Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 3 · Sermon 36
SERMON XXXVI.
Acts XVII. 30.
But now God commandeth all men every-where to Repent.
I Am endeavouring to expound to you ſome of the hard Chapters of Divine Providence; Theſe times juſtifying that to be true of the book of Providence, which the Apoſtle Peter ſaith of St. Pauls Epiſtles, 2 Pet. 3.16. There are in it ſome things hard to be underſtood, which they that are unlearned and unſtable, wreſt unto their own deſtruction. It is truly ſaid of Tertullian, Deus omnium conditor, nihil non ratione providet, diſpoſuit & ordinavit, nihil non tractari intelligique voluit; that God the maker of all things, hath rationally diſpoſed and ordered all things, and would have us to underſtand all his works. It is moſt certain, that all the Lords ways are equal; and it is a noble employ to ſtudy the equality and reaſonableneſs of them: it may be ſometimes we ſhall wade beyond our ſtature, and be forced to cry out O the depth; but I think that grave Ancient ſaid true, that told us, That the Counſels of God do ſo exceed our capacity, that in ſome particulars they yet wonderfully accommodate themſelves to our intellectuals: and men might underſtand more of the reaſonableneſs of the motions of Divine Providence, if they would bring to their obſervation not ſo much diſcutiendi acumen, as diſcendi pietatem, acuteneſs of wit to quarrel, as an humble deſire to learn of God, and to underſtand his will. We are prone for the directing of our conceptions of God, to make to our ſelves images graven with the tools of philoſophy and humane reaſon, and then to bow to them. Whereas could we be content to regulate our Philoſophy, ſo far as it relateth to God by the rules of his word, and not to think to crook the word of God to our Philoſophy, many rough ways would be made plain, and matters of queſtion quickly rendred out of queſtion. I am ſpeaking to ſuch foreign of difficulty as ariſe to conſiderate ſouls, from the conſideration of the motions of Providence, relating both to the Covenant of works, and that of Grace. I ſpake to one in my laſt exerciſe. I now proceed to a ſecond, which I ſhall ſtate thus.
Queſt. Suppoſing the Covenant of Redemption and Grace made betwixt the eternal Father, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, not to have been general for all men: nor incertain for perſons that ſhould be ſo, and ſo qualified: and that the blood of this Covenant was intentionally ſhed, in proportion to the nature of the Covenant: How it could conſiſt with the truth of God to offer ſalvation to all in the miniſtry of his word upon the Goſpel-terms of faith and repentance; or to what end it ſhould be done.
Here are two or three things here ſuppoſed, which by a great many will not be granted.
1. We ſuppoſe here (firſt) A Covenant made from eternity betwixt God the Father, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt relating to the ſalvation of the children of men. This, I know, ſome will not underſtand, but the Scripture ſpeaketh plainly. Now to Abraham and his ſeed were the promiſes made, he ſaith not to ſeeds as many, but as of one, and to thy ſeed which was Chriſt, Gal. 3.16. Iſa. 42.6.—and I will give thee for a Covenant to the people; hence Chriſt was called a ſurety of a better Covenant; he was both the party Covenanting, and the ſurety of the Covenant. God the Father taking the word of his Son, for the fulfilling of the matter of the Covenant, both what was to be done by himſelf, upon which account it was called a Covenant of Redemption; and by us, with reſpect to which it is called the Covenant of Grace: God in and by it relaxing the rigour of the Law, which required perſonal ſatisfaction to Divine Juſtice, from the perſons offending, and a perfect performance of the whole Law; and accepted the ſatisfaction given to Divine Juſtice, by the nature offending, hypoſtatically united to the perſon that was the Son of God, and accepting from us ſincerity, inſtead of perfect obedience; the ſincerely willing mind, inſtead of the perfect deed: Such a Covenant we ſuppoſe and believe to have been made.
2. We believe it not made for all, but conformably to the purpoſe of Election; if it had been made for all, we could not underſtand but that all men muſt be ſaved.
