be able to keep off converting mercy, and ſhall not be able to keep off calling grace from thee: When God hath an intent to call thee, he wil come with Power by his call, and make thee do what he commands thee, and make thee embrace what he calls thee to. Did not Jeſus Chriſt uſe an operative call, as wel as a ſignificative cal, no man in the world would ever be called. And this is the reaſon, that in hearing the ſame Sermon, and following the ſame Preacher, one man is converted, the other is not. The reaſon is this, The cal of the Miniſtry is onelyonly a ſignificative cal of a Reprobate; onelyonly ſignifying what God would have him do: But there is no power conveyed with the invitation to make the man able to do what Chriſt cals him to; and therefore one is called, the other is not. Thus much in in Anſwer to the firſt caſe.
2 Caſe.Secondly, What temptations doth the Devil ſuggeſt to men, who are uncalled, that they ſhould not give entertainment to, or embrace the call of Jeſus Chriſt unto grace and glory? And in anſwer to this, I ſhal lay down onelyonly four ſuggeſtions of the Devil, wherewith he entangles a man, that he ſhould not yeild to the cal of Jeſus Chriſt. And as I lay them down, I ſhal labour to take them a way. As
1. The firſt temptation the Devil wil ſuggeſt, is to you that are young men; and to you he wil ſuggeſt, that you are yet too young to embrace the call of Jeſus Chriſt: 'twil be time enough hereafter, and you may do it ſoon enough hereafter; you are two young now to be abridg'd of your pleaſure, and to mortifie your luſts, and to betake your ſelves unto ſo ſerious a courſe as Chriſt cals you to: and by this temptation, the Devil prevails with young men more eſpecially. And I remember Auſtine ſaith, that this temptation of the Devil made him keep off for ſeven years together, from embracing the cal of Jeſus Chriſt; the Devil would ſtil tel him in his heart, thou art too young to leave thy Drunkenneſſe, and too young to leave thy Harlots; til at laſt he cryed out, How long ſhal I ſay it is too ſoon? Why may I not repent to day? This temptation I ſay, it hath faſtened upon many before you, that they were too young to come in to Jeſus Chriſt; and to this end, the Devil wil ſuggeſt to you that old and falſe Proverb, A young Saint, and an old Devil: Whereas indeed, if you are young Devils, you wil be old Beelzebubs. And therefore this being a ſuggeſtion, prevailing wit… many hearts, I ſhal lay down ſix conſiderations, to take off this temptation, that it may not prevail with you.
Firſt, If the Devil tempt you, that you are too young to hearken to Chriſts cal, conſider, That the Devil cannot give you a Leaſe of your lives; if the Devil could give you a Leaſe of your lives, and tell you, you ſhould live til old age, you might then with more ſafety harken to his temptation; but your lives are not at the Devils diſpoſal: God is the Author of your life; the iſſues of life, and death are in his hands; you may die in youth uncalled, you may be damned, as wel as dead. You may be as theſe men, Job. 36.14. that ſhall die in their youth, and their lives ſhall be among the unclean. And therefore though the Devil tempt you, that you are too young, ſeeing he canno… aſſure you of your lives, you have no reaſon to hearken to his temptation.
Secondly, Suppoſe the Devil could aſſure you, you ſhould live til old age; yet take this conſideration, that in putting off, your calling, and the work of converſion from your youth, this may ſo provoke God, that he may harden your hearts in your old daies, that you ſhal have no heart to think of, and embrace the call and invitation of Jeſus Chriſt. Jer. 22.21. I ſpake to thee in thy proſperity, but thou wouldſt not hear, and this hath been thy manner fr…m thy youth; Thou wouldſt not obey my voyce. God ſpake but they would not hear, and it was from their youth that they did thus; therefore God would never ſpeak more: God hardened their hearts, that they ſhould never receive or embrace the cal of Jeſus Chriſt. So Iſa. 6.9, 10. Seeing the Jewes from their youth were obſtinate againſt the word of God, Go, (ſaith God) make their ears heavy, and their hearts fat, and their eyes blind, that they ſhould not be called, and converted, and I ſhould ſave them. Let this therefore be a ſecond conſideration, that the putting off your cal til your old age, may ſo provoke God, as never to give you hearts to embrace his cal.
