Christ Crucified, Sermon 30
SERMON XXX.
ISAIAH LIII. VIII.
Verſ. 8. He was taken from priſon and from judgement, and who ſhall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the tranſgreſſion of my people was he ſtricken.
THeſe words are a proof of that which we diſcourſed in the Lecture concerning Chriſts wonderful love to his p…ople, Then which, no man hath greater, that a man ſhould lay down his life for his friend; But he hath commedned his love to us, in that while we were yet enemies he died for us; This is the great commendation of Chriſt's love, and what will he refuſe to his people who in his love hath come this length to them?
In the former part of this verſe, we ſhew, that there was a hint given of Chriſt's Exaltation, of the Exaltation and Glory of the Mediator following on the back of his loweſt ſufferings; An ineffable and inexpreſſible Glory, which the Prophet rather paſſeth with a ſort of non-pluſſing ſilence, then inſiſteth in the declaration of it, Who ſhall declare his generation?
We come now to the laſt part of the words, For he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the tranſgreſſion of my people was he ſtricken; They are added as a reaſon of the former, and the one part of them is a reaſon of the other, he had ſaid before. Who can declare his generation? Who can ſufficiently declare and unfold how gloriouſly the Mediator is exalted: And he gives this for the reaſon of it, For he was cut off out of the land of the living; The force of which reaſon is, that he humbled himſelf, therefore God hath highly exalted him, as the Apoſtle reaſons, Philip. 2.9. So tha this is not added as being poſterior to his Exaltation, but as a reaſon ſhewing the connexion of his Ex…ltation with his Humiliation; And left it ſhould be a ſtumbling to any, that this glorious perſon ſuffered death, he gives the reaſon of that alſo, which ſtrengthens the reaſon of his Exaltation For the tranſgreſſion of my people was he ſtricken, or (as the word is) The stroak was on him, he ſuffered not for any wrong in himſelf, but for the ſins of his own elect people: The firſt part clearly looks to Chriſts death, which was a Propheſie in Iſaiah his time, but is now a Hiſtorical narr tion to us, we having the Goſpel as a Commentary on it. To be cut off out of the land of the living, is to have an end put to the natural life, which is ordinarily done by death; But cutting off here ſignifies to be taken away not in an ordinary but in an extraordinary way, to be removed by a violent death by the ſtroak of Juſtice.
We may ſhortly take theſe two Obſerves here for the confirmation of two Articles of our Faith; Looking on it, 1. As a Propheſie, we may Obſerve, That our Lord Jeſus behoved to ſuffer and die, it was Propheſied of him, That he ſhould be cut off out of the land of the living; And Dan. 9.26. it is plainly and clearly aſſerted, that the Meſſiah ſhall be cut off, which being compared with the Hiſtory of the Goſpel, we have it as a truth …ulfilled, for our Lord Jeſus was cut off, and as he himſelf ſayes, Luke 24. It behoved him to ſuffer theſe things and to enter into his glo…y; A…d ſuppoſing the Elect to be ſinners, and the curſe to be added to the Covenant of Works, The day thou eats thou ſhal… ſurely die, ſuppoſing alſo the Mediator to have ingaged and undertaken to ſatisfie Ju…ice, and undergo that curſe for the El…ct; There was a neceſſity that he ſhould die, as it is, Gal. 3.13. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, being made a curſe for us, which curſe was eviden… in his death, for it is written, Curſed is every one that hangeth on a tree.
2. Obſerve, That our Lord Jeſus behoved to die a violent death, and not an ordinary natural one; which this expreſſion and that other Dan 9 clearly holds forth; And conſideri…g his ſinleſs nature that was not lyable to death, and that he had not theſe principles of dying in him, diſpoſing him to die, that we ſinful miſerable mortals have is us; And conſidering withal that the Lord J…hovah was (to ſpeak ſo) purſuing him as ſi…ners C…u…ioner at the Bar of Juſtice, it was meet, yea nec…ſſary that our bleſſed Lord ſhould not die an ordinary death as men die ordinarily through weakneſs or ſickneſs on their beds, but a violent death.
