Effectual Calling and Election 2, Sermon 12
SERMON XII.
2 PETER 1.10.
Wherefore the rather, Brethren, give all diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure.
THe Doctrine I am yet upon is this, That Chriſtians ought to put forth a great deale of diligence, to make this ſure to their ſoule, that they are effectually called by Jeſus Chriſt to Grace and Glory. In the proſecution of which, I have gone over many particulars.
Ʋſe. There remains now onelyonly one Uſe more to diſpatch about this ſubject, and then I paſſe to the third point drawn from theſe words. And the Uſe ſhall be of Conſolation; from all that hath been ſaid touching the aſſurance of our effectuall Calling, I ſhall onelyonly direct my diſcourſe to lay down ſix or ſeven Conſolatory Concluſions, to thoſe Chriſtians who are effectually called, yet happily have not a ſenſible aſſurance of their own calling.
Firſt, take this for a truth; that Aſſurance is neceſſary, not for the being, but for the wel-being of a Chriſtian. It is not neceſſary to his eſtate, but to his comfort. It is not neceſſary as food is to the life, but onelyonly as phyſick is to the body. A man cannot live without food; a man may live without Phyſick. Aſſurance is but as a comfortable Cordiall to the ſoule; Grace is as food to keep the ſoule alive; though you doe want aſſurance, this Cordiall to beare you up.
Secondly, that many of Gods deare Children, they may lie a very long time in the want of this aſſurance, touching their effectuall calling. Pſal. 88. it is ſaid of Heman, 14, 15, 16 verſes, Lord, why haſt thou caſt off my ſoule? and why haſt thou hid thy face from me? Mark his complaint: I am ready to die. And was this onelyonly a fit of deſertion, or was it a continued act? yes; Verſ. 16. From my youth up I ſuffer thy terrours, I am diſtracted, and thy fierce wrath goes over me. Heman lay under the ſtate of deſertion from his childhood; for here he tels you his eſtate, that he was not troubled for a day or two, or three, and then his troubles were over; but from his youth up he lay under this perplexity, that he thought God had caſt off his ſoule, and the terrours of God lay upon him: And yet this man none queſtions his goodneſſe. For he was the man, as Ainſworth thinks, that made this Pſalm; and ſure God would never honour a wicked man to be a pen-man of the Scripture. The Pſalm is called a golden Pſalm; and it is ſo called, becauſe hereby he would teach afflicted conſciences, that they may from their youth up lie under great horror, and lie under ſad ſuſpence, concerning their everlaſting eſtate, and yet they may have grace at the root for all this. And Heman doth not onelyonly expreſſe it, as if he had an ordinary trouble of mind; but he expreſſeth it, that he lay under an extraordinary weight of Gods wrath, Verſ. 7. thou h…ſt laid me in the loweſt pit of darkneſſ…, and in the deep, and thy wrath it lies heavy upon me. He did even lie, and ſinke, in his own thoughts under the ſenſe of Gods wrath upon him. This therefore is another comfortable concluſion, That godly men may not onelyonly by fits and ſtarts, but for a long time, for many yeeres together, lie under a ſtate of ſpirituall deſertion. For ſome men think of Heman, that he was above threeſcore yeeres of age, when he wrote this Pſalm; yet from his youth up, till that age, he lay under this horrour and perplexity.
Thirdly, that many of Gods deare children may be ſo long plunged under deſertion, and under the want of Aſſurance, that they may refuſe and withſtand comforts, when God offers it to them in the Goſpel, and yet may have grace ſtill. As a man in a fever, or diſtracted by ſome violent diſeaſe, though you bring him a Cordiall, that may abate his diſeaſe, the man in a fit will throw the glaſſe againſt the wall, though it be the onelyonly means of his remedy. It is ſo with godly men; many times they are ſo accuſtomed to ſadneſſe in the want of aſſurance, that they may refuſe comforts when God offers them. Pſal. 77.2. It is the ſpeech of Aſaph, my ſoule refuſeth to be comforted; a ſtrange ſpeech: Though he was offered comfort, yet his ſoule refuſed it. Here then, Beloved, this may be a very great prop to thee, that thou mayſt ſo long be accuſtomed to a courſe of doubting, that thou mayſt refuſe comfort when God tenders it, and yet be a gracious heart ſtill.