3. Nor can we think it was made for an uncertain number; but as there are individual names written in the Book of Life, ſo we believe the ſame concerning the rolls of this Covenant. The Lord (as the Apoſtle tells us) knoweth who are his. Chriſt was not Sponſor incerti foederis, a ſurety of an incertain, but of a certain Covenant. Some would make Chriſts Covenant with his Father, not to have been for theſe, or thoſe perſons, but indefinitely for thoſe that ſhould believe, and ſo to have been conditional. But certainly no conſiderate Chriſtian can allow this, who obſerveth that amongſt men, nothing but ignorance of future contingencies, is the cauſe of incertain, and conditional bargains: the Parent that dieth and gives his Child a Portion conditionally, that he or ſhe marrieth ſo and ſo, or be ſubject to ſuch or ſuch Governors, would have left out that condition, if he or ſhe had certainly known what the Child would have done; and it ſeems to us ſtrangely to derogate from the eternal perfection of the Divine Being, in point of Knowledge, ſo much as to fancy, that God the Father and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, (who both from eternity knew who would, or would not repent and believe, and needs muſt know it, becauſe they could do neither but by vertue of ſpecial grace infuſed by, and derived from God,) ſhould make a Covenant each with other; that ſuch or ſuch perſons (who they knew would not repent nor believe,) if they believed and repented, ſhould have a ſhare in the ſatisfaction and death of Chriſt.
4. We do ſuppoſe and believe the blood of the Covenant (that is, the blood of Jeſus Chriſt) was intentionally poured forth, according to the Covenant, and for the perſons concerned in it. The blood of Chriſt is called the blood of the Covenant, Zech. 9.11. Heb. 10.29. Heb. 13.20. and the Antitype to thoſe ancient types of the blood of Beaſts, which was ſo called, Exod. 24.8. So that we think it a very unreaſonable aſſertion, to extend the blood of the Covenant, beyond the perſons concerned in the Covenant.
But yet notwithſtanding all this, there is nothing more evident in the iſſues of Divine Providence, than that this Covenant is held out to all indefinitely. Mar. 16.15. Chriſts commiſſion to his Apoſtles runs thus, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every Creature: He that believeth, and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved; but he that believeth not ſhall be damned. Here both the benefit of the New Covenant, eternal life, and ſalvation is offered to all; and the terms, believing, and being baptized are alſo propounded unto all; and according to that direction, and commiſſion is all our Preaching. Now hence ariſeth the difficulty: If there be not a poſſibility of ſalvation for all men, if they all be not within the verge of the Covenant: If Chriſt hath not died for all, why is the Goſpel preached to every creature? how can it conſiſt with the truth and honour of that God who cannot lie, by his Miniſters to tell men, that if they will but repent, and believe, they ſhall be ſaved? To what end is the Goſpel preached unto them? To which I anſwer,
1. That the Goſpel only aſſerteth the infallible connexion of faith and ſalvation. What ſaith the Goſpel? He that believeth, ſhall be ſaved; and will any ſay that a believer ſhall be damned, or did ever any penitent and believing ſoul periſh? if there had, then indeed we might have quarrelled at the truth of God: but God will be true, though all men be found liars. What though ten thouſand be told, and have it rung in their Ears, That he who believeth ſhall be ſaved, and but ten of thoſe ten thouſand ſhould believe, provided that they be ſaved, God I hope is true, and what he hath ſaid, is to a tittle made good. But you will ſay, why then are all told, if they believe they ſhall be ſaved. The Miniſter of the Goſpel may go to every particular ſoul, and ſay to him or her, if thou repenteſt and believeſt thou ſhalt be ſaved. I anſwer,
2. God is pleaſed to hide from his Miniſters, his ſecret counſels concerning the ſalvation of individual ſouls. They therefore may, and muſt ſay, whoſoever believeth ſhall be ſaved; and God will confirm in Heaven whatſoever they deliver on Earth: and by vertue of this Commiſſion they may ſay to every individual ſoul, Believe and thou ſhalt be ſaved; they know not who are ordained to life, and ſhall have effectual grace beſtowed upon them inabling them to believe, but they know the general propoſition of the Goſpel is true. But ſtill you will ſay, why hath God by his Providence ſo ordered it, to what end ſhould the Providence of God order the publication and tender of the Covenant of Grace to a greater number than are concerned in it.
3. What if we ſhould ſay, It is (O Father) ſo becauſe it pleaſeth thee, and be forced here to cry out with the great Apoſtle, Rom. 9.33. O the depth of the ri hes, both of the wiſdom and know ledge of God; how unſearchable are his judgements, and his ways paſt finding out! verſ. 34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counſellor? Who is able to give a juſt account of Gods deſigns and intentions, to what purpoſe he doth things? It is enough for us to know that God doth them, and that God may do them, and there is no unrighteouſneſs with him if he doth do it. We ought to believe that God hath wiſe ends in what he doth, though we are not able to find out what they be. Yet it may not be amiſs to tell you what Divines do ſay in the caſe, though they cannot by ſearching find out God, nor find out the Almighty unto perfection.