Thirdly, Suppoſe al this, that you could have a Leaſe of your lives, and you could be aſſured, that when you come to old age, your hearts ſhould not be hardened; yet conſider this, that the more ſinful and evil the daies of your youth have been, the more diſquietneſſe of minde, and horror of conſcience will this breed in you when you are old, though you ſhal be called, and converted by Jeſus Chriſt. Job. 13.24.25, 26. Thou …ideſt thy face, thou holdeſt me as thy Enemy. Thou doſt drive me as a leaf to and fro, and thou doſt purſue me like dry ſtubb…e. Now why doth Job complain thus? Mark the next words, For th…u writeſt bitter things againſt me, and makeſt me to poſſeſſe the iniquities of my youth. Job, when he was a young man, it ſeem…, he was a wicked man, and had many ſins in his youth, and this in his old age made him cry out, and ſay, that God took him for his Enemy, and that God brake him like a leafe driven with the wind. O beloved, the ſins of your youth, though you ſhould be Jobs, converted, yet they wil bring great diſquietneſſe, and great horro…, when you come to age; the luſts of youth, and the vanities of youth, and the ſenſual pleaſures of your youthful daies, they wil lay a foundation of ſorrow, when you come to gray hairs, to be neare your graves; ſo Job 20.11. And therefore, put the caſe you ſhould repent, and ſhould be called when you are old, you have no cauſe to put off the cal of Jeſus Chriſt, ſeeing ſins of youth wil fill you with horror and diſquietneſſe of minde. Hence it is, that David, after he was call'd by the power of the word, cries out, Pſal. 25. Lord, remember not the ſins of my youth; that gravelled and gall'd his conſcience,Quae fue…nt inania j…ventutis …udia, haec u…t acerba ſenect…s gravamina. the ſins of his youth before his cal. It is the ſpeech of an Author, that to look on the pleaſurable vanities and contents of youth, this wil become an heavy burden, and bitter vexation to old age. Beloved, the more evil you run out into in your youthful daies, the greater and deeper foundation of diſquietneſſe and ſorrow you lay in your ſouls in your latter daies, though you ſhould be called by Jeſus Chriſt.
4. If the Devil ſuggeſt, that you are too young to embrace the invitation of Chriſt: conſider, That Jeſus Chriſt wll take it moſt kindly at your hands, if while you are young you wil give entertainment to his cal, Jer. 2.2. I remember thee, ſaith the Lord, and the kindneſſe of thy youth, that thou wouldſt follow me in the Wilderneſſe, in a land that was not ſown. Mark how the Lord ſpeaks, and how kindly he takes it, that they would in their youth follow God; the Lord wil remember it, and take it acceptable from you, if while you are young, while the Marrow is in your bones, and ſtrength in your joynts, you wil embrace the waies of Jeſus Chriſt. It is an obſervation that ſome have, concerning the Beloved Diſciple John, John 20. He is called the Diſciple whom Chriſt loved, and that leaned upon his breſt; of al the other eleven Diſciples, Chriſt did love John above the reſt; and Divines give this reaſon of it, John was the youngeſt of al the Diſciples; he was converted and called by Chriſt, when he was a young man; and Chriſt ſeeing a young man follow him, took this very kindly at his hands, and cals him his beloved Diſciple. As you that are Parents, you let your little Children ſit in your lap, when your great ones ſhall not; ſo Iohn, he being a young man, Chriſt would let him lean upon his breſt, and lie in his boſome, expreſſing his kindneſſe to him.
