Exposition Upon 1 Peter, Biblical exegesis · Chapter 2 · Verse 9
Verse 9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
NOw he returns to the Believers again, and having spoken grievous things of the wicked, that they stumbled at Christ and the Word, and should perish; lest they should be dismaid, as if this also might be their case (some of them having been very grievous sinners) he now endeavors to prevent this their fear, But ye (saith he) are a chosen generation; as if he should have said, They stumbled, because they were ordained to it, but you shall stand, because you are elected of God: Thus he comforts them, and reckons up a number of priviledges, whereof Gods election was the ground; as, that they were a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; in all which he opposeth them to the Unbelievers; You are a chosen generation, they a reprobate rout; You a royal priesthood, they a prophane and base company; You an holy nation, they (whether Gentiles or Jews) an unholy company; You a peculiar people, they the servants of sin and Satan: Then sets down the end of all.
In general observe we two things,Observ.
1. That the Apostle not onelyonly divides the people into good and bad,Ministers must speak comfortably to the good, contrarily to the bad. and sends the Sheep to their fold, the Fox to his den, but he speaks exceeding comfortably to the good, exceeding terribly to the wicked; setting forth the ones happiness, and the others misery; and so must the Ministers of God do.
2. That he delivers the Word so warily,Observ. that the godly might not be dismaid at the threatnings against the wicked:They are warily to deliver the Word, that each may take his due portion. Hence may Ministers learn wisdom, to give every one their portion; and this is to divide the Word aright, to cut and part it, not to rend it. Thus the Prophets having vehemently threatned, by and by, lest the godly should be cast down, adde comforts and promises: When they deliver comforts, they must bid the wicked stand off; so when they speak of judgements, they must so speak, that the afflicted in Conscience may not be troubled, for people are ready to misapply that they hear: Wicked men when they catch hold of the Doctrine of Gods mercy, they snatch that which no way belongs to them; and for humble ones in affliction of Conscience, Oh, all terrible things they can apply, and they work on them, but the promises and comforts they cannot fasten on.
In particular consider we the priviledges here mentioned, and the end of them.
A chosen generation,] What election is.This is the first priviledge. Election is the decree of God, whereby in himself, and for his own glory, he hath unchangeably ordained some men to Salvation and life Eternal: Where consider,
1. That God before the world hath ordained some men to Salvation:Doctr. This is plain from these Scriptures,God before the world hath ordained some men to Salvation. Luke 10. 20. Eph. 1. 4. Phil. 2. 12. 1 Thess. 5. 9. 2 Thess. 2. 13. His election is compared to a Book, and the Lord to a General, that books his Soldiers names, or a Corporation where they book all the Freemens names. Again, we see some men be saved, therefore were it so decreed; for whatsoever is, was eternally decreed of God.
1. This sets out the infinite love of God to mankinde,Use 1. who might have been glorified in the Damnation of us all.
2. This confutes that Opinion,Use 2. That God elected none before the World, but that he generally appointed all to be saved alike, and therefore gave Christ to dye for all, and when any receive grace, then God elects them: Doth every wise man set down certainly his end, before he begin his work? and onelyonly the God of Wisdom go uncertainly to work? And did Christ lay down his life for any other but his sheep? vouchsafeth he intercession for any other? nay, excludeth he not all others? If Christ had dyed for them, then they should have been saved, for his death is infinitely meritorious: If he dyed for any, and they not be saved, he should miss of his purpose.
Adam and Christ are two common persons,Object. and roots; therefore as Adam lost all, so Christ restored all.
They are indeed alike in many respects,Sol. as namely in this, That they communicate to others that which was in themselves; Adam, sin, and death; Christ, righteousness and life, but not to both alike: Adam lost all, Christ recovered but some.
Then Adams sin was of more force then Christs death and obedience.Obj.
Not so,Sol. for its easier to destroy, then to build: If Christ had saved but one, it had argued more force then Adams sin to destroy all: A childe can break a glass, which all the men in the Town cannot make up again, yet the childe hath not more force then they.
Why then is Christ preached to them?Obj.
Christ must be offered to all,Sol. for we know not who they be for whom Christ dyed; let us take knowledge of Gods Ordinance, all be not saved, for there is no Election where all are taken. Besides, if he did Elect all, and all be not saved (as we know they are not) then is God hindred of his will,Psal. 115. 3. & 135. 6. which were impious to imagine: He doth whatsoever he will, and man cannot over-rule his will.
2. That the cause why God ordained some men to Salvation,Doctr. was,The cause hereof was because he would because he would; I will have mercy, saith he, on whom I will have mercy; Its according to the good pleasure of his will, nothing out of himself:Rom. 9. 15. He saves no man but by faith in Christ and new obedience,Eph. 1. 5. but this was not the cause of Election, but the will of God onelyonly; for we must put a difference between the Decree of God and the execution thereof.
1. This confutes that opinion of foreseen Faith and Works;Use 1. Faith and Sanctification are the consequents of Election,See Eph. 1. 4. and 2. 10. and not any thing precedent: God could not see any difference between men, that some would of their own accord receive grace, believe and obey; for there is no such thing in our nature, we are all alike: And could no… the Lord as well chuse men to Salvation freely before the World, as in the World to bestow grace upon them, denying it to others: and hereof not mans Salvation, but his own glory is the further end.