Fourthly, and this is more comfortable yet. That rather then God will let his people live and die without aſſurance, he wil work aſſurance in you by a miracle, or by ſome unuſual or extraordinary way. A famous inſtance you have for this, of a Gentlewoman, that once lived in this City, (its Mr. Bolton that relates the ſtory) one Mris. Honywood; who was a famous profeſſour of Religion, and a woman that for many yeeres was much troubled in mind for the want of her aſſurance. At length there came a Miniſter to her, who endeavored to ſettle her hopes and comforts in Jeſus Chriſt; and he urging promiſes to her, ſhe took it with a kind of indignation & anger, that he ſhould offer to preſent any promiſe to her, to whom ſhe thought it did not belong; and having a Venice glaſſe in her hand, ſhe holds up the glaſſe and ſaid, Speak no more to me of ſalvation, for I ſhall as ſurely be damned, as this poore Venice Glaſſe ſhall be broken againſt the wall, throwing it with all her force to break it. But it pleaſed God, by a miraculous providence to preſerve the glaſſe whole. The Miniſter ſeeing this, took up the glaſſe, and ſaid, Behold, God muſt by a miracle work faith in you, before you will believe. And from that day, the ſtory ſaith, ſhe was a woman very ſtrong in the aſſurance of Gods love. Here you ſee how God did indulge the infirmity of his poore ſervant. Rather then thou ſhalt live and die without aſſurance, God will bring it about even by a miracle; this woman, it may be, had died unaſſured, if God had not confirmed her by ſome unuſuall way. I have read likewiſe in the book of Martyrs, of Mr. Glover, that all the while he was in priſon, he was under a ſtate of deſertion, and very much clouded in his comforts, and could not have any apprehenſion of Gods love to his ſoule. Yet when he came to Smithfield, and ſaw the ſtake, and the fire in which he was to be burnt, he cried out, I have found him, I have found him; and profeſt of himſelfe, he was as full of joy as his heart could hold. The Lord made the very ſight of the Stake to be an inlet to preſent joy. One would have thought that the ſight of the ſtake ſhould have daunted him; whereas he then grew moſt confident.
Fifthly, That though grace in thy heart be unchangeable, yet the ſenſe and feeling of thy own graces is ſubject to great variation and change. Grace in it ſelfe is unchangeable. All the divels in hell cannot pluck the meaneſt believer out of Chriſts hand. Thoſe whom thou haſt given me, I will keep, ſaith Chriſt, and none ſhall take them from me. The foundation of God ſtands ſure; though thy knowledge, that thou buildeſt upon that foundation may not be ſure to thee. The Lord knows who are his, though thou mayſt not. Grace it ſelfe is not changeable, though thy feeling of grace is ſubject to many alterations and changes. Though grace it ſelfe be an unſhaken foundation, yet our feeling of grace is not ſo. In our feeling of grace, we are like the aire, ſometimes cleare, ſometimes cloudy; we are like the ſea, ſometimes ebbing, ſometimes flowing; ebbing in your comforts, as well as flowing in your graces. Believers in their feeling of grace, are like the Trees of the field, ſometimes flouriſhing green, and growing; another time, at the fall of the leafe, like a withered ſtump. So are Chriſtians, touching their own feeling; their apprehenſion of their graces is ſubject to much change, though their graces be not ſo.