1. There are thoſe that ſay, that Reprobates are only called to faith and repentance, as they are mixed with the elect, and the exhortations reach them only by way of concomitancy; and poſſibly it may be doubted, if there were any ſociety, or company of people in the world, amongſt whom there were not any ordained to everlaſting life; whether God would at all ſend his Goſpel to them, or direct any of the Meſſengers of his word to go and call them to repentance. God incouraging Paul, Act. 18.10. to preach the Goſpel undauntedly at Corinth, addeth this, for I have much people in this City. Now ſuppoſing a City in which God had no people, it might be much queſtioned whether God would. Certain it is that the Apoſtle telleth us, that God hath given Paſtors and Teachers for the perfecting of the ſaints, for the work of the Miniſtry, for the edifying of the body of Chriſt, Epheſ. 4.11, 12. I remember that when the Prophet Eliſha was ſent for to Jehoſaphat, Jehoram and the King of Edom, when they were in their diſtreſs for want of water, (you have the ſtory 2 Kings 3.13.) Eliſha ſaith to the King of Iſrael (who was a wicked King) what have I to do with thee? verſ. 14. Were it not that I regard the preſence of Jehoſophat, the King of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor ſee thee. I am very apt to think God ſpeaketh ſo to every one whom he hath paſſed over in his eternal purpoſe, and knoweth that they will not repent and believe; Were it not for the ſake of his elect, with whom theſe men are mixed, God would never regard them, nor look to them in his Goſpel diſpenſations: but as the Gardiner watereth the weeds amongſt the herbs, becauſe he cannot at preſent well pluck them up; ſo God having reſolved that the Tares ſhould be ſuffered amongſt the Wheat, till the great harveſt watereth them with the dew of the Goſpel; pariter adeunt, pariter audiunt (as Auguſtine ſaith in another caſe) they living amongſt the elect of God, hear the words that are ſpoken duplicate page duplicate page from God to them; the Miniſters of the Goſpel they know them not, and therefore cannot diſtinguiſh; and it hath pleaſed the wiſe God ſo to order it. And this anſwer indeed almoſt taketh away the ſubject of the queſtion, for then it is as it were by accident only, that they are called to. The Elect are thoſe ſpoken to, others only as they are in their company; as a Father intending only to give good counſel to his own children, may yet give it to others, who accidentally are in their company.
2. But there are others who think, That God doth this, that he might declare to all what is their duty; Alii vocantur, ad officium ſolum, alii etiam ad beneficium, Spanhemius. A Creditor may, I hope, mind his Debtor of his debt, though he knoweth that he is not able to pay a tenth part of it, and be reſolved never to lend him mony to do it; and ſo in calling upon him cannot be ſuppoſed ſo much as to intend his own payment, and ſatisfaction; for none intendeth what he knoweth is impoſſible. This is an anſwer which our learned Pemble gives: but this anſwer doth not ſatisfie ſome other very learned men; for what is it to exhort another, but to declare his duty to him; and to ſay that the end why God declareth unto Reprobates their duty, is that he might declare their duty to them, is ſomething uncouth, for idem non eſt finis ſuiipſius: The queſtion is, what end the wiſe God can have in declaring their duty to them in, and by ſuch exhortations.
3. It is therefore poſſibly better anſwered, That God doth this for maintaining diſcipline, and government in the world. It is but a common obſervation, that the Preaching of the Goſpel generally reſtraineth, and civilizeth thoſe, or very many of thoſe whoſe hearts are not yet changed by it, and converted to the obedience of the Goſpel. Take in your eye but two places, one where there is no Preaching of the Goſpel, or none which truly deſerveth that name; another place where the Goſpel is Preached duly, daily and lively; and obſerve if the generality of the people in the later place, be not ſtrangely more civilized than thoſe of the other Town or City. So that God by the Preaching of the Goſpel to all, and the work of his Providence in ſo ordering and diſpoſing it, though he doth not intend the ſalvation of Reprobates; yet may have a wiſe and excellent end for the good of the world, in bridling and reſtraining the outragious, and unbridled luſts of ſuch men; ſo that the world is not ſuch a heap of confuſion, ſuch a place of univerſal diſorder, as it would be, were it not for the influence of the indefinite, and univerſal Preaching of the Goſpel amongſt them; nor is this an end at all unworthy of a wiſe and holy God, as well with relation to his own glory, which is impeached by the exorbitancies of mens luſts, as with reference to the good of humane ſociety, for which (as I have all along ſhewed you in theſe Diſcourſes) our good God in the motions of his Providence ſheweth a great kindneſs, and this may be ſaid to be another end of Gods, which alſo he doth generally obtain.