2. This ought to binde us to thankfulness and duty to God for ever,Use 2. that of Free grace hath loved us, and to walk humbly before him, acknowledging nothing in our selves but wretchedness, and that all our welfare, past, present and to come, is of his free and especial grace; By grace we are saved.Eph. 2.
3. That the number of Elect is small;Doctr. Many called, few chosen: Christ calls his A little flock that shall have the Kingdom.The number of the Elect small. True, by themselves they are numberless: The true Israel of Jews and Gentiles that already are,Mat. 22. 14. or hereafter to be gathered by the Preaching of Christ and the Gospel,Luke 12. 32. is to man without count,Rev. 7. 4. yet if compared to the wicked,Hosea 1. 17. they are onelyonly an handful: As may appear before Christ, when onelyonly the little handful of the Jews was Gods Church, and among them most Hypocrices and Idolators, few true worshippers of God: Since Christs coming, and at this time, what vast Nations know not Christ? What a breadth under Antichrist, that know him corruptly? and among our selves that have him truly Preached, and offered in the Word and Sacraments, yet how few believe and obey, and have the inward calling which should make Election known? And its certain and determined, the number can be made neither less nor more.
How ought this to whet on our care and diligence to know our selves of this number?Use. That which all have, no man greatly esteems; but that which few have, most strive after, as Wealth, Honor, Offices, &c. so should we in this: If of Twenty Traitors a Pardon were but for six, what earnestness would be in all to know whether they were of that small number? Is it not therefore fearful to see how desperate the world is, that this being so, yet so few lay it to heart, but rather are so secure, as if very few were appointed to miss of Salvation, and as if all mens names were written in the book of life?2 Pet. 1. 10. But we must give diligence to make our calling and election sure.
4. That they which be Elect cannot but be saved,Doctr. they cannot perish: God will certainly call them out of the world and their bad estate,They that be Elect cannot but be saved. and being effectually called, he will keep them to Salvation that they shall never perish: He will not lose one, but call them either ordinarily by his Word Preached, if it be in the Church, or by some extraordinary means, if it be among Gods enemies: Among our selves they that belong to God shall at one time or other be brought to the Word, or the Word to them; and hence comes the removing of the Gospel from place to place. How many have been brought to the Word upon occasion of a Marriage, or to see their Friends, or to wait on their Masters, or to speak with some body at Sermon, or to make their Market, or being provoked by some Neighbor, &c? And hence it is also that when the Word is Preached, some have their hearts opened, humbled, converted; others remain blinde and impenitent, namely, because God hath elected those, not these. True it is, that the Elect before their calling are as other men,Rom. 6. 17. as bad as the worst; yea, commit any sin that a Reprobate doth,2 Cor. 6. 11. save that against the Holy Ghost: What were Abraham and Paul? Acts 13. 48.the one an Idolator, the other a Persecutor?Rom. 8. 30. Hence the World lasts still to gather up the Elect behinde;2 Pet. 3. 9. Whosoever belong hereto, shall certainly be called.
1. This confutes that blinde and desperate speech of them that say,Use 1. If they be Elect they shall be saved howsoever they live: This cannot be, for whom God hath Elected, he will call, they shall have the means, and they shall be effectual; therefore thou must come to the means, and pray they may be effectual: If thou contemnest the means, and wilst not be obedient thereto, its a certain argument of no Election; for whom he Ordains to the end, he Ordains also to the means; so also having once effectually called them, he will never lose them:2 Tim. 2. 19. His gifts and calling are without Repentance: The foundation of God standeth sure, having the Seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: They may indeed stumble and fall, but by vertue of Gods Election they shall rise again, as did Peter and David; Their falling shews their own weakness, their rising the unchangeableness of Gods Election.
The Apostle speaketh to whole Churches,Object. that they were Elect of God, and yet many fell away.
1. He so speaks in respect of the better part,Sol. the true Elect among them. 2. In the Judgement of charity, for that they did outwardly profess the Word of God and live within compass, and so we do, and must esteem of such till they shew the contrary.
Its said,Obj. Him will I blot out of my book.
Its no more,Exod. 32. 33. but declare by my Judgement, that they were never written therein,Sol. by discovering them to be but Hypocrites.
But Moses his wish was,Object. To be blotted out of the book of life; and Pauls, To be accursed from Christ.Exod. 32. 32.
These were but to shew their fervent affection to the people,Rom. 9. 3. and exceeding zeal to Gods glory,Sol. not that they could so be.
But saith our Savior,Object. I have chosen you twelve, and one of you is a Devil.
This is meant of an outward choyce to the office of Apostleship,Solut. and not the eternal decree of Gods Election. And
2. This is matter of exceeding comfort to all that can prove themselves of this number:Use 2. They must not be dismaid, though they be weak, and see great ones for gifts revolt and come to nothing: They fell, being ordained thereunto; thou shalt stand, though weak, by vertue of Election: This also comforts when we consider our own frailty, Satans subtilty, malice, and diligence, and his great conquests in the World; though there be matter from hence to make us humble, and fear, and stand on our watch, yet no cause of despair that we shall fall finally. True, if we were in Adams case, and our Salvation were in our own hand to lose, we might so fall; but we are kept of God the Father, he Elected us, and committed us, and gave us to the Son to be Redeemed, and the Son having so done, commits us back again to the Father to be kept by his power:Iohn 17. 11. Therefore we are in a strong hand, and none can pluck us out of it; This heartens in the service of God, to go on chearfully in duty.Doctr.