Uſe, It ſerves to be a confirmation of this truth, that the Meſſiah behoved thus to die, therefore we ſay in the Belief, He ſuffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried: Which ſhews, 1. The reality o… his ſatisfaction, and the compleat payment that he made to Juſtice, when he layes down that price which the ſinner ought to have laid down. 2. It ſhews the reality of our Lord's ſufferings, and that they were not imaginary, but that as he was a real and true man, ſo his ſufferings were moſt real; His ſoul was ſeparat from his body, though the union betwixt both his body and ſoul and the God-head continued ſtill. 3. It holds forth a proof and confirmation of our faith in this, that our Lord Jeſus is the Meſſiah that was Propheſied of, and promi…ed, in whom all the ſuff…rings in his ſoul and body that were ſpok…n of to go before his death, were accompliſhed, and in whom this was alſo accompliſhed, that he was cut off out of the land of the living; So that if we look rightly on the Scriptures, our Lords ſufferings will be ſo far from being matter of ſtumbling, that they will rather be a clear, convincing, and evident proof, that Je…us of Nazareth is the true Meſſiah, and that in him all th t was ſpoken concerning the Meſſiah is fulfi led and came to paſs.
4. It's m…tter of great conſolation to believers, that our Lord Jeſus who is now exalted, died, and ſo death is ſpoiled, and there needs not be any great fear for them to yoke with it; This land of the living is not their reſt, within a little they muſt be gone hence; Our Lord was cut off from it, and that by a ſhameful death for the behove and ſake of others, and not for himſelf, and therefore his death cannot but be made forth-coming for them for whom he under-went it, and their petty ſuff…rings need not much to vex them; Thoſe plaineſt truths that are moſt ordinary have in them moſt of ſpiritual ſap, ju…ce and life to ſtrengthen Faith, and to furniſh conſolation to Believers; And were they rightly underſtood and fed upon by Faith, O how lively might they be! And were there no more but theſe two words in th… Text. O how much conſolation do they yield in l…fe and in death? Our Lord is gone before Believers and they may be greatly heartned to follow him.
The laſt part of, or the laſt thing in the words ſeem to have ſome more obſcurity in it, and therefore we ſhall inſiſt the more in opening up of the ſame.
For the tranſgreſſion of my people was he ſtricken; Theſe words do not look to the reaſon why Pilate and the Prieſts condemned him, for they had no thoughts of the ſins of Gods people; Though Caiaphas ſtumbled as to himſelf by gueſs on a Propheſie of his dying for them, but they give a reaſon why he was cut off out of the land of the living; And look to the Court and Tribunal of God's Juſtice, before which he was ſtanding, by which he was to be ſentenced to death for the tranſgreſſions of God's people, and alſo abſolved; He was thus ſtricken in reſpect of God's purpoſe and deſign.
For clearing of the words, it may be inquired, 1. What is meant here by my people? 2. What is it to be ſtricken or ſmitten for them?
For the 1. My people, it is a diſcriminating or differencing thing of ſome from others; And therefore, by my people here is not meant, 1. All the world, or all that ever lived and had a beeing; We find not any where in Scripture that theſe are called my people, or God's people, but when ever my people is ſpoken of, it is uſed to rid Marches betwixt his people and other people that are not his, as Joh. 10 26, 27. Ye believe not, becauſe ye are not of my ſheep, my ſheep hear my voice, and I know them, which ſuppoſeth that ſome are his, and others not ſo his, and ſo my people cannot be all the world. Neither 2. Can it be meant of the whole viſible Church; who in reſpect of the external adminiſtration of the Covenant, are ſometimes called his people, as all Iſrael are; There is a narrower march or boundary drawn, John 10.26. Where the Lord ſpeaking of them that were only externally in Covenant with him, ſayes, Ye art not my ſheep, to ſhew that his reckoning there muſt not go upon external profeſſion; And verſ. 16. Some that were not for the time profeſſing themſelves to be his people, are reckoned, Other ſheep I have which are not of this fold, them alſo I must bring in: Nor 3. Can it be limited to them that were actually converted and Believers, for he ſays (as I iuſt now hinted) that he hath other ſheep that are not yet brought in, and he is ſaid to gather together into one the children of God that were ſcattered abroad, John 11.52. So then by my people muſt be underſtood theſe who in G…d's eternal purpoſe are ſeparat by the Decree of Election to be his own, even theſe whom he hath choſen to glorifie himſelf in and by them through his Grace, and to glorifie them with himſelf; Even theſe ſpoken of, John 17.6. Thine they were, and thou gaveſt them me; They are the people who were tranſacted for in the Covenant of Redemption, and that were given by the Father to the Son to be redeemed by him; It was for their ſins, even for the ſins of the Elect that our Lord Jeſus was ſtricken.