It is ſaid by ſome, That God cauſeth the Goſpel to be Preached unto ſome, that they might be without excuſe. The Apoſtle telleth us, That the inviſible things of God, from the creation of the world, are clearly ſeen, being underſtood by the things that are made, even his eternal power, and God-head, ſo that they are without excuſe, becauſe that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, Rom. 1.20. he ſpeaketh of the Heathens; and why may not we ſay of others, that the glorious Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is Preached unto many, and the riches of Divine Grace diſplayed before them, ſo that they are without excuſe, while they continue in impenitency and unbelief: we may ſay of them as the Apoſtle ſaith of the Jews, Have they not heard, Rom. 10.18. did they not know? God hath ſtretcht forth his hand to a diſobedient and gainſaying people. verſ. 21. I know Arminius doth object againſt this anſwer, telling us, this cannot be Gods end in ſending his Goſpel, for exhortations, to faith and repentance, do not of themſelves render perſons without excuſe; but this is added to the nature of them. But this reaſon alſo would prove that the faith and obedience of the elect is not intended by God, for their obedience alſo is added to the exhortations. But enough is ſpoken upon this Argument, as to ſuch who have an ear open to receive an anſwer. Suppoſing that God hath choſen but ſome to eternal life, that Chriſt hath made a Covenant but for ſome, nor intentionally dyed for more than his Father had choſen in him, and given to him: yet God might cauſe the Goſpel to be preached unto all the world, and have very wiſe ends in the doing of it. So as that the univerſality of the call to faith and repentance, is no argument either againſt the election of grace, or for an incertain Covenant, no nor yet for an univerſal redemption.
And from hence alſo an eaſie ſolution may be made of another appearing difficulty. It is certain, according to the letter of my Text, That now God commandeth every man to repent. How can this be?
Queſt. 2. Suppoſing that a man or woman hath of himſelf no power to believe, or to repent; how ſtandeth it with the ſincerity and truth of God to command them to repent or believe; or how will it ſtand with Divine Juſtice, to condemn them for not repenting, or believing? For this general command of men to repent, and to believe, is not only made uſe of to deſtroy the Doctrine of Election and the certainty of the Covenant of Grace, but alſo to deſtroy ſpecial and effectual Grace.
My buſineſs is not at preſent to eſtabliſh thoſe great truths which are abundantly ſpoken to by others; and I have elſewhere, and at other times ſpoken abundantly to them: but only to vindicate the Providence of God, upon the ſuppoſal of the truth of them, and to ſhew you that the Univerſality of the Miniſterial Goſpel-call maketh no argument againſt them. I ſay then, ſuppoſing man in his lapſed ſtate to have no power to repent, yet it is conſiſtent enough with the truth and ſeriouſneſs of God, with his purity and holineſs, or any other attribute of his perfection, to call all men to repent; neither doth ſuch his call of them imply any ſuch natural, innate power in them.