5. That a man may come to know,A man may know and be assured of his Election. and to be assured of his Election. Hereof see Downhams Spiritual warfare, page 186. where the point is handled. This bewrays the wicked cruelty of the Papists,See Luk. 10. 20. who for their own gain keep back this comfort from the people,2 Pet. 1. 10. making them believe, it were presumption to be assured: but they must be of good hope (say they) and for the effecting of it, they must go on Pilgrimage to such and such Saints, do such Works, make Vows to build such a Monastrey, repair such a Church, and give thus much to the Priest for Trentals, Masses and Dirges, that if they come into Purgatory, hereby they may be speedily holpen out: O what thanks owe we to God that we are delivered from such Tormentors! And if any of our Consciences be wounded, we we are led to the Free-grace, and all-sufficient Merits of Christ, and so are bound up and soundly comforted, finding that whereon firmly to rest; whereas they leave any in as bad or worse case then they found them, who having done as they were by them enjoyned, are at as great uncertainty as they were before: So that we under the Gospel save the extream toil of our Bodies, the robbing of our Purses, and that which is worst of all, the discomfort of our Souls (which they under Popery and Popish Teachers undergo) and are faithfully dealt with by the mercy of God and Merits of Christ: God hath not appointed his Servants to wrestle with Flesh, World, and Devil, and all opposites, and left them onelyonly a blank and uncertain hope, but an assurance of their Election past, and Salvation to come, which carries them through all, and is the foundation of a good life.
The Notes of Election are 1. Faith.Notes of Election. 2. Sanctification. 3. Obedience to the Word. 4. Love to the Saints, as may appear in these Scriptures following; Acts 13. 48. Romans 8. 1. Psalm 15. 2. 2 Peter 1. 5. John 10. 27. with John 3. 14. Epistle the first. These, though some imagine they have, but have not, as one may dream of great Wealth, yet waking is Poor; yet as a Rich man may know he is Rich, they that have them, may and do certainly know they have them; Every of which is required to Salvation.
1. Seeing the Lord hath left this to be obtained by the Sons of men here on Earth,Use 1. how should this provoke every man with more carefulness then can be expressed to finde out this Pearl? If we upon tryal of our selves can prove by these and the like infallible arguments that we have found it, then may we rejoyce above all rejoycing, yea, more then if we were Crowned Kings to day, for the priviledges of the Elect are most sweet and admirable.
2. O be thankful to God highly,Use 2. stand and wonder at the greatness and freeness of this favor all thy days, that he passing by so many thousands as good as thy self, should yet choose thee!
3. Yea,Use 3. Covenant to give thy Body, Soul, Life, and all to glorifie him in a most zealous and faithful maner: As a man choosing carefully an Arrow out of his Quiver, looks it should go right, and flie far over another. O let us do so in the service of God, and all good works: O what shame is it that such persons as have this assurance, should be dull and slow If upon tryal we cannot finde these notes of Election, What then? Why, what hast thou upon tryal? O saith some poor soul, if there be no notes of Election but these, I am in a woful case, and yet I have been laboring hard about this matter, to make my state good if it might be possible! Well, you say well, that is a good sign. Are you utterly lost in your selves?Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit: Dost thou mourn under the heavy burthen of thy sins? Blessed are they that mourn: Hearing of Christ, dost thou highly prize him, & earnestly long after him? Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness. And dost thou desire to take up Christs yoke, though yet thou findest little power? Why, these be good signs and marks of Election as well as the other; every thing must have a beginning: Never leave till thou come to such a pass, that thou canst prove thine effectual calling, and shew it by good fruits: But if thou hast none of these at all, no sight of misery, no burthen of sin, no purpose to come out thereof, but hopest to do well, though thou livest after thine old lusts: O hang down thy head, go mourning all the day, as one that hath lost his only Son! Thou hast no mark of Election, but of the contrary: we pity them that have Tokens of the Plague upon them, but these are infinitely in a worse case; these have Gods Tokens upon them, even of Gods Enemies and Reprobates: whether these have cause to be jolly or no, judge you.
Q. Whether can we be certain of anothers Election, or not?
A. Certainly we cannot by the same certainty that we may be of our own;Whether we may be certain of anothers Election. but probably we may, and very strongly of some, as we may be sure in every true visible Church there be some Elect, also we may know particular persons,Phil. 4. 3. as John the Elect Lady, and Paul, Clement with others: But for certainty we cannot, as we know our own by the witness of Gods Spirit to ours, and by the assurance of Faith; therefore they are proudly conceited; that think they have so much discerning, as if they be in a mans company a few hours, they can judge whether he be the childe of God or not; fie upon this arrogancy: The Disciples could not do so by living with Judas a good while together,Mat. 26. 22. but askt, Is it I? There have been some have gone so far, and carried it so smoothly, as for sundry years they have deceived many, not onelyonly of the people, but of wise and faithful Ministersts; God knoweth the heart certainly, we may guess, and the more godly wise any is, the better he can discern; but very probably, and by the judgement of charity, we may judge more strongly of some then others, according to the grace of God, and continuance in one duty as in another, at home as abroad, in prosperity as adversity, yea, suffering for the truth, abiding constant in a godly course: They that have experience and knowledge what is necessary to Salvation, will look for these, and rest in nothing else: This we may have of others, and this every man ought to labor to lay up in the hearts of his Neighbors. A man must not onelyonly lay up good evidence in his own conscience of his Election, but give as full a Testimony to the conscience of others as may be: This is a Crown to a man while he lives, an Honor when he is dead, better then a good ointment, then silver and gold,Prov. 22. 1. a comfort to his Friends, a credit to them that are left behinde.