As for the 2d. What is it to be ſtricken for their tranſgreſſion? The meaning is, the meritorious cauſe of their ſtroak was on Chriſt, which intimats to us, that his ſufferings and death were procured by the ſins of the Elect of God; His ſtroak, or the ſtroak that was upon him (as the word is) was the amends that Juſtice got for their ſins; In a word, the ſtroak that the Elects ſins procured and merited; Took him out of (or away from) the land of the living, brought him to priſon and to judgement, and made his ſoul an offering for ſin: Neither can this be otherwayes underſtood; For it is not ſaid that for their good, or for their behove only, or to be an example and pattern of patience only to them, he was ſtricken, as ſome groſsly erroneous and prophane men expound the words, but for their tranſgreſſions was he ſtricken; That is, it was their guilt which he having undertaken and engaged to ſatiſfie for, which made him lyable to this ſtroak.
In this part of the words thus opened up, we have two notable Points concerning the Covenant of Redemption, 1. The Party for whom it is contrived and intended, and that is the Elect or God's People; It is not all the World, nor all Viſible-Church-members that God tranſacted for in the bargain with the Mediator, but my people, the Elect of God; they were ſo conſidered in the tranſaction and in the execution. 2. The great price that was ſought or required, that was offered, and that was agreed upon for the Redemption of the Elect, to wit, the death of the Mediator, even his dying the curſed death of the Croſs; This is the ſum, for the tranſgreſſions of God's people the ſtroak was upon him; God's deſign being to glorifie his grace in the ſalvation of ſo many, ſin having interveened to bring them under the curſe; There is upon the one ſide the Lord's giving of them to the Mediator to be redeemed by him, and upon the other ſide, the Mediators accepting of them on the terms propoſed, he is content to ſatisfie for them, to take the ſtroak on himſelf deſerved by them, that they may go free; each of theſe may be conſidered ſeveral wayes for furniſhing of ſweet Doctrines.
1. From the firſt of theſe Obſerve, that there are ſome differenced from others in reſpect of God's purpoſe, ſome choſen of God for his people beſide all the reſt of the World; For ſome are here God's people ere they be born, and ere Chriſt die for them, John 17.16. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me; They are ſuppoſed to be God's people in ſome peculiar reſpect, ere they be given to Chriſt to be redeemed by him; In a word, the Lord hath an elect people, or a people choſen to ſalvation in his eternal purpoſe and decree, an elect people, or a people choſen out of the world, which in this reſpect are not his people, or are not elected. There are four qualifications or properties in this Doctrine, which will ſerve to clear it; 1. When we ſay there is ſuch a decree of Election, we ſay that it is a diſcriminating or differencing decree; wherein, or whereby there is a taking of ſome, and not all, a taking of one, and leaving another, a taking of Iſaac, and a leaving of Iſhmael, a taking of Jacob, and a leaving of Eſau, as it is, Rom. 9. And this diſcrimination or differencing hath theſe four ſteps, 1. There is a differencing in Gods purpoſe in reſpect of the end, while all men are alike before him, ſome are deſigned to erernal life, others not, therefore Mat. 25.34. it's ſaid, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherite the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, and in this reſpect the Book of Life is ſaid to be opened, Revel. 20.12. 2. This differencing is in reſpect of God's offering and giving of them to the Mediator in the Covenant of Redemption, wherein ſome, not all, are given to Chriſt, John 17 2. That he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him out of the world; Where it is clear, that ſo many are given to him in reference to whom he is to exerciſe his offices. 