Effectual Calling and Election 2, Sermon 15
SERMON XV.
2 PETER 1.10.
Wherefore the rather, Brethren, give all diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure.
THe laſt Concluſion or Doctrine drawn from theſe words, was this, That Chriſtians ſhould put forth a great deale of diligence to make this ſure to their ſoules, that they are eternally elected by God to life and glory. In the proſecution of which I have diſpatched ſeverall queries. I am now to proceed further in the diſpatch of what yet remaines to be ſpoken concerning this ſubject. A fourth query followes.
Q. Fourthly, Whether the decree of election, or Gods purpoſe to ſave a company of men, being from eternity, and being immutable, whether doth not this give way to man to be ſecure, and careleſſe in the uſe of the means of grace, that they take no care to get grace, and to get heaven, while they are in the world? This is a very uſefull point to inſiſt upon, ſeeing the Arminians charge us with this, that if we hold election without reſpect to Gods foreſight of workes in men, then this layes open a gap for men to live as they liſt, that they ſhall ſay, If God hath determined they ſhall be ſaved, they ſhall be ſaved; if that they ſhall be damned, they ſhall be damned, whether they are holy, or profane; if God hath elected them to life, they ſhall be ſaved, let them live as they liſt. Thus the Arminians plead. This therefore is the query, whether this doctrine of election doth adminiſter any ground for ſuch a cavill as this to be in the minds of men?
To anſwer which, I ſhall firſt lay down this generall Concluſion, That the decree, or the purpoſe of God about the election of man to life and ſalvation, doth no way adminiſter any juſt ground to men, to make them live as they liſt, and to make them neglect the means of grace and ſalvation. In the clearing of which, I ſhall lay down three particulars, to ſatisfie you about this matter. As,
Firſt, that Gods decree about Civill and Temporall matters, doth no way give encouragement to men to neglect the uſe of means, and live careleſſe of the accompliſhment of his decree; and therefore not ſo in ſpirituall. As now for inſtance: God hath determined from all eternity, how long every one of us ſhall live in the world; our daies are numbred in his counſell. Now, though God hath determined how long we ſhall live, this no way gives us encouragement to ſay therefore I will never put on a rag of cloathes to cover me in Winter, and I will never put a morſell of meat in my mouth; for God hath determined how long I ſhall live, and therefore whether I eate or no, till then I ſhall not die. Again, God hath determined from all eternity, touching every one of us, whether we ſhall be poore or rich in this world, and therefore to draw this concluſion, that it is no matter whether I be induſtrious in following my calling, and looking after my trade, or whether I ſpend my eſtate in rioting and drunkenneſſe; God hath determined whether I ſhall be rich or poore; if he hath decreed I ſhall be poore, I ſhall be poore; or that I ſhall be rich, I ſhall be rich, let me live as I pleaſe: this reaſoning is very fond and fooliſh in Temporall things, therefore much more in Spirituall. God hath determined from all eternity whether thou ſhalt be ſaved or damned, and the decree of God cannot be changed; but now to draw hence, that it is no matter how I live, whether in waies of holineſſe, or in waies of ſinne, this is an abuſive collection from Gods decree. Becauſe, as Dr. Preſton ſaith, if a man doth not uſe thoſe means that may evidence to his ſoule that he is elected, it is an argument he is not elected. If thou ſay, if God hath determined it, he will ſave me, whether I am holy or prophane, and therefore I will never heare Sermon, never pray in my family, never uſe holy duties; Saith Preſton, if thou neglect theſe means, it is an argument thou art not elected; becauſe, as God hath elected thee to the end, he hath alſo ordained thee to uſe the means. I have read a ſtory of an Italian, who lying upon his death-bed, ſent for a Phyſician, the moſt exquiſite and exact Artiſt in all Italy; and this man held this opinion I am now ſpeaking of, that ſeeing Gods decrees were unalterable, a man might live as he liſt, and yet be ſaved; that let a man be as holy as he could be, if God had decreed his damnation, he ſhould be damned; and let a man be never ſo wicked, if God have decreed his ſalvation, hee ſhould be ſaved; and that the decree of God tooke off the uſe of all means, that a man need not uſe any meanes, but onelyonly truſt in God. The Phyſician being a man acquainted in the myſteries of Religion, after he had asked him the ſtate of his body, and where the diſeaſe lay, the party deſiring him to preſcribe ſome phiſick, the Phiſician gave him this anſwer: ſaith he, God hath determined how long you ſhall live; therefore, if I give you phyſick, if God hath determined you ſhall die, you ſhall die for all that; and if he hath decreed you ſhall live, though I give you no phyſick, yet you ſhall live. And this anſwer (ſaith the Hiſtorian) took ſuch place with the Italian, that it converted him in this very principle, and he became a man very diligent in following the means of grace, upon this very ſaying. And indeed, a juſt & grounded ſpeech it is. This therefore is my firſt anſwer, that if ſuch reaſonings as theſe in temporall things are unreaſonable, they are much more in ſpirituall.