1. What if man in his lapſed eſtate by nature hath no power to any action that is ſpiritually good, not to believe, nor repent; yet is it not his duty to do both, and had not our proparent a power given him of God to do whatſoever was neceſſary in order to his eternal ſalvation? His duty is, becauſe God commandeth it; my Text ſaith, he commandeth now all men to repent: and certainly in Adam both he, and all of us had a power to do whatſoever was the will of God as to his own, and our ſalvation, in that eſtate wherein God created him, and us in him. Hath God loſt his right to demand his due, becauſe man hath loſt his power to pay it? I know the Remonſtrants and Socinians generally deny this, and ſay (and they ſay true) that Adam had not a power to repent and believe in Jeſus Chriſt (that is, a ſpecifick power): but neither were theſe neceſſary in that ſtate, nor indeed practicable. Adam was created a juſt man, that needed no repentance, needed no faith in a Mediator; but Adam had a power, and we in him, to all in that eſtate neceſſary; if Adam and we (in him) have by voluntary tranſgreſſion, made any thing more neceſſary, and God upon a Covenant of Grace, hath reſtored us upon the performance of ſuch other things; I hope Gods juſtice ſhall not be impeached, for his not giving us a power to do thoſe things alſo, whereas we originally had a ſufficiency of power to do all God required of us in that ſtate. Aquinas ſufficiently determines this point; Aq. ſum. §. 1. queſt. 95. art. 3.Adams reaſon (ſaith he) in the ſtate of innocency being ſubjected to God, and his inferiour faculties being ſubjected to his reaſon; he had in ſome ſenſe all graces [omnes virtutes] and that both in habit, and act, which do not imply an imperfection repugnant to that ſtate; others, only in the habit, &c. He inſtanceth in repentance only, and ſaith, Adam had faith both in the habit and act; but he ſpeaks of faith only as reſpecting God, and the propoſition of the word, not as reſpecting a Mediator, for the object; for we all know that in that ſtate there was no need of a Mediator, and conſequently, faith in the Mediator implieth the imperfection of a lapſed ſtate, repugnant to the perfection of the primaevous ſtate of innocency. It is enough we had in Adam a ſufficiency of power to do all neceſſary to our ſalvation in that eſtate. It was our tranſgreſſion made any thing elſe neceſſary.
2. You heard under the former head, That God may have many wiſe ends why he now calleth all men to repent, though he did not intend that upon that call they ſhould repent or believe.
3. Although lapſed man hath no power of himſelf, to repent, or believe, without the ſpecial effectual grace of God; yet he hath a power by vertue of that Common-Grace which God denieth to no man, to do much in order to his repentance and believing.
4. What if we ſhould leave it for a queſtion to be decided at the great day: whether Reprobates ſhall be condemned, ſtrictly for not believing, in ſenſu diviſo, that is, not receiving of Jeſus Chriſt, and reſting upon him as their Saviour; or for not believing, in ſenſu compoſito, not doing what in them lay, that they might believe. God calleth all men to repent and to believe; it is true, it is not in their power to exert an act of faith, or a ſalvifick act of repentance; but it is in their power to read the word, to hear it, to meditate upon it, to conſider their ſins, to leave many of them, as to the external act. I always thought it a very idle queſtion, An homine faciente quod in ſe eſt Deus teneatur gratiam dare, Whether if a man did what lay in his power to do, God be bound to give his effectual ſaving grace. For I dare ſay, an inſtance cannot be given of any that hath done what lies in his power, to whom God hath denied his effectual grace; but Deus tenetur, is a very hard ſaying. Who can make God a debtor to his creature? who hath given unto him, and it ſhall be repaid him? If we could not ſay any thing to juſtifie God in condemning ſinners (who have no power to any ſpiritual act) for not believing, not repenting; yet I think the matter would not be much, for in the great day we ſhall find God will have enough to ſay for condemning ſinners, for omitting what was in their power to do, or acting contrary to it; though he ſhould ſay nothing to them, for not doing that which without his ſpecial grace is confeſſedly not in the power of lapſed man. But enough is ſpoken to vindicate this motion of Divine Providence. My Text is true, God now by his Miniſters calleth all men to repent, and he may do it with conſiſtency to his truth and ſincerity, to his holineſs and goodneſs, notwithſtanding the certainty of his election, and his certain knowledge of who are his, having wrote their names in the book of life; and notwithſtanding the certainty of the Covenant of Grace, as to perſons, and the certainty of the perſons for whom Chriſt hath died, and the impotency in fallen man, to exert any truly ſpiritual act, ſuch as thoſe of faith, and repentance muſt be. Let us now conſider how this Diſcourſe may be uſeful to us by way of practical Application.
Ʋſe 1. And in the firſt place, this may be of uſe to you to reſtrain you from approving of the bold ſayings of thoſe who reflect upon the truths of God, and would turn them into falſhoods, becauſe forſooth, their narrow apprehenſions cannot reconcile them to the truth, ſincerity, holineſs and goodneſs of God. Let God be true and men liars; let him be good, infinitely good, though all men be bad, This quarrelling at God is an old humour of corrupt hearts. O houſe of Iſrael (ſaith God Ezech. 18.25.) Is not my way equal, are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth from his righteouſneſs, and committeth iniquities, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done ſhall he dye: again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedneſs, that he hath committed, and doth that which is right, he ſhall ſave his ſoul alive. When a ſinner repenteth, and believeth, he ſhall live, he ſhall be ſaved: when he apoſtatizeth from his profeſſion, and returneth with the Dog to his vomit, or goeth on impenitently in his courſe of ſin, and dieth in it, his ſoul ſhall periſh. What then, are not the Lords ways equal, is not God in all this holy, and righteous, and juſt, and good?