3. There is a differencing in reſpect of Chriſt's undertaking and executing his Offices for them, he accepts of them, John 17.9. For their ſakes I ſanctifie my ſelf, I have ſeparated my ſelf to the Office of Mediator, and do offer my ſelf for them, that they alſo may be ſanctified; And I pray for them, I pray not for the world, it's of them that he maketh that ſweet account, John 6.39. This is the Fathers will that ſent me, that of all that he hath given me I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it up again at the laſt day; And of whom he ſaith, John 10.28, 29. I give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any man pluck them out of my hand; He anſwers and is accountable for them, and for them only, he will count for no other as being redeemed by him, and to be made partakers of his glory. 4. This differencing is in reſpect of the promiſes made upon Gods part to the Mediator in favours of the Elect, and of the benefits that flow to them from the Covenant; He hath not promiſed to juſtifie all, nor to make all believe, but ſome only; He, as it were, ſaith to the Mediator, theſe I give thee to be redeemed by thee, and on the laying down of thy life, and ſatisfying for them, I promiſe to make them believe, and that through faith in thee they ſhall be juſtified, therefore ſaith Chriſt, John 6.44. Murmure not among your ſelves, no man can come unto me except the Father who hath ſent me draw him; And who are they that ſhall believe on him? See v. 37. All that the Father hath given me ſhall come unto me, and him that cometh I will in no wiſe caſt him out, but will make him dearly welcome; And verſ. 45. Every one that hath heard and learned of the F…ther cometh unto me; And John 17.2. That he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him: Thus ye ſee what we mean when we call this a differencing Decree. 2. We ſay that it is a definite Decree, both in reſpect of tho number numbered, that is, about ſo many and no moe, and not all; and in reſpect of the number that numbers, ſuch a man and ſuch a woman in particular in ſuch a place, and not ſuch an other perſon; They are all particularly deſigned and are therefore ſaid to be written in the Lambs Book of Life; It is not all who are foreſeen to believe who are elected, as if election did follow believing, as the cauſe of the Decree; But it's ſuch a number whom the Lord ingageth to the Mediator to draw, to teach and make them believers. 3. We ſay it is a Decree that is free, as to all merit in them whom it reacheth, and it's free in theſe three reſpects. 1. In reſpect of any thing in the perſon or perſons elected, who are ſuppoſed to be lying as the reſt of the World, therefore it's ſaid of Jacob and Eſau, Rom. 9 11. The children being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the purpoſe of God according to election might ſtand, &c. That is, God reſpected not the doing good or evil in his electing of the one, and paſſing by of the other. 2. In reſpect of Chriſt's ſatisfaction and redemption, which preſuppoſeth this Decree to be, and is the mids by which it is accompliſhed; ſo that we are redeemed becauſe we are elect…d; The Elect were Gods people when Chriſt did undertake and engage for them, and in this reſpect election is a Foun…ain-grace, and Chriſt's death is not the cauſe of Election though it be the cauſe of all the benefits that follow upon it. 3. It's free in reſpect of God's abſolute Soveraignty, who acts herein according to the purpoſe of his own will, having no reaſon without himſelf, as it is clear, Matth. 11. Ev…n ſo, Father, becauſe it ſeemed good in thy ſight; And Eph. 1.11. Being predestinate according to the purpoſe of him who worketh all things according to the counſel of his own will: As the Potter hath power over the Clay, and makes of the ſame lump on Veſſel to honour, and another to diſhonour as he pleaſeth; So the Lord acts moſt Soveraignly in the Decree of Election. 4. We ſay that this Decree is abſolute and peremptory; Which is not ſo to be underſtood as if it admitted of no midſes in the execution of it; But this is the meaning, that the performing and bringing about thereof depends on nothing without God, neither can it be poſſibly fruſtrated; Theſe ſheep can never be plucked out of his hand, neither can they ever periſh, but muſt needs all and every one of them actually enjoy that which is decreed for them by this Decree, elſe they could not be called God's people if they might, not be his; Thus ye ſee wh…t is the meaning of theſe words my people, …hat is, his Elect people in or by the Decree of Election.