Sixthly, That the want of Aſſurance is not ſimply prejudiciall to the ſalvation of a Chriſtian, though it be prejudiciall to the Conſolation of a Chriſtian. It is no way prejudiciall to your ſalvation, but you may be ſaved, though you are not aſſured. For firſt, this want of aſſurance is no prejudice to your free acceſſe to the Throne of grace: you may come freely to preſent your requeſts to God, though you are not aſſured of acceptance. As it is the ſaying of an Authour: Though God ſhewes thee not his face, yet he may lend thee his eare, when thou comeſt to him in prayer; God lends many a Chriſtian an eare in prayer, though they ſee not his face, nor the glimps of his favour. Secondly, Thy want of aſſurance ſhall not hinder thy ſucceſſe in prayer, but thou maiſt goe away with an ample returne, though thou doeſt not goe away with fulneſſe of comfort. Benjamin when he was with Ioſeph in Aegypt, he had a token of love from Ioſeph, a Golden Cup in his ſacke, though he knew it not. This is a lively Emblem of the carriage of our Ioſeph, Jeſus Chriſt to his young Benjamins, who may put a love token in your hearts, and may give you a Golden Cup, and give you grace, and you not know that grace is there. And Laſtly, It doth not hinder your reconciliation, but you may be at peace with God, though you know not that the agreement is made up; There may be reall friendſhip between God and a Believer, though there may be ſome ſeeming enmity. Thou holdeſt me for thine enemy ſaith Iob, yet God did not, though he thought ſo. Zion ſaid, the Lord hath forſaken me, and my God hath forgotten me, Iſa. 49.14. But God had not done ſo, for he tells them a little before, almoſt in one breath, Though a mother may forget her ſucking child, yet will I not forget you: So that there may be ſome ſeeming jarres when there is no enmity at all between God and you.
Seventhly, That Chriſtians, who have attained the ſtrongeſt and higheſt degree of faith, have yet had many defects and doubtings mingled with their faith. Lord, I believe, Mark. 9. Yet helpe my unbeliefe, yet that man attained to a high pitch of faith, 1 Theſ. 3.10. Night and day we pray exceedingly for you that we may ſee your face, and perfect that which is wanting in your faith. Now you muſt not take theſe Theſſalonians, as if they were new Converts, or a people weake in the faith; but herein lies the Emphaſis, that though theſe Theſſalonians were the moſt eminent Chriſtians of all the world, yet they had a great defect in their faith. Therefore compare this with 1 Theſ. 1.7, 8. You were examples to all that believe in Macedonia, and Achaia, for from you ſounded out the word of the Lord not onelyonly in Macedonia and Achaia, but alſo in every place your faith to Godward is ſpread abroad. The people in every place ſpake of the great meaſure of faith that was in the godly people of this Church, and yet though their faith was ſo eminent, and they Chriſtians ſo eminent as they were, yet they had ſome defects; and there was ſomewhat lacking in their faith for all this. See alſo Pſal. 55.5. and Pſal. 77. So that here is very great comfort for Believers, that the ſtrongeſt Chriſtians in the faith have had great defects that have attended their graces.
Thus having finiſhed theſe ſeven comfortable Concluſions, becauſe I would have no deluded ſinner nuzled up in preſumptuous perſwaſions of his owne bleſſedneſſe, when he is a Curſed man, and deſigned for hell; I have two or three ſad concluſions to lay down, for all you that harbour groundleſſe and preſumptuous perſwaſions of your effectuall calling, when you are not. As,
Firſt, You that nouriſh preſumptuous perſwaſions of your effectuall calling, when you are not, take this concluſion to dread your hearts, That it is likely you ſhall never be effectually called by Jeſus Chriſt. There is no man ſo unlikely to be truely called by Chriſt, as that man that thinkes he is called when he is not. Math. 9. I came not to call the Righteous, but ſinners to repentance. Righteous men i.e. that thought they were righteous, and in their owne eye thought they had grace and were as good as the beſt, I came not, ſaith Chriſt, to call them, but ſinners, i.e. ſinners, that ſee their ſinne, and ſee their need of a Saviour, and are ſenſible of their loſt and undone condition without Chriſt, Chriſt came to ſave them, and to call them to repentance: Of all men in the world, you are moſt unlikely to be called that nouriſh ungrounded perſwaſions of your effectuall calling.