Secondly, to you that make this plea, I would ſay this: That at that very ſame inſtant wherein God did decree or determine to bring any man to life, at that very inſtant God did decree likewiſe that that man ſhould be holy before hee died; he ſhall uſe all ſanctified and holy means conducible to his ſalvation. Rom. 8.29. Whom he did predeſtinate, them he did predeſtinate to be conformable to the Image of his ſonne. God the Father, in that very decree wherein he did ordain man to life, did ordaine, that thoſe men elected ſhould live conformable to Jeſus Chriſt. Epheſ. 1.4. He hath choſen us in Chriſt, before the foundation of the world was laid, that we ſhould be holy and blameleſſe before him in love. God did decree, that our lives ſhould be holy; he ordaines holineſſe as the means, as well as heaven as the end. So Epheſ. 2.10. God hath created us in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, which he hath before ordained, that we ſhould walke in them. 2 Theſ. 2.13. God, before the world was, at that very inſtant wherein he ordained, and choſe men to life, did alſo ordaine, that men ſhould live a holy and blameleſſe life here upon earth. Now then, for men to make this objection, that ſeeing God hath decreed men to life, therefore men may live as they liſt, is abſurd: for if men doe live as they liſt, it is an argument God did not decree them to life, becauſe God in decreeing men to life and ſalvation, did decree they ſhould walk in a courſe of ſanctification, and holy living in this world.
Thirdly, ſuppoſe this ſhould be taken for granted, that God had decreed to damne thee or me; that God in his purpoſe had appointed he would not ſave us; yet God, as a Creator, deſerves thy ſervice. God, as Creator, may lay claime to thy duties. Though God ſhould condemne us, yet he making us, deſerves obedience, and deſerves duties of thankfulneſſe from us. And therefore, under this notion onelyonly, though no other conſideration be looked after, this ſhould engage you to righteous living; and this ſhould engage you in a way of duties, though he never ſave you. Adam, though he never ſhould come to heaven, being in innocency, yet being made and created by God, was engaged to live a holy life. And ſo it is with every man alive, as we are creatures, and have a being from God, and the comforts of this life from God, all this doth oblige us to a courſe of obedience, and righteous living toward God, though he ſhould throw us into hell, when we have done. And thus much for reſolving the fourth Query, that the decree of God touching mans election to life, doth no way give encouragement to men to live as they liſt, upon the forementioned grounds. I now paſſe to the fifth Query.
Fifthly, what temptations doth the divell ſuggeſt into the minds of godly men, to make them doubt within themſelves, that they are not elected by God, when indeed they are, to make them thinke they are reprobate ſilver, when they are veſſels of honour, meet for their Maſters uſe? Happily I may ſpeak to ſome, whoſe ſpirits are perplexed in this caſe. And the anſwer hereunto, I ſhall reduce to three heads, and as I lay them down, labour to take them off, that they may be no juſt ground or reaſon to make you doubt of your election.