I ſhall ſhortly give you ſome few grounds from Scripture to clear and confirm this truth; The 1. whereof is taken from the names that the people of God get, and from the expreſſions that are uſed in making mention of them in Scripture, which will infer all that hath been ſaid, as namely they are called my ſheep, John 10. his Sheep that he knows, as it were by head-mark, by name and ſirn…me, which cannot but be his; they are call d the election of Grace, Rom. 11.5. at this preſent time there is a remnant according to the election of grace; and verſ 7. the election hath obtained and the reſt were blinded; it's impoſſible but the Elect muſt obtain, there being an inſeparable connexion betwixt the decree and the end thereof; they are ſaid to be written in the Lambs book of life before the foundation of the world, before there was any mention of themſelves, or conſideration of ought in themſelves, they are ſaid to be loved and beloved and ordained to eternal life, Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed, where believing is made a fruit and effect of this decree of election, its ſo far from being a cauſe thereof; they are called bleſsed of the Father, Matth. 25. and theſe whom he bleſſeth cannot but be bleſſed; they are called ſuch as are given to Chriſt, holding forth a peculiar differencing of them from others; they are called the people whom he foreknew and predestinated, Rom. 8.29. whom he did foreknow, them he did p ea…ſtinate, &c. and Rom. 11.2. God hath not caſt away his people whom he foreknew; every one was not ſo foreknown; for Chriſt will ſ…y to many at the great day, depart from me I never knew you; Titles and names of this kind are frequent in the Scripture, whereby God differenceth ſome from others, which hath its riſe from Gods purpoſe and decree of election. A 2d. ground is taken from the oppoſition which the Scripture maketh betwixt the Elect, and others who are not elected, which ſhews clearly that election cannot be underſtood of all, as if there were a general and conditio…al election; hence it's ſaid Jacob have …loved, and Eſau have I hated, the electing of the one is laid foregainſt the r…jecting of the other; ſo John 10 the Lord ſay… of ſome, that they are his ſheep, and of others, they are not my ſheep; and Rom. 9. the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſome veſſels of mercy which are before prepared for glory, and of ſom… veſſels of wrath fitted for deſtruction; and 2 Tim. 2.21. ſome are ſaid to be veſſels of honour, ſome of diſhonour; ſome are ordained to eternal life, Acts 13. and ſome are ordained of old to that destruction, as Jude ſpeaketh; ſome are written in the Lambs book of life, and ſome not, Revel. 20. and wherefore is all this ſpoken? but to let us know that God hath freely and ſoveraignly in his decree put a difference betwixt ſome and others, which as it began (to ſpeak ſo) in God's eternal purpoſe ſo it will continue in the event: Which is a 3d. ground of confirmation; and it will be clear if we compare Gods purpoſe and decree with the event and eff ct; for as a thing is in the event and …ff…ct, ſo God intended and purpoſed in his decree it ſhould be; thus the Lords final ſentence at the day of Judgment, is but the reſult of his eternal purpoſe; the book of life containing the names of all the El…ct, was written, to ſpeak ſo, before the Elect exiſted; and as it's ſaid Acts 15. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning, ſo in a ſpecial manner and peculiar way this great work of the Redemption was, and they that were to be redeemed, particularly knowen and written down in the book of God's decree of election; hence it's ſaid Rom. 11.7. Iſrael hath not obtained that which he ſeeketh for but the election hath obtained; and John 6.37. All that the Father hath given me, ſhall come unto me; and John 10.28. I give my ſheep eternal life and they ſhall never periſh; there is Rom 8.30. a concarination & linking together of things from Gods purpoſe and decree of election, …ven to eternal glory which is the reſult of el…ct…on: And it being very clear tha… ſome are admi ted and owned … Chriſt in the great day and oth…rs nor; this is alſo clea…, that there was a differencing decree betwixt theſe ſo admitted and owned before