Secondly, whilſt you live in this world, you are meere ſtrangers to that inward and ſpirituall joy which every true Believer feeles and findeth in Jeſus Chriſt. You doe not intermeddle with thoſe inward ſolaces, and ſweet enjoyments of heart, which every ſincere believer hath in Jeſus Chriſt. A man that hath aſſurance upon good ground, he is ſo filled with joy, that it wil bear him up againſt all the ſufferings and ſorrows he may meet with here in the world. He that hath aſſurance, no ſufferings can daunt him. As Adolphus Clarebachius, when he was burning at the ſtake, he was ſo filled with the aſſurance of Gods love, that he ſaith of himſelfe, I think in my heart, there is not a merrier heart in the world, then mine is. And ſo another Martyr burning at the ſtake ſaith, I taſte as much ſweetneſſe, and finde as much eaſe now I am in the flames, as if I lay upon a bed of Roſes. The fulneſſe of his joy in the aſſurance of Gods love, made him willingly undergoe any torment. Mr. Saunders was in priſon, till hee was in priſon; Bainam ſaid, when he was in the fire, I feele no more then if I were in a bed of down. Whereas, thou that harboureſt falſe perſwaſions, thy hopes will ſhrink when thou commeſt to ſuffer, like cloath not well woven, on a rainy day; thy deluſions will never beare up thy ſpirit to ſo high a pitch as theſe are. This is thy miſery, thou wilt never have that ſweet peace and rejoycing in thy heart Believers have, who are aſſured upon Scripture grounds.
Thirdly, take this for thy dread, that thou wilt be thrown into hell, before thou art aware. It is the ſpeech of Mr. Bolton. That man that takes up a falſe perſwaſion of his effectuall Calling, when he is not, he is like unto a man that is in a pleaſant dream, who dreames he is a King, and hath a Kingdome, and hath Treaſures full of Silver and Gold; yet when he awakes, behold the man hath nothing. He compares him likewiſe to a man that is aſleep upon the maſt of a ſhip; he is in a golden dream, and dreams of Kingdomes, and of thouſands which he hath, and happily in a moment the wind ariſeth, the ſhip is toſſed upon the waves, & the man is tumbled into the Ocean and drowned. It is ſo with many men, who nouriſh Golden dreams, and hopes, that heaven is theirs, and Chriſt theirs; when as (alas) they are tumbled and thrown into hell, before they are aware. And this ſhould be a dreadfull meditation to thy heart, that harboureſt preſumptuous perſwaſions of thy effectuall Calling, when thou art not.
Thus I have done in eleven Sermons with this Doctrine, touching effectuall calling. I paſſe now to the third and laſt point, drawn from theſe words: and that is,
Doct. That Chriſtians ought to put forth a great deale of diligence to make this ſure to their ſoules, that they are eternally elected by God to life and ſalvation. Give diligence to make your Calling and election ſure.
There are many profitable points to be handled in the diſpatch of this Doctrine; I ſhall onelyonly in this remnant of time proſecute a few. And firſt, I ſhall ſhew you what election is.
Secondly, whether a man may be ſure of his own election, ſeeing election is an act from eternity. How can a man be ſure of that which was done in Gods counſell before we had a being? Thirdly, by what diſcoveries may a man infallibly judge, that he is elected.
Q. 1 In the diſcuſſion of this doctrine, I begin with the firſt, What election is?
A. Which that you may know, I ſhall lay down this briefe deſcription of it.
Election is an eternall decree or purpoſe of God, whereby he hath freely choſen out of the maſſe of mankind a ſmall company of men and women, that ſhall come to everlaſting life and ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt. This is election.