O but it is not equal, ſay ſome, that God ſhould offer life, and the benefits of the Covenant of Grace, to thoſe to whom he intendeth not to give them. How doth it appear, that God offers any ſuch thing to them; why may not Gods offer be only to the elect, and others no further concerned, than as they are in the company of thoſe to whom ſuch grace is offered? But the Miniſters of the Goſpel who are Gods Meſſengers, do offer life to all that will believe: they do ſo, and God will make it good; where now is the inequality of Gods ways? But why is the Goſpel at all preached to thoſe who ſhall have no benefit by it? I anſwer, What if God pleaſe to make uſe of this as a means the better to reſtrain the luſts of men, and to keep the world in order, and a temper fit for mutual ſociety. But why are they commanded to repent and believe, that have no power to do either? Had they never a power in Adam? If they had, ſurely God may require his debt although they be not able to pay. Have they a power to do nothing toward theſe things? If they would do what in them lay, would God deny his grace? Did ever any ſoul periſh, think you, that did what was within its power in order to its ſalvation? If there did not, why do men quarrel with God? their deſtruction is of themſelves.
Ʋſe 2. What remaineth then, but that leaving our diſputing with God, or quarrelling either with the truths of his word, or motions of his Providence; all men apply themſelves to be obedient to the Heavenly Command? The days of ignorance God winked at; but now, ſaith my Text, God commandeth all men to repent. Suppoſing an election of grace, and that not of qualities, but of perſons. Suppoſing an eternal Covenant, and that certain, made betwixt the eternal Father, and the Son of his Love for thoſe that ſhall be ſaved. Suppoſing that Chriſt did not dye intentionally for all, but for ſuch only as were fore-ordained of God to eternal life and ſalvation. Suppoſing laſtly, that man in his lapſed eſtate, hath no power to repent or ſavingly to believe. Yet I ſhall ſhew you there is incouragement enough for any that will mind their eternal intereſt to do what in them lies, that they may repent and believe: to that end I beg of you to conſider theſe things.
1. That God commandeth all men to repent. It was John Baptiſts work to call to all to Repent, becauſe the Kingdom of God was at hand. It was the Apoſtles Doctrine, it is our doctrine and the ſubſtance of our Preaching: certainly the commands of God are the meaſures of our duty; and every creature by the law of his creation ſtandeth obliged to obey his Creator. If God commandeth him to do ſomething which he cannot do by his natural power; yet ſurely he is bound to do what he can do, and then to cry to God to help him where he is at a loſs. God commands you all to repent, and to believe; certainly none can pretend but he is under the higheſt obligation imaginable, to go as far as he can; or elſe his blood will lye upon his own head, and his own Conſcience will fly in his face, and in the great day he will have nothing to ſay why the ſentence of eternal death ſhould not paſs upon him.
2. God hath prepared an object for the faith of every ſoul that will believe. This is that now, that ſome keep a mighty ſtir with, that if Chriſt hath not died for all, then they have not objectum paratum, not an object prepared for their faith. As if the counſels of God, or Chriſts intention in dying were the object of our faith, not the propoſition and promiſe of the Goſpel, that is held forth indefinitely: whoſoever believeth ſhall be ſaved. Now what is that which God requireth of man? But that he ſhould ſearch and try his ways, and acknowledge his offences, and diſclaim his own merits and righteouſneſs, and hearing the proclamation of the Goſpel; that whoſoever believeth ſhall be ſaved, that he ſhould lay hold upon the promiſe. Is not here an object prepared? is not the indefinite propounding of the grace of the Goſpel, ground enough to encourage a ſoul to truſt God upon his word?
