Gods Call from Heaven Echoed, Part 1 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. XII. A few plain, and familiar reaſons are to be given in.
IN the next place according to the propounded method, I am to lay down ſome demonſtrations of the doctrine: and they are theſe enſuing, which are as four pillars to ſupport the point; and a quaternion of mediums for the life-guard of the poſition, formerly laid down, and hitherto treated of.
1. Conjunction of the means, and end.
2. Union to Chriſt.
3. Diſtinction, preſent, and future.
4. Application of the means.
Conjunction of the means, and end: the S. 1 Lord calls in to himſelf thoſe, whom he laid Rea. 1 out for himſelf: for as he predeſtinated them to the end, viz. happineſs; ſo alſo to the means, In rebus, quas Deus vult, ordo quidam concipitur: prius vult finem, quam media. Ames. Med. cap. 7. Theſ. 40. 51. Ordinatio primum finis, deinde mediorum. Pol. Synt. lib. 4. c. 6. Non cauſa regnandi, ſed via ad regnum.viz. holineſs: the means, and the end lying in the ſame womb of predeſtination; there is a concatenation of them in Gods counſel, a twiſting of them together in Gods thoughts: and when he decrees the one, he determines the other: In the book of his eternal thoughts, with the pen of his certain decree, the Lord firſt ſets down the matter of his intention, then the means of the execution. In the certain regiſter of his thoughts in reference to his peculiar people; he firſt enters his will, and then enrols his work: Their inheritance ſhall be glory, and the way to it ſhall be grace; for though holineſs be not the cauſe, yet it is the cauſe-way to Heaven; who ſo looks into the way of erfectual calling, ſhall find it a beaten road to Heaven, and may perceive in it the prints of the feet of Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, David, Samuel, and the reſt of the ſpiritual travellers in their journey to the Holy-land; thē Lord intends to bring his people into Canaan, and with all hath laid out the way, and means; he intends to bring them into the Heavenly City, by the narrow gate of converting grace: If it be a part of the wiſedom of the children of this generation, to think of the means together with the end; ſhall we dare to think that the Father of Light, the Allwiſe God, hath not his counſels richly damaſked with ſapience, prudence, intelligence, beyond the rule of the actions, the reach of the conceptions of man: I think we may ſafely ſay, that the Lord hath not determined, (for ought that we can find in his word) that any ſhould commence, and take the degree of a glorified Saint in Heaven, without undergoing the task, and ſervices, that belong to Chriſts ſchool on earth: The Apoſtle telleth the Epheſians, that God had before ordained the path of holineſs for them to walk in, 2 Epheſ. 10. v. God hath but one way to Heaven, wherein all muſt walk, that would come thither, ſupporting themſelves upon the ſtaffe of Chriſts merits: If you look but in the index or table of the volumes of eternity; you ſhall find, calling, as well, as crowning; holy, as well, as happy; gracious manners, as well, as glorious manfions. It is the madneſſe of the world infatuated by the deluſions of the devil, to conclude the excuſableneſſe of their ſinful neglect of good, their wilful departure from God, from the premiſes of the infallibility of Gods purpoſe; or to build their preſumptions, or deſperations upon the unſeen foundation of the everlaſting decree, in the mean time croſſing apparent commands, and manifeſt prohibitions; whereas the decree of the means, and the end were born in one day, and printed together in Heavens preſſe bearing the date of the ſame year. To ſay one may live, as they liſt, becauſe Gods decree is certain, and more unalterable than the Laws of the Medes, and Perſians, is an inconſequence of a deſperate conſequence. To think that we may be born into the ſea of eternal joy, though we ſwim with the tide of the ſinful world, if we be elected; & that it is impoſſible to avoid the gulph of perdition, though ſtriving againſt the ſtream of a natural condition, (bladdered, and ſupported by the ſpirits ſpecial grace) if we be reprobated, is ſuch logick, as the topicks of divinity afford no medium for; becauſe we ſinfully Male dividere benè conjuncta.divide, what God in his righteous, and wiſe ordination, hath coupled together: we find the end, and the means linked together in the text: It is a golden chain and pity to break it; nay in our thoughts to ſeparate them, or by our actions to endeavour the violation of them, can be no leſſe, than high treaſon againſt Gods cabinet counſel: The Lord finiſheth his intentions, by his own fixed means; and therefore whom hee hath appointed to the weight of glory, he will acquaint with the work of grace.