Firſt, the divell tempts a godly man with this, that ſure you cannot be elected, Becauſe that before your calling you were ſo exceeding ſinfull and profane in your lives; ſo exceedingly profane, vile, wicked livers, that certainly (the divel will ſay) ſuch as you could not fall within the compaſſe of Gods purpoſe to ſave.
Secondly, the divell will tell you, that certainly you cannot be elected to life, becauſe that after your calling into Jeſus Chriſt, you have fallen ſo fouly into capitall, and ſcandalous crimes and ſinnes.
And thirdly, becauſe that God doth continually purſue his people with outward and great afflictions; thence the divell will gather, you are not the choſen and beloved of God. Theſe three grand temptations he doth many times faſten upon many tender conſciences, meerly to create a world of doubts and perplexities in the choſen veſſels of mercy. I begin with the firſt.
Firſt, the divell tempts you, that ſure you are not elected, becauſe your lives were ſo exceedingly profane, and you were ſuch abominable ill livers, before you tooke upon you the profeſſion of Jeſus Chriſt; this the divell layes before many a poore ſoule to ſtumble at.
To ſatisfie you in this therefore, I ſhall lay down four particulars by way of anſwer.
Firſt, Many of the ſervants of God before their calling, have been very lewd, wicked, notorious, profane livers, and yet have been within the compaſſe of Gods election to life and glory. Caſt your eyes upon Paul, and there you ſhall finde what he was before his call. He tels you himſelfe, I was a bluſphemer, (a horrible ſinne) I was a perſecuter, I was injurious to God Church. I haled men to priſon for profeſſing the name of Jeſus. (Theſe are great ſinnes.) Nay further, ſaith he, I was exceeding mad againſt the Church of God. A man enraged with malice againſt the people of God. Now what could be morvile then theſe? And yet you ſhall finde this man, a choſen veſſell of mercy. Nay, you ſhall finde, God to ſtrengthen the confidence of men upon their election, puts a ſcandalous liver and election together, to make men ſee, that a ſcandalous life before converſion, is no prejudice to a mans election. Acts 9.13, 14. And Ananias ſaid, Lord, we have heard of this man by many (ſpeaking of Paul) how much evill he hath done to thy Saints at Hieruſalem. We have heard by many what an evill man this is, and that he hath authority from the chiefe P…ieſts to binde all that call upon thy Name; and that this man did doe it, did execute his commiſſion; here was a wicked liver: but now mark what the Lord ſaith, Goe thy way, for he is a choſen veſſell to me. Here you ſee Ananias laies his offence, and his wickedneſſe before him; and yet, Goe thy way, ſaith God: Goe thy way, for he is a choſen veſſell to me. The like inſtances we have in Manaſſeth and Mary Magdalen. This therefore is my firſt anſwer, that many of the ſervants of God have been men of very ill and notorious lives, before converſion, and yet they have been within the compaſſe of Gods election to ſalvation.
Secondly, though men have been notoriouſly wicked, in their lives before calling, yet if this notorious wickedneſſe doth lay an engagement upon them, to make them labour to be more eminent in grace after calling; this is rather a ſigne of election, then reprobation. It is obſervable in Paul, he was a notorious wicked man before his call; but now this exceeding wickedneſſe of his before his call, did engage him to labour to exceed all others in goodneſſe after he was converted, and the more evill he was before, the more holy he labours to be after. As he laboured before to hale men to priſon for profeſſing Jeſus Chriſt, he is now as zealous to draw men to Jeſus Chriſt after his call; he was very induſtrious to doe evill before his call, and this made him after his call, as he ſaith himſelfe, I was in labours more abundant then they all. And ſo Mary Magdalen, who before her calling was a vile woman, one that was a common harlot; a woman out of whom Jeſus Chriſt caſt ſeven divels; and yet this woman, after her calling, ſhe laboured to be more eminent in godly ſorrow, then any woman before or ſince; ſhe waſhed Chriſts feet with her teares, and wiped them with the haires of her head. The like of which you do not read of any woman in Scripture. And this was a very good ſigne; when your notoriouſneſſe in waies of ſinne before calling, ſhall lay ſuch an engagement upon you to become more eminent in grace after calling; this is a very good encouragement or evidence that you are within the compaſſe of Gods election; and therefore you have no cauſe to be diſcouraged. Suppoſe before the word laid hold upon your conſcience, you were guilty of filthy ſinnes, not fit to be named in the congregation; if you will the more honour God, and praiſe God now, and walk more humbly, and labour to excell each other in grace now, as you did in ſinne in times paſt. This is a great ſigne that you are in the company of Gods Elect ones.