And here in this deſcription there are theſe things to be taken notice of. Firſt, I call it an eternall purpoſe; becauſe, though a man be not juſtified from eternity, yet he is elected from eternity. God from eternity had a purpoſe that man ſhould be juſtified, and ſhould be called, and ſhould be ſaved. Election is from eternity, though vocation, juſtification, and glorification be not ſo. Hence you read in Scripture, when it ſpeaks of election, Eph. 1.4. He hath elected us in Chriſt, before the foundation of the world. But it is never ſaid ſo of Juſtification. God had a purpoſe to make us happy, and a purpoſe to call us in time, and a purpoſe to juſtifie us, from eternity, though the acting of this purpoſe is in due time fulfilled. Secondly, I call it a purpoſe, whereby he doth freely chuſe. And this I doe in oppoſition to that Papiſticall Tenet, that God doth predeſtinate or elect men to ſalvation upon the foreſight of good works. A moſt abominable opinion; and takes off the freeneſs of this act of Gods election, 2 Tim. 1.9. Not according to our works, but according to his own purpoſe & grace: Eph. 1.5.11.ſo I ſay thirdly, Whereby God doth freely chuſe out of the maſſe of mankind a few to obtaine life and ſalvation. In oppoſition to thoſe that hold for univerſall Redemption, and univerſall Grace; As Origen, and from him many more have been tainted with this errour, to hold Election univerſall. And ſo many of the Papiſts: Now the Scripture tels us, that many are called, but few are choſen. Election ſignifies a choice; now a choice, the very word imports a rejecting of ſome, and a culling out of others. The word Election imports, that all ſhall not be ſaved. Origen held this, that all men ſhould be ſaved; that Election ſhall extend to every man. Yea, the very divels at the day of judgement ſhall be ſaved: which is an opinion among Chriſtians not to be named; for Election belongs but to a few. Fourthly, I ſay, that tis to bring them to eternall life and ſalvation; therefore called ordination to eternall life, Act. 13.48.
Q. 2 Secondly, Whether may a Chriſtian in this life be aſſured of his eternall Election; for as much as Election was done in the decree of God, before ever he had a being, or the world was? Therefore ſeeing we are not privy to Gods decree and counſell, how can it be ſaid, that we may know and be aſſured of our Eternall Election? Indeed the Papiſts, they beat down this doctrine. And hence it is that in the Councell of Trent there was this Canon made, that if any man ſhould ſay he was bound to believe, that he was of the number of them that God hath predeſtinate, or elected to life, let him be an accurſed man. They did endeavour to beat down aſſurance, and held, that all that a man could have, muſt be onelyonly a conjecturall aſſurance, or ſome kinde of hopes of ſalvation, and no other. Now that you might not erre in this point, ſee what the Scripture ſpeaks in this caſe. That though Election be an act of God from eternity, yet a believer may firmly and fully know his own election: And this I ſhall make good by ſeverall places of Scripture. Read Luke 10.20. Rejoyce not, ſaith Chriſt to his Diſciples, that you have power to caſt out divels, that they are ſubject to you, but rejoyce rather in this, that your names are written in the book of life. That is, rejoyce not, that you can work miracles; that wicked men can doe, that are not elected; but rather rejoyce, that your names are written in the book of life; that is, that in Gods decree you are elected to ſalvation. Now, how could they rejoyce, unleſſe they knew this? So, 1 Theſ. 1.4. Knowing brethren, beloved, your election of God. The Apoſtle takes it for granted, that believers did know they were elected. So Epheſ. 1.3, 4, 5. The Lord hath bleſſed us with all ſpirituall bleſſings in Chriſt, according as he hath choſen us in him, before the ſoundation of the world was, having predeſtinated us to the adoption of children by Jeſus Chriſt. Many more Scriptures I might urge, but in the mouth of two or three witneſſes, it is enough to confirme every truth.
But now though the Scripture be thus cleare; yet there are ſome objections, that ſeemingly oppoſe this truth, which I muſt ſatisfie. The Papiſts, as farre as I have read in their writings, I finde five objections, they draw from Scripture againſt this truth, that a man may be aſſured of his Election: for, ſay they, it was an act of Gods, done before we had a being, and how can we be aſſured of that? I will therefore, beloved, firſt produce thoſe Scriptures that they pretend wil overthrow this point, and then take off what ſeems to make againſt it. The firſt Text they urge is, 1 Pet. 1.17. Paſſe the time of your ſojourning here in feare. This Scripture (ſay they) bids us paſſe our time in feare; and if ſo, then we cannot be aſſured of our election, but we muſt feare all the daies of our life, whether we are elected or no.