1. This condemns them that so walk,Use 1. as charity it self cannot speak well of them, or esteem them in the state of grace, or any of Gods Elect, What shall be said of these when they be dead? There's an old bibbing carnal man dead, a proud yong man, a wicked woman of a very malicious heart, &c. To speak well of these were to sin against conscience and the truth it self.
2. Them also as walk so odly,Use 2. as though in some things they give good hope, yet they are either suspected to abide in some known sin, or take their liberty so much in gaming, or give such way to some notable corruptions, be so unreasonable hasty, so covetous and worldly, as men have no sound perswasion; but being asked of them living or dead, they that are of understanding can give no confident or comfortable, but a lame and imperfect Testimony. This is indeed a pittiful thing: O leave something to comfort thy Wife, Friends, Kindred, when thou art dead, that they may not mourn excessively, as without hope, but may with others be perswaded thou art gone to God! O leave behinde thee a sweet memorial of thy self!
A royal priesthood, Observ.] Here's a second priviledge of Believers, cited (as it seemeth) out of Exod. 19. 5, 6. By Christ they are made Kings, Christians through Christ are made Kings, Priests and Prophets.Priests, and Prophets: O what a priviledge and admirable advancement it is, that being by nature servants of sin and Satan, they should be made Kings, and so prophane, that they had nothing to do to draw near to God, may now be Priests, and offer Sacrifices to God? where may be noted by the way, that even in the time of the Law, Christ and the Gospel was also Preached to the Jews,Christ and the Gospel preached in time of the Law. for they could not come to these priviledges, by the legal Sacrifices, but by the Lord Jesus: And therefore wickedly do they, that imagine God fed the Israelites onelyonly with outward benefits, and that they had no spiritual things,1 Cor. 10. 1, 2. which is contrary to the Scriptures:Iohn 8. 56. Abraham saw Christs day, and the godly also among them saw the Messias, though darkly. Again,
What Moses spake indefinitely to all the people,Observ. the Apostle here applieth the same particularly to Believers,The promises and priviledges laid down in the Scriptures belong onelyonly to Gods Elect. Gods Elect, to whom only the promises and priviledges appertain, and they ought to apply them and make them their own, wherewith the wicked are not to meddle. To a wicked man there's not a comfortable word spoken in all the Scriptures, while he so abides: Me-thinks he should be weary of his part,Acts 1. 25. and begin to turn in truth to God; for then begins he to come within compass of these blessed promises and priviledges, not before: Nothing belongs to the wicked, but sin, and thereby the curses of God here, and Hell hereafter; as it was Judas his own place.Observ.
This priviledge flows from our Election,Election is the foundation of all the good which comes to us. which is the foundation of all good that comes to us here and hereafter: And to become Kings, Priests and Prophets, who were by nature slaves of sin, abominable to God, and altogether darkness in matters of Salvation; we obtain by the means of the Lord Jesus,Christ how our King, Priest and Prophet. who was our Mediator, and anointed King, Priest and Prophet, and discharged by the fulness of the Spirit, which was in him above measure, these offices for our Salvation: Our King, to gather, guide, defend us, and overthrow our Enemies, Men and Devils: Our Priest, to offer up himself a Sacrifice to God for us, and to make continual Intercession on our behalf: and our Prophet, to teach us all that is necessary to know to Salvation; and not this onelyonly, but he was King, Priest and Prophet, to make us such by conveighing a measure of that Spirit which is in him above measure, to enable us hereto. As Aaron being anointed with the holy oyl, it ran down on the skirt of his Garment, so did this from Christ to all his Members;on Rev. 1. 6. But of these three dignities I have elsewhere spoken.
OnelyOnly see what kinde of persons believers be,Observ. other maner of ones then the world makes account:Believers are others then the world thinks for. They are Kings I tell you, Heirs of a Kingdom, as meanly as the world thinks of them; and as little as they be in their own eyes, and as Kings they conquer and over-rule those that conquer and over-rule the Devil, the World, and the Flesh: They are also Priests, and may come with confidence into the presence of God, and bring Sacrifices that through Christ Jesus shall be well accepted of God▪ and shew their Faces where the wicked may not come, though never so mighty; They are also Prophets to teach, and their lips feed many.
1. Therefore they are to be highly thankful for this high advancement,Use 1. and labor to walk worthy of it, not in any carnal pride, but in all godly humility, but yet with notable courage and all true thankfulness to God:See Calvin on this place. This yet remember, that though Kings, yet its Spiritual, and therefore hinders not subjection and obedience to civil Kings and Magistrates; which I speak, because Anabaptists do by such colours elude and take away the authority of Magistrates, and exempt themselves from them:1 Tim. 6. 1. So Servants are to be obedient to their Masters, though not yet godly; and to walk humbly, christianly and wisely, so every Christian is to give men their titles, and their due according to their place, yea, though they be bad.