Thirdly, you that have been ſcandalous in your lives before calling, for your comfort know, that God in his eternall counſell doth commonly make the profane and wicked and the worſt of men, the objects of his election, rather then civill honeſt men, rather then men that are of an honeſt and civill, and morall converſation here in this world. And the Lord doth it upon this ground, the more to magnifie the freeneſſe, and the riches of his own grace in electing men to life. For ſhould God onelyonly chuſe moderate and civill honeſt men in the world, men would be apt to think it is that mans morality, and that mans civility, that was the motive which provoked God to elect them; and therefore God, to overthrow theſe thoughts, he lets election runne rather unto men that have been notoriouſly groſſe and ſinfull in their lives, then other men; Manaſſeh a notorious bloudy man, yet falls within the compaſſe of Gods election, when many a civill man is left out. Mary, a common harlot, yet choſen, when many a modeſt chaſte woman was caſt into hell. Matth. 21.31, 32. There Chriſt urgeth a parable of two men. One that ſaid he would go and follow Chriſt, but did not; and the other ſaid he would not goe, but did; now which of theſe twaine did the will of Chriſt? and they ſaid, the firſt. And Jeſus ſaid unto them, Verily I ſay unto you, that publicans and harlots ſhall goe into heaven before you. But you will ſay, was this common? this was onelyonly one ſingle time: therefore mark the next words, For John came to you in the way of righteouſneſſe, and you believed not; but the publicans and harlots believed in Chriſt. John came preaching, and you would not believe, you Phariſees, ſtrict morall men, that did not flie out into ſuch ſcandals as other men did, you would not believe, ſaith Chriſt, but Publicans, men that were moſt addicted to extortion, and unconſcionable gaine, they imbraced Jeſus Chriſt, when morall men would not. This therefore ſhould be another comfort for you, that many times election runnes rather to the profaner ſort of men, then to men that are civill and righteous dealing men here in the world; and this God doth to magnifie the riches of his own grace.
Fourthly, that it is no matter what you were before your calling, ſo you are a repentant and holy people after; your former miſcarriages ſhall no way prejudice your future bleſſedneſſe. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10, 11. Neither Fornicator, nor Idolater, nor Adulterer, nor envious, nor thiefe, nor covetous, nor reviler ſhall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven: and ſuch were ſome of you &c. Here you ſee a Catalogue of vile evils heaped together, and ſuch were ſome of you; but now you are waſhed, now you are ſanctified, &c. So that no matter what you were before converſion, though guilty of great ſinnes, ſo you are now a reformed people, now a ſanctified people, Titus 3.3. We our ſelves alſo were ſometimes fooliſh, diſobedient, deceived, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, and living in malice and envie, &c. You were ſo; but after the kindneſſe and love of God appeared to you, after they were called and converted they were not ſo. So that theſe foure particulars will clearly take off this objection, that no matter what you were before converſion, if you are now a repentant people, and bewaile your evils, and reform your waies, your former ill led life will be no hindrance at all to your election. Indeed this I muſt needs ſay, that you that have been moſt notorious in ſinne, God expects this at your hands, that you be moſt eminent in grace, moſt deep in humiliation, moſt eminent in godly ſorrow, though your former evills doe no way prejudice your election.