Now, O how ſhould this beat off this temptation that you are too young to follow Chriſt, becauſe Chriſt takes it ſo kindly at your hands, if you imbrace this call in time? nay, Chriſt doth take it ſo kindly, that he doth love bare Morality and Civility in young men; and therefore it is ſaid in Matthew, when Chriſt ſaw the young man, and he told him, I have obſerved theſe things from my youth, Chriſt look'd upon him, and loved him: Chriſt ſhewed a general love to the young man,Matt. 19.20. that was but a Moral man from his youth; and if Chriſt love Morality, he wil much more love Piety, and true Syncerity. It is obſerved of Timothy, that of one particular man, Paul expreſſed more love to Timothy then to any other: Read over al the book of God, you ſhal never finde Paul expreſſe ſo much love to any as to Timothy; he cals him Timothy my ſon, Timothy who ſerveth me as a childe, and Timothy my dearly beloved; and why was all this? Why the reaſon is, becauſe Timothy from a child was converted, and knew the Scriptures, 2. Tim. 3.6. He was from a child converted and called by the Miniſtry of the word in Paul… m…uth, and …his did indear the heart of Paul unto him. You read in the book of L…viticus, that when God did require a Sacrifice, he would not have an old Sheep, but a …oung Lamb, a Lamb of a year old, and a Kid of the youngeſt of the Flock: And it was ſignificative in this, not only to ſhew that Chriſt our Sacrific… ſh…uld die and ſuffer for our ſins … flower of his age, but alſo to ſhew that Jeſus Chriſt loo…s upon that as an abominable Sacrifice, when you wil not be of his Fold while y…u are as young lamb…. O Beloved, Chriſt takes it wonderful kindly, if in your youth you do embrace his call.
Fifthly, Yield not to the Devils temptation, conſidering this, that though you ſhould be converted in your old age, yet Chriſt cannot but take this very unkindly at your hands, that you ſhould put him off until your laſt end, that you reſerve (if any part, yet) the worſt part for his ſervice. You know when Chriſt ſtood all the night for his Spouſe, till his head was full of dew, and his locks were wet with the drops of the night, he got him gone becauſe ſhe came not, and would ſtay no longer. O how unkindly (think you) wil Chriſt take this, when he ſhal wait year after year, and yet you wil not embrace his cal…!
It is ſaid in Iſaiah, All the day long have I ſtretched out my hand to a rebellious people, yet t…ey w…uld not hear: and Mal. 1. Offer the lame and the blind to the Governour, will he accept of it?
Chriſt muſt needs take this unkindly, that you ſhould give the Devil the flower of your age, and give to Chriſt but the decrepit and infirm parts of your lives, that the Devil ſhould ſuck out the Marrow of your youth, and onelyonly give God the dry bones, a palſie head, a dim eye, a weak body, and ſo all your ſervices muſt needs be weak alſo: and think but how unkindly Chriſt wil take your ſervices thus performed.
Sixthly, conſider this, That from your Birth-day, to your dying day, you have time little enough to carry on the buſineſſe of your ſalvation, ſhould you live never ſo long; and therefore you have no cauſe to put off the cal of Ieſus Chriſt. And thus much be ſpoken by way of ſatisfaction, to take off the firſt temptation, that you are too young to give entertainment to the cal of Ieſus Chriſt: and this I doe for the ſake of young men, that they may take heed of being inſnar'd by this d…luſion of th… Devil.
2. Sug. 2. Here it may be, the Devil cannot inſnare you in this Gin: Old men wil ſay, this concerns not …e, I am not taken with this temptation, therefore now the Devil comes upon them with this ſuggeſtion: Saith the Devil to them, You cannot now give entertainment to the cal of Jeſus Chriſt, for you have callings in the world to follow; you have a particular calling, and you muſt provide for Wife, and Children, and Familie, and lay up for future times, againſt old age and ſickneſſe, and therefore you cannot be at leaſure now to give entertainment to the cal of Jeſus Chriſt; when I am more at leaſure, I may look after my effectual calling: And this alſo ſticks very cloſe to a great many.