2. Let all take heed how they meddle with these:Use 2. Reproach not, rail not on them: He that defends them is mighty: Abuse not them whom God hath so highly advanced; If thou knewest what they were, thou wouldest fall down and kiss the ground on which they stand: Be not an Ishmael, lest thou be cast out of the house; I tell thee its an ill mark: Saul, Saul, why persecutest (said Christ) thou me: many shall be condemned at the last day for not doing them good, what shall then become of thee, if thou do them any hurt? Ile tell you a far better way, Take knowledge of their happy estate, and labor to be one of them, though despised in the world, yet of account with God and Angels:Prov. 12. 26. Its well said, The Righteous is more excellent then his neighbor, &c. on the contrary, consider the woful estate of the wicked; For what be they? be they Kings, Priests or Prophets? no such matter, Believers be so: They be Kings, Priests and Prophets, but the wicked are the slaves of sin and Satan, slaves to the flesh, to their own lusts, to the world: What though they be rich, yea, though they be Emperors, and not Believers, they are the vassels of Satan, and have nothing but their drudgery in sin, and Hell for their own place as their desert: Neither are they Priests, but prophane ones, let them stand off, for the holy God cannot abide unholy persons; they and their Sacrifice are abomination to the Lord: They offer no Sacrifices at all of Prayer, Praise or Alms, or if they do, its abominable, because they offer not themselves soul and body to God first; but they offer themselves to the Devil, and him they serve with body and soul, might and main: Neither are they Prophets, but dumb beasts, not savoring of the mysteries of Gods Kingdom, or if uttering any thing thereof, yet their ill lives disgrace it again: O that such considering their own base, and the others happy estate, would have an holy emulation to be as they; and indeed nothing in this world is worthy to be envied but a Christian: Humble therefore thy self for thy sin past, turn to God for thy pardon in Christ, and labor to have thy part in him, and by him, and by Faith in him, thou shalt attain to be a Christian, and so consequently a King, Priest and Prophet, and be enabled to the duties of the same.
An holy nation, The Iews why termed an holy nation.] Here's a third priviledge, not meant of all the Jews, but of the elect among them (and of all believing Gentiles, as Acts 2. 38, 39.) so called,Psa. 147. 19, 20 1. Because they had the Oracles of God, the Word and Sacraments,Object. which no other had.
This belonged to all the Jews.Solut.
True, but it might be said, that they onelyonly had them, which had the power of them to the conversion of their souls and Salvation; and others had them not, which had no fruit and benefit by them. 2. Because they were sanctified and set aside by special grace to be holy ones to the Lords use.
Note then, That
All that be the Lords,Doctr. are holy persons; that is, Not onelyonly having Christs holiness imputed to them,All that be the Lords company ore holy persons. but in whom God worketh inherent Righteousness and Holiness by his Spirit, conveying vertue from Christs death to kill sin, and from his Resurrection, to raise them to newness of life,See Ephe. 1. 4. to alter and change them throughout in soul, spirit and body:1 Thess. 4. 2. & 5. 23. This though not perfect in any, yet is sound and upright in them all, therefore he gives them his holy Word, and holy Spirit to work this, and holy Sacraments to encrease it; and its requisite,Heb. 12. 14. that as God is holy, so also all his should so be; and these be they shall see his face with comfort,Acts 20. 32. & 26. 18. no other, and for these onelyonly is Heaven prepared.
O let every man examine himself, whether he be a sanctified person or not; if yea, Then
1. To thy comfort know hereby,Use. thou art one of the Lords number, a greater priviledge then to be written among the Potentates of the earth:Comfort and Counsel for sanctified persons. There's Consolation to thee, thou wert elected, and shalt be glorified.
2. Seeing thou art set aside for the Lords use, and sanctified in body and soul, never defile thy self again, or put any part of thy body and soul to any common or unholy use of sin or Satan. In the Law it was ever most fearful to take any Consecrated thing, as the Holy Oyl, Shew-bread, or Vessels, and put them to any common use; so is it that we should put Hand, Foot or Tongue to any use of sin or corruption, for any part of our souls or lives: Oh, many contrarily can let loose their tongue to impatient, proud, and most unseemly speeches, yea and their bodies and mindes; some to excessive following the world, as they were wont, and as worldlings do; and some after their pleasures and vanities: O that we would grow and abound in Sanctification, that here having our fruit in holiness, we may have the end everlasting life.
If not, but contrarily you either live in prophaneness, the open breach of some of the Commandments, or be only superstitiously holy in some odde devotions,The misery of those that are unsanctified, with advice to them to come out of this condition. and loose in other things; as Papists, and a number of old Folks, or such as have a counterfeit holiness in the first Table, and make no conscience of the duties of the second; or contrarily civil persons, that seem very just in the second Table, but savor nothing of the duties of the first Table: Know you are yet unsanctified persons, and therefore out of Gods number; you may be members of the visible Church,Psal. 15. 1, 2. where good and bad, chaff and corn are, but not of the invisible who onelyonly are sanctified ones: Let such be what they will be, having Wit, Learning, Wealth, Wisdom, Civility, all skill of Languages, yea, if they could measure the Heavens, number the Stars▪ &c. and be not sanctified, they are of the Devils rabble,Rom. 6. 21. and shall perish everlastingly: O that you would awake out of your courses; What fruit have ye had, or look ye to have therein? The end of these things is death: Come to the Word, crave the Holy Spirit, desire Pardon and Sanctification; till this be, you are not out of the state of Damnation, and all things are impure to you,Tit. 1. 15. Word, Sacraments, yea your Meat, Drink, Apparel, &c.