Secondly, if the divell cannot faſten this upon you, he will come upon you with this aſſault, viz. your frequent falling into ſcandalous and foule, and groſſe enormities, after you took upon you a profeſſion of Jeſus Chriſt. And this the divell will lay cloſe: happily ſinne before converſion was not ſo great; but now ſince you have followed Sermons, and ſince you have profeſſed Jeſus Chriſt, ſince that time you have fallen foulely into groſſe and ſcandalous ſinnes, and ſurely this is inconſiſtent with grace, and cannot befall perſons within the compaſſe of Gods election.
And I confeſſe this is both ſad and hazardous: yet I ſhall lay down three things to uphold thee, that yet for all this thou maiſt be within the compaſſe of Gods election. As,
Firſt, that divers perſons who were within the compaſſe of Gods election, have fallen foulely into groſſe ſinnes after their call. Lot, after he was called, fell to be inceſtuous, and fell to drunkenneſſe; David, after he was called, fell into Adultery; Peter, after he was called, fell to a deniall of Jeſus Chriſt. Yea, you read of Solomon, 1 Kings 11.9. That his heart was turned from the Lord, after the Lord had revealed himſelfe unto him twice. After God had revealed himſelfe to Solomon, and converted him; after that time he did evill againſt his God. Nay, you read further, Nehem. 13.26, 27. That Solomons wives turned away his heart from the Lord, though he was the beloved of his God. Though he were beloved by God, and were elected by him, yet his wives turned away his heart from the Lord. The like phraſe you have Numb. 14.22. After all theſe great works, I have done amongst them, and the miracles I have ſhewn them in Aegypt, and in the Wilderneſſe, they have provoked me, ſaith the Lord, theſe ten times. After they were the Lords by covenant, and after they were a delivered people; after this they provoked him many a time, by ſinning againſt him, and yet divers of them were elect veſſels of mercy. So that, I ſay, many of Gods ſervants after their calling, are fallen foulely into ſcandalous ſinnes, and yet have been within the compaſſe of Gods election.
Secondly, if you falling into groſſe and ſcandalous ſinnes, have not theſe foure ſinfull ingredients, your falling into ſinne after calling, may be conſiſtent with election. Firſt, if you fall not into ſinne voluntarily. Secondly, if you fall not into the ſame ſinne frequently. Thirdly, if you fall not into ſinne with complacency. And fourthly, if you lie not under your fall impenitently. If theſe ingredients be mixed with your ſinning after your call, they are inconſiſtent with election. Firſt, if you fall into ſinne voluntarily, that you ruſh into ſinne, as a horſe into the battell. Secondly, if you fall into the ſame ſinne frequently, then it is hazardous and dangerous. It is true Peter denied Chriſt, but it was but in one fit of a temptation. David fell into Adultery, but it was never but once; Lot was guilty of drunkenneſſe, but onelyonly in one fit: For the ſervants of God, though they fall, yet they fall not frequently into the ſame ſinne, if groſſe and ſcandalous. Thirdly, if you fall into ſinne with complacency, that you take pleaſure in the evils you fall into; if you doe as Job ſaith, wallow ſinne under your tongue; counting it ſweet and delightſome to you. And laſtly, if all this be joyned with impenitency, that you have not a heart to repent of the evils you fal into, the Lord have mercy upon you; for certainly, if you fall into ſinne with theſe ingredients, you are not within the compaſſe of Gods mercy to ſave. But now, though you doe fall into ſinne, if it be not voluntary, but through the force of temptation: if it be not with complacency, but a diſlike of the ſins you fall into; and as ſoon as you doe fall, and ſee your ſinnes you repent and riſe again, though you doe fall in this way, it will be no prejudice to your election.