the world was, and others not ſo owned and admitted; eſpecially conſidering that this diff…encing a… the great day of Judgment is drawen from t…e decree of election, Matth 25. Come ye bleſsed of my Father, inherit the kingdom p…epared for you before the foundation of the world was laid; as if the Lord had ſaid, there was a purpoſe and deſign of bringing you to Heaven before the world was. A 4th. ground is taken from the nature of Gods Covenant of R…demption, which holds clearly forth …he truth of this Doctrine concerning election in all the ſteps of it. As, 1. In Gods making the offer and gift of ſome to the Mediator, it's only ſome that he gives and not all. 2. In Chriſts acceptation of the offer and gift: He prays for ſome, he ſanctifies himſelf for ſome, and for ſome he compts and not for all. 3. There is not a promiſe in all the Covenant of Redemption, whether it be of Grace or of Glory, but it is intended for the Elect only, and not for all, I give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh John 10. Thy people ſhall be willing in the day of thy power, Pſal. 110.3. Chriſts undertaking is for them only, John 10. Other ſheep have I which are not of this fold, them alſo I muſt bring in; there is a neceſſity of the bringing in of them and of no others, becauſe he undertook for them and for no others. We the rather take notice of, and inſiſt ſo much on this, becauſe it will much ſerve to clear the following Doctrine concerning the redemption of the Elect; for if there be a differencing of them from others by the decree of election, then there muſt be a differencing of them from others in Chriſts laying down of his life for them and not for any others; Election is the key of all; there is ſuch a people, and they are the object of the Covenant of Redemption, whoſe good is ſought after and agreed upon therein, and not of any others.
Uſe 1. It ſerves for the confirmation of a weighty truth, and we would have you not to think little of any piece of truth. We ſhall not here follow the ſubtile cavillings of Adv…rſaries againſt this truth, only we would have you confirmed in the faith of it, For, 1. If ye be not clear and eſtabliſhed in the faith of this truth, ye will be in great hazard not only to make muddy, but to obſtruct and ſtop the whole current and tract of Grace, ſo that Grace ſhall be a common thing, Heaven and Happineſs ſhall go by by gueſs; Redemption ſhall be univerſal, &c. but let this truth be once well eſtabliſhed, that God hath a peculiar people for whom the Mediator tranſacted, and theſe errors fall to the ground and evaniſh; for it is the love of election from which all the reſt of the benefits that come to the elect flow, and this love is peculiar, therefore there cannot be a common application of it; it's the peculiarneſs of Grace that commends it to the ſouls of Believers, and makes it wonderful to them; that God ſhould have taken notice of them that were by nature ſeparate from God as well as others; that their caſe being common, his love ſhould be peculiar, is indeed juſt and great matter of wonder; hence comes in that ſong, Rev. 5.9. Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation; not all of every nation, people, tongue and kindred are redeemed, but ſome out of every one of theſe; let this then be taken for a ſolid truth, that the Lord in his eternal purpoſe hath made a difference and ſeparation of ſome from others, which is the great ground of the title that God hath to theſe ſome.
2ly. Clearneſs in this truth, ſerves to keep the hearts of Gods people in awe of him, to lift him up very high in their eſteem as Soveraign over the Creature: And if any ſhould quarrel with God and ſay, why did God ſo? that of the Apoſtle comes well in for an anſwer, Who art thou O man that replyest against God? it's his ſoveraign pleaſure who is ſupream Potter and hath power over the clay to make one veſſel to honour and another to diſhonour: when the Soul doth thus take up God as having all Mankind before him as a lump of Clay, and chooſing out of it, and writing up one man and not another, it muſt needs in a tranſport of admiration ſay, O! what a great and ſoveraign God muſt he be, who did determine and write down the eternal condition of men before ever the world was?