To this I ſhall anſwer briefly. You muſt know the feare that the holy Ghoſt here preſſeth, that men ſhould paſſe their time in feare, is not meant of a feare about our election; but it is meant of a feare of ſinne; that we muſt not ſinne againſt God, but feare God, and feare to provoke God by our ſinne. And if you ask how this appeares, I make it appeare plainly thus; for verſ. 18. it is ſaid, Knowing beloved, that you are not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, but with the precious blood of Chriſt, &c. Now this verſe proves clearly, that they knew they were redeemed by Chriſts bloud, and ſo by conſequence knew their election. Therefore the Apoſtle did not preſſe a feare, to beat down the knowledge of their election; but, paſſe your time in feare, i. e. feare to offend God, and feare to ſinne againſt him.
Another objection they urge is this. The Scripture, ſay they doth often commend feare to us; and ſurely feare and aſſurance cannot ſtand together. Prov. 28.14. Bleſſed is the man that feareth alwaies. Now, if a man muſt alwaies feare, then the moſt a man can have is hope; and ſo hang between hope and feare all our daies. To which I anſwer.
That the fearing alwaies, which Salomon annexed bleſſedneſſe unto, is not meant of the feare about a mans election, but onelyonly a feare to ſinne againſt God. And if you ask me how that appeares, read the whole verſe, Bl…ſſ…d is the man that feareth alwaies, but he that hardens his heart ſhall runne into miſchiefe. Now mark, by the Antitheſis it is apparent, that feare there, is not a feare of our everlaſting eſtate, but onelyonly a feare in oppoſition to hardneſſe of heart in wicked men, that goe on in a courſe of ſin.
Another place they urge is, 1 Cor. 10.12. Wherefore let him that thinks he ſtands, take heed leſt he fall. Now, ſay they, the Scripture tells us, that every man, though never ſo firm, as he thinks, about his election; yet he muſt take heed, he may fall from grace, and be damned for all this. Now by way of anſwer to this, I would lay down two things.
Firſt, The Apoſtle doth not ſpeak of men that have a grounded aſſurance of their election; but to men that lie in carnall ſecurity, and have deluded perſwaſions of their good eſtate; and this appeares by the Text; for he ſaith, let him that thinks he ſtands. He doth not ſay, let him that ſtands; for he cannot fall, but he that thinks he ſtands. Thoſe men that nouriſh preſumptuous, and ungrounded perſwaſions, that they are in a good eſtate, and in a happy condition, let them take heed, leſt they fall.
Secondly, the falling here is not meant a falling away from grace, or a falling away finally after election, for that is impoſſible; but it is onelyonly meant of a falling into ſinne: and ſo the meaning is this, Let him that thinks he ſtands, i. e. that thinks he is ſtrong in grace, and ſtands upon his own legs, let that man take heed leſt he fall into ſinne. Now a man may take heed of falling into ſinne, yet no way queſtion his aſſurance. And if you aske how I make it appeare that this is the intendment and ſcope of the place; I anſwer, by the Context. Read the foregoing verſe, Let not us tempt Chriſt, as they tempted him; let not us murmur, as ſome of them murmured, for theſe things hapned to them for enſamples, and are written for our admonition. Therefore let him that thinketh he ſtands, take heed leſt he fall. As much as if he ſhould ſay, you have here ſeen ſome men fall into ſinne, you have heard ſome men murmur, ſome men tempt Chriſt; this ſhould make you affraid, leſt you fall into ſinne, and ſuffer the puniſhment they did. But what is this to the denying of aſſurance, that men cannot be aſſured of their election?
Another place they urge alſo, is Phil. 2.12. worke out your ſalvation with feare and trembling. Now ſay they, if a man muſt work out, and carry on the buſineſſe of his ſalvation with feare and trembling, then ſurely a man can never be aſſured in this life of his election. To which I anſwer.