And to take off this ſuggeſtion of the Devil, I ſhal lay down ſix particulars alſo, by way of Anſwer. As
Firſt, God never intended that our outward calling ſhould any way hinder us in the work of our converſion. God never intended that our imployments upon earth, ſhould juſtle out the neceſſarie proviſion for heaven. But God hath ſo given out our callings here in the world, that he hath made and ordained them to be ſubordinate to our general and effectual calling, to the great buſineſs of Gods glorie and our own ſalvation.
It is ſaid of Noah, that he walked with God, Gen. 6.14.and was perfect in his generation. And yet Noah was imployed by God for ſome time, to wit for 120 years in a Handicraft-calling, to build an Hrk, to ſhew that God did never intend that Noah's making an Ark ſhould any way hinder his walking with God, or carrying on the work of his ſoul. Though you have callings to follow, and families to provide for, yet God did never intend your outward calling ſhould juſtle out your inward and effectual calling.
Secondly, Conſider you that make this plea, whether you doe not imbezel away much time from your outward calling, which you do not imploy in the concernments of your ſouls, but in the works of ſin and Satan. There is many a man that can plead he hath no leaſure to pray, nor no leaſure to hear a Sermon, he muſt follow his calling; yet this man can follow a Whore, and follow a Tavern, and theſe men can ſpend a whole day upon recreation, and yet can ſpare no time, finde no leaſure to hearken to Jeſus Chriſt. This now ſhould be a great conviction to you that pretend you muſt follow your calling, that you can neglect your calling, to follow your ſenſual and vain courſes, and yet can ſpare no time to make your ſouls happie.
Thirdly, You that plead your outward calling in the world, to be an excuſe why you cannot hearken to your effectual calling by Jeſus Chriſt; conſider this, that this plea hath damned many a ſoul before you, and wil damn you alſo, if you look not to it. This hath been an ancient plea, Luk. 14.18, 19, 20. When Chriſt called a companie of men there to come to him, what excuſe have they? Saith one, I have bought a yoke of oxen, and I muſt prove them. I have bought a Farm, ſaith another, and I muſt manage that. I have marria wife, and therefore cannot come, ſaith a third. All theſe were lawful callings, and yet theſe callings kept them from Heaven, and kept them from Jeſus Chriſt. You read Acts 24.25. When Paul did ſtartle Felix's conſcience by a powerful Sermon of judgement to come, Felix's heart trembled; but mark now, how did Felix put off the power of the word? Why, Now, ſaith he, I am not at leaſure, but go thy waies, and in convenient time I will ſend for thee to ſpeak of this matter. As if he ſhould ſay, I am now to go about ſome other buſineſs, about the affairs of my Kingdome, and cannot have leaſure to hear thee now: and ſo by ſome outward imployment, he juſtled the power of the word from his heart, and had not convenient time to imbrace Jeſus Chriſt.
Fourthly, Conſider this, That this plea of yours (in making your callings an excuſe to neglect your effectual calling) it is the only way to provoke God to curſe and blaſt all your outward callings to you, and to engage him to curſe all you put your hands unto. Hagg. 1.6 9. Becauſe they neglected Gods Worſhip, and Gods Ordinances, Therefore, ſaith God, you ſhall have much, but it ſhall come to nothing; and what you get, you ſhall put into a bag with holes: You ſhal loſe all you get, and all you ſow, and all you labour for, becauſe you would not look after Gods worſhip. So Micah 6.13, 14. I will make thee ſick in ſmiting thee, and deſolate becauſe of thy ſins. Thou ſhalt eat, and not be ſatisfied: thou ſhalt ſow, and not reap: thou ſhalt tread Olives, and not anoint thy ſelfe with oyle; and make ſweet wine, but ſhalt not drink it. For the ſtatutes of Omri are kept, and all the manners of the houſe of Ahab, and you walk in their counſels. As much as if the Lord ſhould ſay, You wil