3ly. This to the people of God, 1. Preacheth wonderful grace, when they having gotten their calling and election made ſure, come in and read their names in Gods decree of election before they had a Being; And 2. It is to them matter of exceeding great conſolation: 1. I ſay it preacheth wonderful grace, that freely chooſed them; and that when thouſands of great Men, and Noblemen were paſſed by, ſuch a poor body that was half a fool in compariſon with them, ſhould be choſen; according to that 1 Cor. 1. Not many wiſe after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble hath God called, but he hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world, weak and baſe, and things that are not, to make them kings and prieſts unto God and his Father. 2. It's matter of exceeding great conſolation to them that it's free and ſure; free, even ſo free that it ſtops the mouth of boaſting; for what I pray hath an elect more to ſpeak of as a ground of boaſting than a Pagan in America, or one in Hell? Who made thee to differ, or what haſt thou O man that thou haſt not received? it's election that makes the difference, and it's ſure, for their ſalvation is founded on Gods purpoſe and decree, which is the ſolid reſt of a Believer; kindneſs began not on our ſide but on Gods, as Chriſt ſays, Ye have not choſen me, but I have choſen you, John 15.16.
4ly. It ſays this, That all of you had need to make your calling and election ſure, that is the very hinge of Believers conſolation, even to have the proof of it in your Conſcience that ye are inrolled here, to get out the extract of this decree, that ye may ſee and read your names in it: Hence many ſtreams of conſolation flow out; if it be ſo with you, then ye were given to Chriſt; Chriſt undertook to ſatisfie Juſtice for you; ye ſhall get Faith and more Faith, ye ſhall get Repentance and Sanctification, and ye ſhall get Heaven and Glory at the end of your courſe. If it be ſaid, this is much, how ſhall it be brought about? we anſwer, it's not impoſſible, and to make it out, take but two words, that are both directions and marks, the practice whereof will give a ſolid proof of your inrolment in Gods book, whence all theſe great and glorious things have their riſe. 1. Where there is a yielding to Chriſts call in the Goſpel, & a cloſing with him, that evidenceth election; for it is certain that none ſhall, nor can come to Chriſt and believe in him but the Elect, and whoever are elected muſt and ſhall come, ſooner or later, John 6.37. All that the Father giveth me ſhall come unto me, and John 10.4. His ſheep follow him and know his voice; they accept of and make welcome Chriſts call in the Goſpel, and they that accept of it are elect: So that there is no need of any new revelation about the matter, neither needs there any torturing anxiety to know how to come by thy name in the roll of the Elect; try it by this, if thou haſt given obedience to the call of the Goſpel, if thou haſt in the ſenſe of thy need of a Saviour fled unto …eſus Chriſt, and on his own terms cloſed with him, by this thy tenure or holding is ſure; and by this thou haſt an evidence that thou art an elect; for his Sheep come unto him and hear his voice; and as many of you as ſoundly believe on him, and have betaken your ſelves to him for life and ſalvation, have the ſeal and witneſs in your ſelves that your names were in Gods roll and book before the World was: But if this be not, debate, diſpute & queſtion as ye will about it, whatever may be afterwards, ye have no evidence for the time of your election. 2. Where there is real Holineſs, or a real ſtudy and endeavour to be holy and more holy, it is an evidence of election, and of a perſons being inrolled in the volumn of the book of Gods decree; becauſe Holineſs is a fruit of election, as is clear Eph. 1.4. According as he hath choſen us before the foundation of the world that we ſhould be holy; never a perſon is really holy but ſuch as God deſigned ſhould be holy; to this purpoſe the Apoſtle having 2 Tim. 2.21. ſpoken of election, The foundation of the Lord ſtands ſure, having this ſeal, the Lord knows who are his, and let every one that names the name of Chriſt depart from iniquity, but in a great houſe are not only veſſels of gold, &c. he ſubjoyns, If a man therefore purge himſelf from theſe he ſhall be a veſſel unto honour ſanctified, &c. not that election dependeth on mans Holineſs, but by his holineſs he ſhall be manifeſted to be, and accompted an elect Veſſel, and may warrantably conclude himſelf to be ſuch; ſo that true holineſs brings folk to be acquainted with the great ſecret of Election, and gives them boldneſs to make the application of it: There is nothing that men readily deſire more to know than this, whether they be elected or not, here is a ſure way to come by the knowledge of it, even to ſtudy to believe and to be holy, and then we may be confident that our names were written in the Lambs book of Life, but if we ſlight faith in Chriſt and Holineſs, whatever may be in God's purpoſe about us, we have for preſent no ground to conclude our election upon God himſelf fixus in theſe things that have ſuch mighty conſequents depending on them.