Union to Chriſt: They ſhall be effectually S. 2 called, that ſo they may be united to Chriſt, Rea. 2 without whom they can have no glory: Chriſt is the foundation of ſpiritual, and eternal mercies; in him are the treaſures of all ſoul-good things: He is the pillar of peace, the baſis of bleſſedneſs, the bottom of bounty, and root of reſt; he is laden with Heavenly fruit, and thoſe that have ought, muſt hold of him; ſo that the ſoul may ſay, All my ſprings are in thee, Pſal. 87. 7. ſpiritual life, pardon of ſin, acceptance with God, right to Heaven come from the vertue, and merit of Chriſt, but they come from Chriſt not in the common notion, but from Chriſt in ſpecial union to him; all Chriſts favours run to the ſoul in the channel of ſpiritual union: It is not Chriſt without us, but Chriſt within us, that is the hope of glory; Col. 1. 27.we muſt be Chriſt friends, before we can have his favours; we muſt be married to him, before we can have much from him; he muſt be in our hearts, before we can get to Heaven; we muſt be linked to him, before we can live with him. For all the fulneſſe of Chriſt, empty ciſterns ſhall never be filled without union to the fountain; for all his riches, they ſhall continue poor, that will not come near him; now in effectual calling, as we have already ſhewed, the ſoul is united to Chriſt, and made one with him. That Chriſt is a redeemer, and thou a wretch, is no great matter, unleſs the Saviour and the ſinner meet. That Chriſt hath purchaſed Heaven, and thou haſt deſerved Hell, will be little matter of comfort, unleſs thou canſt make out, that thou art Chriſts, that Chriſt is thine: All is in Chriſt, but that is nothing to thee, unleſs Chriſt be in thee: If God give thee not his Son, he gives thee not Omnia habemus in Chriſto, & omnia in nobis Christus.his love; if thou haſt his Chriſt, thou haſt all. How ſhall he not with him freely give us all things, Rom. 8. 32. And excellently doth Paul ſhew the order of intereſts, All are yours, and ye are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods, 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. without union no communion; without a part in Chriſt, no participation of Chriſts; without coming into his boſome, no carrying away of any of his bleſſings: People do but cheat their own ſouls with a fallacy, when they think to attain to the enjoynment of God in Heaven, and never have communion with Chriſt on Earth; when they think to arrive at the haven of bliſſe, and never embarque themſelves in the veſſel of Chriſts merit: Chriſt hath ſaid, that he is the way, the truth, and the John 14. 6.life; and it is moſt certain, that he is the true way to life eternal: Souls muſt be incorporated members of Chriſts body, before they can be enfranchiſed Citizens of the new Jeruſalem: Chriſt is already lifted up into glory, and draws none after him, but thoſe that are tyed to him, by the band of faith.
Diſtinction preſent, and future: The Lord Rea. 3 will call in his predeſtinated people, that ſo S. 3 there may be a difference in the tempers and diſpoſitions of men, as well as in their ends: though the grave be common to all, yet the ultimate, and laſt end is diſtinct, and ſeveral; for ſome ſhall aſcend, others ſhall deſcend; ſome ſhall be triumphant in the higheſt Heavens, others ſhall be tormented in the loweſt Hell: ſome ſhall poſſeſſe nothing, but weal; others ſhall partake of nothing, but woe: ſome ſhall flouriſh with a glorious Crown, others ſhall fade by a grievous curſe: Come, ye bleſſed; depart ye curſed: Math. 25. 34. 41. The Lord intendeth that ſome ſhall ſhine, as the Sun hereafter; Then ſhall the righteous ſhine forth, as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, Math. 13. 43. he will therefore have you here to ſparkle, as ſtars: Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father, which is in Heaven, Math. 5. 16. Thoſe whom the Lord will diſtinguiſh from others by the life of glory in the world to come, he will diſtinguiſh by the livery of grace in this world; if the end of people be divers, then ſure their way muſt be different.