not hearken to my Statutes, and to my Counſels, but Omri's ſtatutes, and Ahabs counſel you wil hearken to, Therefore now, you ſhall eat, and not be ſatisfied; ſow, and not reap: That is, God wil curſe what you have, and what you doe, becauſe you wil not hearken to Gods cal and counſel. So Deut. 28.38. to 46. Thou ſhalt carry much ſeed into the field, and gather but little, the Locuſts ſhall conſume it; ther's one curſe: And ſhalt plant Vineyards, but ſhalt not drink the wine, nor gather the grapes, the worm ſhall eat them; another curſe. Thou ſhalt have Olive-trees throughout all thy coaſts, but ſhalt not anoint thy ſelfe with Oyl, for thy Olives ſhall fall; there's a third curſe. Thou ſhalt beget ſons and daughters, but ſhalt not enjoy them; all the trees and fruit of the Land ſhall be conſumed. Now what's the reaſon of all this, that God ſhould thus blaſt their callings and their comforts to them? Verſe 45. Yea all theſe curſes ſhall come upon thee, and purſue thee, and overtake thee, becauſe thou hearknedſt not to the voice of thy God, to keep his commandements, and his ſtatutes which he commanded thee. Here is the reaſon, they would not hearken to God, nor obey God, and therefore God would blaſt their comforts to them. Now then, Beloved, think of this, you that make your callings a plea why you cannot hearken to the call of Chriſt; this plea is a great provocation to engage God to blaſt, and to curſe your very callings to you.
Fifthly, Take this conſideration, that God will the more bleſſe you in your callings and proſper you in the work of your hands, the more conſciencious you are in hearkning to the call and invitation of Jeſus Chriſt. And the reaſon is, becauſe Godlineſſe hath not onelyonly a promiſe of the life to come, but of this life alſo. 1. Tim. 4.8. And Mal. 3.10, 11, 12. Bring yea all the tythes into the Store-houſe, that there may be meat in my houſe; that is, ſaith God, Uſe all means, and take all care, that there may be meat in my houſe, that Ordinances may be on foot, that my worſhip may be maintained; and what then? And if you will take care of his Ordinances, God bids you prove him, and try him, if he will not take care of you. ver. 11. M…rk the words, Let there be meat in my houſe, and prove me now, ſaith the Lord; if I will not open the windows of heaven, and poure forth a bleſſing upon you, and there ſhall not be room enough to receive it. A ſtrange bleſſing: that if men wil take care to have meat in Gods house, & have a care of Gods ordinances, God would open the very windows of hea…en, and make the earth ſo fruitful, they ſhould not have room to receive Gods bleſſings. And I will rebuke the devourer for your ſakes, and all Nations ſhall call you bleſſed, and call you a delightſome land. Here now you ſee if you will take care of Gods Ordinances, and imbrace his cal, God wil bleſſe your outward calling the more; and give you in a more abundant increaſe, if you imbrace the cal of Jeſus Chriſt.
6. You that urge your outward callings as a reaſon why you cannot hearken to the cal of Chriſt: take this for anſwer, that if truth were known, it is not the urgencie of your callings, but the obſtinacie of your wils, and the ſlugiſhneſſe of your ſpirits is the cauſe, you do not give entertainment to the cal of Jeſus Chriſt. If it were mens callings urged them, they would not take pleaſure in ſin; therefore, it is not their callings, but the badneſſe of their hearts: they do not love Chriſt, and love his waie…, but think it too induſtrious a work to labour for converſion; and therefore they make this plea. John 5.40. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life: When will is wanting, ſaith Doctor Preſton, any vain excuſe wil be pretended. When wil is wanting to walk in the waies of God, any groundleſſe pretence wil be made to excuſe their negligence. And thus much to take off the ſecond ſuggeſtion, that men have callings to follow in the world, and therefore they hauehave no leiſure to look after their effectual calling by Jeſus Chriſt.