A peculiar people, Obs.] That is, a people proper to the Lord, which he himself hath purchased,The Church Gods peculiar people. and which he now takes as his own, and sets great store by, called therefore his secret ones, whom he keeps under his protection,Deut. 32. 8, 9. to whom also he reveals his secrets, his Beloved ones, his Spouse, his Love, his undefiled, as the Apple of his eye, the Signet on his right hand,See Isa. 49. whom he cannot forget. In the flood he saved his Church, when all others were drowned; he saved Lot, when Sodom was destroyed; he makes more account of one Christian, then of thousands of others: If one of them pray, its so forcible, that he says, Let me alone; and if thousands of wicked, its but as the howling of Dogs, an abomination: They are his glory, all the world are dross to them,Isa. 4. 5. vile persons, and base: The wicked though never so many, are but servants to the Church, as the seven Nations were to make the Land of Canaan fit for the people of God; yea even then, when they seem to dominier most over them, they are but their drudges: They as a wisp scour the Church, to make it bright in the eyes of God, but the wisp is to be cast into the fire; they are Gods rod to bring it to obedience; when thats effected, the rod is to be flung into the fire. And
No marvel though the Lord set such store by his Church,No marvel though he set much by it seeing he hath been at such cost therewith; as to Redeem it with the blood of his Son, and to give his Spirit thereto to graft and unite it to Christ, and to sanctifie and make it like himself: How dear are our children to us? God hath made us sons, nay heirs; the Lands we purchase be dear to us, we are Gods purchase; our members be dear to us, God hath made us members of his Son.
1. Oh,Use 1. if we be so peculiar and choyce to the Lord, how choycely should we walk? how should we set as great store by the Lord and his Commandments, as he hath done by us? He hath chosen us for his inheritance; we should chuse him for our portion, and make him so, and his Word our Heritage as David did: O how warily should we walk!Zech. 12. 8. Every Christians ought to be one of a thousand, the least as David, and the greatest of the Angel as God: we should shine so among others, as Moses his face shone when he came down from the Lord, that we may straight be discerned by our conversation, who and what we are: O how doth this tax the coldness and carelesness of many Christians, in whom who can view any singular thing? but we ought to be singular persons: They omit duties in their Families, or slubber them over, as many Hypocrites, who can upon any occasion be as froward, impatient, worldly, as any other: Is it not requisite that such as the Lord hath been at such cost with, as to Elect them, Redeem them, call them by his Word and Spirit, Sanctifie them, &c. should be extraordinary persons? we should be much in those duties that the World and Hypocrites do not meddle with, as private Prayer, Examination, Watchfulness, yea, against secret corruption, and in those we do, we must perform them after another fashion then heretofore.
2. This is a comfort that God makes such special reckoning of his;Use 2. therefore though we have many and mighty Enemies, yet we need not fear: God is on our side, he is about us, as the Mountains about Jerusalem; they must dig down God ere they can come at his, overcome God ere they can conquer his.
3. Terror to the wicked;Use 3. How dare they meddle to hurt or persecute any of these little ones,Iudges 5. 23. lest their Angel be let loose to destroy them? If Meroz were cursed for not helping them, what shall they be that harm them? They that rail on them, mock and misuse them, would do further if opportunity served.
4. The wicked are of no reckoning with God,Use 4. for they be like the Devil, and do nothing but sin against God, and are his Enemies; The wicked are as chaff and darnel, the godly as wheat; the good as the fish in the net, the wicked as weeds and frogs; the good as the vine, the bad as the nettles and brambles; the good as the tree planted by the rivers of waters,Psal. 1. 3. &c. the wicked as barren, nay, hurtful trees; the godly be like good ground,Heb. 6. 8. the wicked like that which bears thorns and bryars: This should make them see their base condition, and set less by themselves, seeing God sets nothing by them, and joyn themselves to the Lords people, and labor to be such.
That ye should shew forth the praises of him, &c.] The end of all these priviledges and this cost is, that we might shew forth by word and deed all the vertues of God, his Mercy, Patience, Wisdom, Goodness, &c. shewed in our Election, Redemption, Vocation, Sanctification, &c. Where note.
1. That God hath not bestowed this cost on us in vain,Obs. but that we might both sound out his praises with our mouthes,Gods glory the end of all the priviledges bestowed on us and throughout out whole life shew forth the same: O how infinitely stand we indebted to him; But where is our zeal any thing answerable to the least of these unspeakable mercies vouchsafed unto us?
2. That he did not Elect us,Obs. because he foresaw we would shew forth his vertues,We were Elected of God, that we might shew forth his praises. but that we might so do; If he had foreseen any works in us, we might then have shewed forth our own Merits, as his Vertues, but thats contrary to this Text and the whole course of Scripture:Eph. 1. 4. Therefore we may say herein, Not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory.2 Tim. 1. 9.