Thirdly, falling into ſinne after calling and profeſſion made of Jeſus Chriſt, may be conſiſtent with election in theſe foure caſes. Firſt, if the ſinnes you fall into be clearly diſcerned. Secondly, if they are ſenſibly bewailed. Thirdly, if they are ſtrongly reſiſted; and laſtly, if they are daily laboured, and prayed againſt. Though you doe fall into ſinne, yet in theſe caſes ſinne will not be damning to you, or be an impediment to your election. And thus I have done with the ſecond caſe of conſcience. OnelyOnly, let me urge this one thing before I leave it, (for I would not have you make this doctrine a doctrine of liberty; but I would have you lay this to heart) that if any of you doe fall foulely, after converſion; believe it, God will make you ſmart for this, though not in hell, yet you ſhall have a hell in your conſcience, you ſhall have the very preguſtations of hell, a wounded conſcience, and God will expect deep humiliation, and great repentance, if you ſinne after profeſſion made of Jeſus Chriſt. It may have that influence upon you, as upon David, who cried out, I have no quietneſſe in my bones, by reaſon of my ſinne. God will give you no reſt night nor day by reaſon of ſinne, if you runne into it after profeſſion made of Jeſus Chriſt.
Thirdly, men doe doubt of their election, becauſe God purſues them with continuall afflictions, and layes the continued ſtrokes of his heavy wrath upon them; and this makes many a godly man thinke, that he is not in the number of Gods elect ones. To which I ſhall briefly anſwer.
That this is nothing elſe but a temptation, and not a truth; and it was the very controverſie that Jobs friends had with him; they would faſten this upon Job, that he was a Reprobate, and an Hypocrite, becauſe God did ſo afflict him: yet Job maintained his ſincerity, and ſhewes his grounds, that God was his friend, and that he did not reject him, though he did afflict him. But to ſpeake more particularly.
Firſt, no man can infallibly and certainly judge of Gods purpoſes about mans election, or reprobation, by any of the diſpenſations of God toward their bodies in the things of this life. Eccleſ. 9.1, 2. No man knows either love or hatred by any thing that is before him. All things fall alike to all. The ſame event to him that feareth God, and to him that feareth him not, to him that ſweareth, and to him that feareth an Oath.
Secondly, Afflictions from God are ſo farre from being grounds, or evidences that a man is not elected, that in ſome caſes they may prove evidences that they are the very elect of God. Heb. 12.6, 7. He chaſteneth every ſonne whom he receiveth; they are baſtards, and not ſonnes, whom he chaſtiſeth not. As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten, be zealous therefore and repent. Revel. 3.19. In ſome caſes afflictions from God are rather tokens of love from God, then the contrary. As now, in caſe afflictions be as a ſpur to you, to make you quicken your pace in heaven way. 2. In caſe your afflictions be as pruning-hookes to you, to cut and lop off the luxuriant buddings, and workings of ſinne in the heart. 3. In caſe affliction be as a hedge to you to keep you in, and to make you walke in a cloſe communion with God, and not to wander or goe aſtray from him. 4. In caſe affliction be as a file to you, to file off that ruſt that cleaves to your nature. 5. In caſe affliction proves a furnace to refine you from that droſſe of corruption that is mixt with your ſervices. In theſe caſes afflictions are ſo farre from being grounds to doubt of your election, that they may rather give you evidence, you are the very elect of God.
Thirdly, that God in his wiſdome doth many times expoſe his own people to greater troubles in this life, then he lets wicked and reprobate men undergoe. God will not give reprobates their hell here, that ſo he might give them hell hereafter. God will not give the elect heaven here, to make heaven more deſirable to them, while they live here; and more welcome when they come there. It is Gods pleaſure in the diſpenſations of his providence amongſt men, to let his own people lie under more outward ſorrows, then wicked men ſhall doe. Pſal. 73.5. Their eyes burſt out with fatneſſe, they are not in trouble, as other men, neither are they plagued, as other men are. The Lord in his diſpenſations doth ſo deale with wicked men, that they are not plagued, they are not troubled, as godly men are in this world. And therefore ſurely affliction is no argument of Gods diſpleaſure, or of their not being within the compaſſe of Gods purpoſe to doe them good.