3. Sug. Thirdly, The Devil ſuggeſts, if you give entertainment to the cal of Jeſus Chriſt, this wil expoſe you to a great deal of povertie, and perſecution in this world; and therefore you muſt not hearken to his cal: And he wil urge Scripture for this. Firſt, for poverty, the Devil wil urge Matth. 8.19, 20. Chriſt ſaid, the Foxes have holes, the Birds of the air have neſts; but the Son of man hath no where to lay his head: The Devil wil urge this Scripture, and tel you, you are expoſed to poverty, want, and beggery, if you follow Chriſt. And this we read in hiſtory likewiſe of Lucius, the fi…ſt Chriſtian King that ever England had; (and indeed the firſt Chriſtian King that ever any Nation had, to the glory of England; ſo Gildas in his life tels us) And this King though he was turned to Chriſtianity; yet for many years he had this temptation upon him, that the Chriſtians were poorer then the Romans, that did not embrace Jeſus Chriſt; and this temptation he could hardly ſhake off: the Romans were more wealthy, and the Romans were more warlick, and ſo had like to have been overcome with this ſuggeſtion. Agolantus a heathen Prince, being taken priſoner by the Emperor and being in his Court, he ſaw thirty or forty poor men in poor clothes walking in the Palace; and demanding of the Emperor who thoſe poor men were, the Emperor told him they are the followers of Jeſus Chriſt; are they ſo, ſaith he? If Chriſt keep his followers in ſuch a low condition, I wil never follow Jeſus Chriſt. The poorneſſe of Chriſts followers, made him ſtumble at Chriſtianity. There are many men, eſpecially the gallants of the times, they ſee a company of poor ſilly women come with a Bible under their armes; and they embrace the faith, and they love it; and this is a marvellous great offence to them, that they wil not follow Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe of the poverty they are expoſed to in the wayes of Jeſus Chriſt: And then for perſecution alſo, that they are not onelyonly expoſed to want, but to loſſe of liberty, and good name, and life alſo; Matth 10.38. You muſt take up the croſs: theſe are tedious termes to fleſh and blood, and this doth wonderfully gravel and keep back men from entertaining of Chriſt. Now to take off this temptation of the Devil, that it might not ſeize upon your hearts, I ſhal lay down ſix paticulars by way of anſwer.
Firſt, That the ſervants of God of old time, th…y had rather chuſe poverty and perſecution with the people of God, then to enjoy the vanities and profits of this world with wicked men. And this was Moſes's choice, Heb. 11.24 25. Moſes when he came to years, refuſed to be called the ſon of Pharaohs Daughter; c…uſi…g rather t… ſuffer a…fliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon; eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt better then all the riches of Aegypt. Moſes, when he came to years; it was no childiſh act, but an act of deliberation; and it was no conſtrained act, but Moſes choice rather, it was an act of his own choice, rather to have affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſure of ſin for a ſeaſon. It was ſpoken of Mr. Philpot his being in the Cole-houſe at Windſor, a diſmal and dark place. Saith one, I had rather be with Philpot in the Cole-houſe, then be with Bonner in his Palace. And being asked, why? the one being ſo diſmal, the other ſo beautiful? ſaith he, the reaſon is, becauſe Bonners conſcience makes his Palace a cole-houſe; but Philpots God, and Philpots Chriſt makes his cole-houſe a Palace. And Beloved, this is a truth; though a man ſhould be a beggar, if he be rich in faith, he is the happieſt man in the world. Though a man ſhould beg his bread from door to door, if he can beg Chriſt and have it, and beg grace and have it; he is the richeſt man upon earth. This therefore is my firſt anſwer, that the ſervants of God, had rather chuſe afflictions with the people of God, then have pleaſures with wicked men.
Secondly, Suppoſe you meet with poverty and perſecution in following Chriſt, yet conſider, Jeſus Chriſt doth make you abundant recompence with that inward peace, and inward joy he fils your hearts withal, for all the outward troubles you meet with in the world. John 16.33. In the world you ſhall have tribulation; but mark the Cordial, In me ye ſhall have peace, therefore be of good chear, I have overcome the world. Though you have troubles in the world, yet you have joy in me, and peace in me; and therefore why ſhould you be offended?