Alas all, both one and other, ſet out together, and run the ſame way, till God turn them; and take the ſame courſe, till God do effectual call: All are hewen out of the ſame rock, and out of the ſame quarry; no difference, till the poliſhing, and refining hand of the ſpirit paſſe upon ſouls: Among whom we all had our converſation in times paſt, in the luſts of the fleſh, fulfilling the deſires of the fleſh, and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as well as others, Epheſ. 2. 3. For Sola gratia diſcernit redemptos à perditis.we our ſelves alſo were ſometimes fooliſh, diſobedient, &c. Tit. 3. 3. We all come out of one neſt; It is converſion, and a change, that makes the difference; what ſome have, that others have not, they are beholding to the mint for it, and not the mine; to grace, and not to nature: It is the ſtamp of the image of the King of Heaven, that makes any to paſſe for currant coine more, than others: thoſe whom God intends to make Princes in his Kingdom hereafter, he will educate, and tutour by his ſpirit accordingly. Thoſe, that run with the wicked unto all exceſſe of riot here, ſhall in vain expect to be parted from them at the day of the reſurrection: Thoſe that ſhall wear Kings Robs in Heaven, muſt wear Saints Robs on Earth.
Many would fain differ from others at laſt, that delight with them in the ſelf ſame luſts; many long to dye the death of the righteous, but they are loath to live the life of the righteous Numb. 23. 10.: the heires of glory, and of wrath are known, and diſtinguiſhed by their coates; though both come into the world clad with the ſame home-ſpun cloth of natural pollution; yet ſuch as are Gods, he will change their habit, and make them garments of the well-wrought Web of Grace, dipt in the blood of Jeſus Chriſt.
Application of the means: the Lord will Rea. 4 effectually call home his choſen ones, that ſo S. 4 they may uſe all thoſe meanes, that he hath appointed to bring them to Heaven by: The Lord bringeth to Heaven, though not for, nor becauſe, yet in the uſe of his own inſtituted means: Therefore are we exhorted to labour to enter into the reſt, Heb. 4. 11. there are many rounds, and ſteps in the ſpiritual ladder, whereby ſouls muſt aſcend to Heaven: There is pious prayer, right repentance, hearty hearing, ſerious ſearching, much meditation, filial fear, careful caution; none of which can be uſed, and managed aright, without a principle of grace; no hand can well handle ſpiritual weapons, but that of a Saint: Though but one way, yet many means to Heaven; the working word, ſealing Sacraments, feaſting faſting, which none can uſe ſpiritually, but Saints. No Heaven without faith; they could not enter in becauſe of their unbelief, &c. Heb. 3. 19. and to whom is it given to believe, but to the effectually called? There muſt be enduring in holineſs, or no entring into happineſs; he that ſhall endure unto the end, the ſame ſhall be ſaved, Math. 24. 13. and can they hold out in the wayes of grace, that never ſet foot in Regnum coelorum vim patitur. Luke 13. 29.them? There muſt be a ſtriving, and preſſing to get into Heaven; and can they ſtrive, who have no life? and is there life till converſion?
There muſt be a running in the heavenly 1 Cor. 9. 24. Pſal. 119. 132. Curramus, & ſequamur Chriſtum. 1 Tim. 6. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 1.race; and can they run the way of Gods commandements, who never had enlarged hearts?
There muſt be a ſpiritual fighting, which cannot be without a ſaving faith: There muſt be a reſiſting of ſin, which cannot be without relying on Chriſt: There muſt be an exact imitation of Chriſt, which none can attain to, but thoſe that have effectual vocation from Chriſt.
Gods people cannot win Heaven, and wear Math. 20.it, yet they muſt labour in the vineyard; and though they cannot work for it, in the way of cauſality; yet they muſt work before they come to it in obedience to Gods command: It is true, Heaven is not the wayes of the beſt performances, and duties, yet religious, and gracious actings are the way to Heaven: Though meanes have not a dram of merit in them, yet the neglect of them bars, and ſhuts up Heaven gate; what God hath appointed, as precedents of glory, cannot be ſlighted withſin, and danger; and can any do them to acceptation without the ſpirit of ſanctification; operations muſt have ſuitable eſſences; means muſt be trodden, as the path to Heaven, and the ſoul muſt have life before it can foot it in his way; as a late worthy divine, firſt treating of the new birth, in the Mr. Ambroſe his prima, media, &c.next place layes down the means, duties, and ordinances, wherein a Chriſtian is to walk, as in the path that leads from his new birth to everlaſting life.