3. That he Elected us,Obs. not to be idle, but to shew forth his Vertues;We were not Elected to be idle, &c. and this confuteth the Opinion of those that hold the Doctrine of Election, and the unchangeableness thereof to be a Doctrine of Liberty,Use. and a gap to all licentiousness: But he chose us, that we should be holy,Eph. 1. 4. and that not in shew to please men, but before him, even so as he requireth and accepteth.
4. That the furthest end of our Election is Gods glory,Obs. not our Salvation.Gods glory the furthest end of our Election. True, he propounded that too, but not as the furthest end: So he ordained some to Damnation, not that simply he takes pleasure in their destruction,See Prov. 16. 4. but to set forth his glory, even the glory of his power and justice in their just condemnation;Rom. 9. 23. so would he be glorified in his mercy in the Salvation of the Elect.Eph. 1. 5, 6. Hence learn we
To make the glory of God the end of all our actions,Use. and nothing else, not profit, not pleasure, not preferment, no not the Salvation of our own souls; we must not Hear, Meditate, Pray, keep the Sabbath, flie from Sin, do good to save our Souls, (for then we seek our selves) but that God may be glorified; the other must be minded in the second place.
Who hath called you,] He describeth God by a special benefit bestowed upon them, namely, their effectual calling from sin to grace; and this he doth to confirm them in their Election, whereof he had spoken before,Doctr. by which they might prove the same.
Note then that effectual calling is a certain argument of our Election;Effectual calling is a certain argument of Election. I say effectual calling, because there is 1. An outward calling common to the Reprobate (as many are called, but few are chosen) and 2. An inward and effectual calling,Two sorts of calling, outward and inward. when the Spirit goes with the outward means, and boars through the ear of the heart, and opens the eyes, and breaks through all lets, and enlightens and changes a man admirably, who before was not at all moved when he heard the very same things: when God deals with the Reprobate, he calls them outwardly, but when with his Elect, he goeth to work with his Spirit,Iames 1. 18. which passeth the power of Man or Angels; the work is the Lords.
The outward instrument of effectual calling,Obs. is principally the Ministery of the Word;The word the outward instrument hereof. other things may prepare (as the fire heats the iron, but the hammer fashioneth it) as affections, the good conversation of others, and the like: Thus the Jailor was by an Earthquake,1 Pet. 3. 1. some are gastered, and first smitten (yet rarely) by some fear in the night,Acts 16. 26. or at some other time fearful thoughts lay hold on them: But this is not conversion (its no other then may be in a Reprobate) after they are brought by counsel to the Word, where it may be they receive conversion, and even that terror of conscience though it were occasioned by some outward thing, yet it is the Word that indeed works it, as which tells them both of their sin and danger.
The parts of it,The parts of effectual calling. are 1. An enlightening of the understanding, with a distinct knowledge of the principal points of Salvation. 2. The opening of the heart to believe. 3. The changing of the whole man from that ill nature that was in him to a quite contrary: The Law prepares and make them see their deadly danger, and by the Spirit, makes to feel it grievously, and then the Gospel works by little and little, hope to comfort, and so a change.
The cause that moves the Lord to do this to any,Obs. is his meer mercy, and no desert,Gods free mercy the cause hereof. as is Election and Redemption, so is our effectual calling free: And this inward effectual calling is an infallible argument of Election past,2 Tim. 1. 9. and glory to come: They are links of the golden chain of mans Salvation,Rom. 8. 30. that cannot by all the Devils be sundred,2 Pet. 1. 10. but have one and have all.
Hereupon me thinks every mans heart should burn within him to prove his calling,Every one must endeavor to prove his calling. that hereby he might have a mark of his Election: They that can prove it, may have exceeding comfort; and they must also beware,Rom. 12. 2. lest being calling out of the world to God, they look any more back,Eph. 4. 1. or be more and more defiled with the fashions and maners thereof; and every day in hearing the Word, obey every part thereof, and walk worthy of your holy Calling: Much are they to be blamed that do no more honor their Calling, but drop into things like men of this world, yea, are overcome of the world and covetousness.
But haply thou doubtest of thy Calling, because thou findest not these fruits, or not so plentifully as thou would'st; be not discouraged, though thou beest dull, and full of infirmities, and strong corruptions, yet unfainedly hating and resisting them, and being grieved at them, and using the means against them, thou art not to call thy foundation into question; yet must thou humble thy self, and as occasion requires, set on more earnestly, use the means more carefully, and daily renew thy repentance. But for those that shew no fruits of their Calling, but though they have had the Word, and been Hearers, yet remain prophane and impenitent altogether, or seeming to go some steps, yet are not changed throughout through Faith, they are not yet called; for never imagine that every one that hears Sermons, yea usually, and with joy, and mends many things, and lives in some good fashion, is straight truly called: not onelyonly the high-way ground, but even the stony, yea thorny, which went far, and beyond most in Congregations, yet were not effectually called; and numbers among our selves, that think well of themselves, are not truly called, are not Believers, nor turned to God: Well, let every man examine himself throughly; being not called, I dare not speak a word of comfort to you in this case, you have not onelyonly no mark of Election, but the contrary, when God hath by all means called, as by promises, threatnings, &c. and none have prevailed: O now use the means with all diligence, and though hitherto you have disobeyed the words of Gods calling, yet let them now open the doors of your hearts! If you do,Prov. 1. 28. God will be merciful and blot out all; if you will not, when you shall hereafter call, you shall not be heard: and you which would not obey this gracious voyce of the Gospel, to believe and repent that you might be saved, shall one day hear another kinde of voyce from him, which you shall obey, nill you will you, to your own confusion.