3. Conſider, Though you want many things in the world, yet you ſhal want nothing that is good for you; Pſal. 84.11. He will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that live a godly life. If riches be good for thee, thou ſhalt not want it; if wealth be good for you, you ſhal not want it; if eſtate be good for you, you ſhal not want that; for he will with-hold nothing from them that live a godly life.
4. A gracious heart, if he hath or can finde that he hath a real intereſt in Chriſt, though he wants much in the world, he thinks he wants nothing: but he hath all things in having a Chriſt; nor wil he complain of poverty, when endowed with riches of heaven. Luke 22.25. And Chriſt ſaid unto them, when I ſent you without purſe, and without ſcripe, and ſhooes, lacked you any thing? Mark the queſtion. Now, if a carnal man had been to anſwer this, what would he have ſaid? What? ſend a man without a purſe, then he wants money; ſend him without a ſcrip, he wants meat; ſend him without ſhooes, a man is a poor man indeed, that hath no ſhooes to his feet; a carnal man would have ſaid, Yes Lord, we want mony, and we want meat, and we want ſhooes; but ask the Diſciples, wanted you any thing? They ſaid Nothing. And why was this? Becauſe the Diſciples knew they had a grounded intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt, and a right to Jeſus Chriſt, and though they wanted theſe poor outward comforts, they did not want Chriſts comfort, and Chriſts graces; and therefore when they had neither purſe, ſcrip, nor ſhooes, they wanted nothing. Why, O Beloved, if you were of the temper of theſe gracious Diſciples, you would ſay ſo too; that if you can finde a grounded and real intereſt in Chriſt, though you want many of the comforts of this world, you will ſay you want nothing. Wanted you any thing? and they ſaid Nothing.
5. You that make poverty and perſecution a plea, Conſider this, that the poor are ordinarily the moſt people that Jeſus Chriſt doth call to embrace his Goſpel. The poor receive the Goſpel, ſaith Chriſt, and bleſſed are you that are not offended at it; Not many wiſe, not many noble are called, but the poor things of the world hath God choſen. 1 Cor. 1.26. And in James, God hath choſe the poor of this world to be rich in faith. Doe not therefore Beloved make this a plea to keep off from Chriſt, becauſe ordinarily they are the people Chriſt pitcheth moſt love upon, and doth delight to make them rich in grace, who are poore in goods.
6. Conſider, That if upon this ground you refuſe the cal of Jeſus Chriſt, you are expoſed to more povertie, and to worſe p…rſecution then ever you could be expoſed to in the entertaining of Chriſt. In the following of Chriſt you are only expoſed to an outward povertie; but in neglecting the cal of Chriſt, you are expoſed to be poor in faith, and to be ſuch a beggar, as not to be endowed with one dram of grace, and then you are beggars indeed. As we ſay, he is a poore man that God hates: He that hath not Chriſt, and hath not the treaſures of heaven in him, he is expoſed to worſe poverty a thouſand times then he can be for imbracing the cal of Jeſus Chriſt, Rev. 3.17. Yea, and he is expoſed to worſe perſecution alſo, that for fear of perſecution neglects Jeſus Chriſt. Pſal. 83.5. The Lord will perſecute them, ſaith David, with fury and wrath, ſpeaking of wicked men. All perſecution from man reaches but to the body, but this from God reaches to the ſoul.
7. And then laſtly, This ſhould not hinder you from following Jeſus Chriſt, conſidering, that though you ſhould be poor, and ſhould be perſecuted, yet heaven wil make you amends for all, Heb. 11.35. Heaven wil make amends for povertie, when you are endowed with all the riches of Chriſt, and Heaven wil make amends for perſecution, when there the weary ſhal be at reſt, and there the troubled ſhal be at ease. And thus much be ſpoken of the third ſuggeſtion of the Devil, that if you entertain the cal of Jeſus Chriſt, you ſhal be expoſed to much povertie, and perſecution here in the world.