That feare and trembling there ſpoken of, is not a feare and trembling in oppoſition to the aſſurance of our election; but in oppoſition to that carnall ſecurity, and ſinfull dependance upon our own ſtrength; This is apparent in the next words, For it is God that worketh in you the will and the deed: And therefore, becauſe you have no ſtrength of your own, and no power of your own to doe any thing, therefore feare and tremble in that regard.
Secondly, feare and trembling may very well be conſiſtent with this grace of aſſurance; for we read, Pſal. 2.11. Rejoyce in the Lord with trembling. You may feare, and yet rejoyce alſo. So Pſal. 5.7. As for me, I will come into thy houſe in the multitude of thy mercies, and in thy feare I will worſhip towards thine holy Temple. Here is feare, and confidence in the mercies of God joyned together; to ſhew, that feare and aſſurance may very well be conſiſtent each with other. But then they object, how can this be? for John ſaith, that perfect love caſteth out feare. I anſwer, that though John ſaith, perfect love caſteth out feare; yet John doth not ſay, that imperfect love caſteth out feare. Now in this life our love is imperfect, and therefore mixt with feare; but in heaven our love is perfect, and ſo caſts out all feare. So that ſtill this makes nothing againſt us, but that a man may have a grounded aſſurance of his eternall election.
Another place they object is, Rom. 11.20. Be not high minded, but feare. To this I anſwer: Theſe words are not ſpoken of fearing our election; that we ſhould feare whether we are elected or no. But ſerves to beate down any opinion of our own righteouſneſſe, as if we were therefore accepted of God; and to keep us from inſulting over the rejected Jewes; now that we are taken in, in their room.
One Scripture more (whch indeed is the main pillar they reſt upon) is, Rom. 11.34. Who hath known the minde of the Lord? or who hath been his Counſellor? Here, ſay the Papiſts, the Scripture challengeth any man in the world to come forth, and ſay, that he knowes Gods mind; by Gods mind is meant Gods decree. And here Paul challengeth all, that no man knows the decree of God from eternity. Therefore, if no man knows the mind of God, then certainly none know their own election, for that is Gods mind, and Gods decree: this they hold an undeniable argument.
And here to ſatisfie you in this Scripture, I ſhall lay down three things.
Firſt, When it is ſaid, No man knows the mind of God; nor no man is his Counſellor: this doth hold true, that no man knows the mind or decree of the Lord, touching other mens election. The Apoſtle doth not ſpeak this, as if no man knew Gods minde about his own, but about other mens election, who are elected, and who are not; for that is the ſcope of the place. The Gentiles, they thought all the Jewes were damned men; and they cenſured and vaunted over them. Now, ſaith Paul, None knows Gods mind concerning others, whether they ſhall be ſaved or damned, while they are in this world.
Secondly, no man knows the mind of the Lord in this ſenſe, that is, ſo as to give a reaſon of Gods decree; why God did decree this, and decree that; why God did chuſe Peter, and not elect Judas; no man knows the reaſon of Gods decree, and of his waies.
Thirdly, No man knows the mind of the Lord, that is, no man knows Gods decree, by looking upon it alone; but by bringing down Gods ſecret will to his revealed will; and ſo we may know his decree. I may make uſe of that place Rom. 10.8. Let no man ſay, I will aſcend up to heaven to fetch Chriſt thence; but what ſaith the word? the word is night thee, even in thy mouth. Truſt to that. As if he ſhould ſay, Let no man think to know Gods decrees, by going into heaven, and there ſearching into Gods decrees, for that he cannot doe; but look upon the word, and there he ſhall finde whom God hath elected, and decreed to ſave, 1 Cor. 2.16. No man can know by looking barely upon the decree; but if we compare Gods decree with his word, and from the word look upon them that are elected, we may eaſily know whether we are elected or no. Which puts me upon the third head premiſed, How a man may be aſſured in his own ſoule, that he is elected to life and ſalvation by God the Father.