3 As thou doſt not certainly know that thy name is written in the Book of Life, that Chriſt hath covenanted and dyed for thee; ſo neither doſt thou know, nor any one tell thee that thou art not choſen unto life, or that Chriſt hath not covenanted or died for thee. The Lepers in the famine, which you read the ſtory of 2 Kings 7. they did not know that the Syrians were fled, nor that they ſhould find any victuals amongſt them; but this they knew, that if they ſate ſtill at the entring in of the gate they ſhould dye, and if they entred into the City they ſhould dye, verſ. 3.4. Now therefore come (ſay they) let us fall into the hoſt of the Syrians, if they ſave us alive, we ſhall live; if they kill us, we ſhall but dye. It was encouragement enough to theſe poor Lepers, that it was poſſible they might ſave their lives by that motion. Eſther did not know that the King would hold out the Golden-Scepter to her, if ſhe went in to the King; but ſhe knew that if ſhe did not go in, ſhe and her people would all be cut off, and that in a ſhort time: ſhe ventureth in. Thou knoweſt that if thou fitteſt ſtill in thy ſinful ſtate, thou ſhalt periſh; if thou goeſt on from ſin to ſin, thou ſhalt certainly periſh without hope of mercy. But thou haſt heard, that the number of them that God hath choſen unto life, for whom God hath made a Covenant with his Son, and his Son hath died, and ſatisfied Divine-juſtice, is a certain definite number, and thou doſt not know, that thou art one of that number; but thou doſt not know on the other ſide that thou art none of that number, thou maiſt be one for ought thou knoweſt; there is no law againſt thee: certainly this is ground and encouragement enough for thee to make the adventure: if God will ſave thee alive thou ſhalt live, and that eternally; if thou fitteſt ſtill, if thou goeſt on in thy ſinful courſes, thou ſhalt certainly dye.
4. Haſt thou not as much encouragement, to repent and to believe, as ever any had? Have not thouſands and ten thouſands of the Saints of God, upon no other encouragement than thou haſt, broken off ſinful courſes and ſought the Lord while he might be found; and have they not ſucceeded and found reſt for their ſouls. Did God yet ever from the beginning of the world, encourage any ſoul in its firſt motions by faith, and repentance toward him, by aſſuring them that their names were written in the Book of Life? Or that Chriſt did dye for them in particular? Is it not encouragement enough to thee, to tell the thou haſt as good a ground of hope and encouragement as the three thouſand that were converted at St. Peters Sermon; as any of thoſe ſervants of God had, of whoſe converſion thou readeſt in the Acts of the Apoſtles: what art thou that thou ſhouldſt look for more?
5. Conſider, That there is no other way for thee to know that thou art elected, and that Chriſt hath paid a price for thee but by thy turning unto God, and believing in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The election of God is in it ſelf ſure and certain, but it muſt be made ſure and certain unto us, by our repentance and faith. Did ever any one hear of any ſoul reaking in its luſts, and going on in its courſe of ſin, aſcertained; that God had choſen it unto life, that Chriſt was the head and ſurety of a better Covenant for it, or dyed for it? firſt our calling; then our election muſt be made ſure, and we muſt not think to pervert Gods order.
6. What haſt thou to do with Gods effectual Grace, until thou haſt improved his common Grace. There is a common Grace which God denieth to no man, by vertue of which men may read, hear, pray, live a civil life and converſation, leave groſs and flagitious courſes of ſin; why complaineſt thou of God for not giving thee his ſpecial diſtinguiſhing grace, inabling thee to exert true ſpiritual acts, while thou doſt not uſe his common Grace, and do what in thee lies to reform and amend thy ways, and to turn unto God?
7. Laſtly, Though no exerciſe of common grace, can be meritorious of the ſpecial Grace of God; yet I dare aſſure thee, that God neither ever yet was, nor ever will be wanting in his further grace, unto thoſe ſouls that have made a due improvement of his common grace, and done what in them lay towards their own ſalvation. Let us therefore leave our enquiring into the Counſels of God, and diſputing queſtions, which are inſignificant to our greateſt concerns. Let us leave quarrelling with his truths, and our little fooliſh and vain indeavours to argue an inconſiſtency of his Counſels with his Actual Providence; when we have done and ſaid all we can, it will be found that God is conſiſtent to himſelf, and that his ways are equal, and the iniquity and crookedneſs is only in our own hearts and ways. We cannot with our ſpoon comprehend (it may be) the Ocean, the great Ocean of his Wiſdom and Counſel. Let us apply our ſelves to our own duty, and do what he commandeth us, for which, as you have heard, we have encouragement enough.