Out of darkness into his marvellous light.] Here are the parts of calling, both from whence and whereto.What to understand by darkness.
By darkness is meant ignorance of Christ Jesus, and sin, which are the works of darkness, and tend to utter darkness; In this case they were.
How could these Jews be said to be in darkness which had the Law,Obj. and were skilful therein,Rom. 2. 17. and stood not a little upon it?
They had knowledge of the Law,Sol. but Christ Jesus,Iohn 17. 3. the accomplishment of the Law, they knew not, to know whom aright is life everlasting: All knowledge without this is nothing but darkness still; so that he means not, that they were without the means of knowledge, as the Gentiles were, for one may have the means, and yet be in darkness; nor that they were called out of ignorance to some knowledge by the means, for one may have much knowledge, and yet be in darkness; but that they were called out of darkness, that is; out of ignorance of Christ and Salvation by him, out of the state of corruption and sin, and working the works of darkness, and going to utter darkness.
To his light,What by light. that is, to know Christ by a saving particular, and effectual knowledge to Sanctification and Holiness of life, which are the works of the light, and so to the hope of the eternal light of happiness. Hereunto they were called out of the state of unbelief and sin, which tend to death; for so sin is called darkness, and holiness light: Sin is termed darkness, because it comes from the Devil the Prince of darkness, loves darkness, and goes to darkness: Holiness comes from light, even God the Father of lights loves and can abide the light, and goes to light,1 Iohn 1. 5. and God the Fountain of Holiness is called light. Here note▪
What every mans estate is till he be called,Observ. even that we are not onelyonly darkened,Every unregenerate person is darkness. but darkness it self: We were all made light in Adam, full of knowledge and holiness, since the fall we are all darkness, and when God means to save any,Eph. 4. 17. & 5. 8. he pulls them out of darkness: Darkness hath a power indeed,Acts 26. 18. which were it not for the Almighty power of God delivering us therefrom,Col. 1. 13. would hold us under for ever; and as long as we be in this darkness,1 Iohn 1. 6. we have no right to the Kingdom of God, nay we have nothing to do with God, we are neither his sons, people nor servants: The man that is not effectually called and sanctified (what gifts soever he hath) is yet in darkness, and never wrought other then the works of darkness: He may do good things, and the works of light, but they be not so in him, being darkly performed by corrupt nature, without Faith or the Spirit, neither tending to the right end: This may be said of every unregenerate person, though never so old, civil, or of good parts.
1. This confutes the Papists,Use 1. that teach that there are some such pure Naturals left in man, some Free-will to goodness, which if God stir up a little and help, can work; and that they can merit of Congruity, which crosseth both this and other Scriptures, as, That the thoughts of mans heart are onelyonly evil continually; Gen. 6. 5.That the wisdom of the flesh is enmity with God; Rom. 8. 7.and,Eph. 2. 1. That we are dead in trespasses and sins.
2. This should make the world weary of their part:Use 2. O that a man had but wisdom enough to perswade all ignorant persons that they be in darkness, and going to Hell; nay, all persons of what parts soever, that being void of Faith, and not sanctified, they are in this case: Its not because they are not so, but because they are so deep in darkness, as all that can be said to them from God about the same, cannot so perswade them, but that they love darkness more then light, cannot away to be called out of it, think their case as good as others; Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up, Christ shall give thee light. Who would abide in a dark Dungeon, that might be abroad in the light? in Egypt, when he might be in Goshen with Gods children? Men think because they have the light of the Sun, and their eyes to see, they think that they be not in darkness, but their Souls be in most woful darkness: Never think to work the works of darkness, and yet come to the light of Heaven.
Into his marvellous light. Observ.] This is opposed to darkness; therefore hereby is meant saving knowledge of Christ,Every true Believer is brought into the saving knowledge of Christ. which is life Eternal, and true Light, Holiness, and Sanctification, the hope of Heaven, and the inheritance of the Saints in light: This is not onelyonly light, but marvellous light, either in respect of the contrary darkness, or in respect of it self. This is the estate of every Believer, of every sanctified person.
1. This shews the infinite oddes between the true Christian,Use 1. and those that be not so; and that not onelyonly between Pagans that have no means, who be deep and every way in darkness, but even between Christians, and them that have both means, and it may be knowledge, yet are still unconverted and unsanctified persons: The one is in light,1 Ioh. 1. 7. the other in darkness;Iohn 8. 44. the one have fellowship with God, the other with the Devil: O that men saw the oddes! they would not onelyonly not judge their own case so good, and despise the servants of God as they do,Zech. 8. 23. but would reverence them, and take hold of their skirt, and say, We will go with you.
2. It teacheth Christians brought into this marvellous light,Use 2. how to walk as children of the light, and to have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness, but to reprove them, nor with the workers of iniquity; But how few thus walk▪ O let our conversation be honest, and our light so shine, that we may lighten others: Being herein like God, we may be assured we are going to everlasting light.