Sermon 4

2 Peter 1:10. Therefore the rather, brethren, give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.

In the prosecution of these words, the doctrine I drew from the first particular duty enjoined, was this:

That Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls, that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ.

In the handling of which, I have gone over several particulars. I now come to lay down some propositions or conclusions about effectual calling, and I shall name twenty in all.

First, ten sad conclusions to all those men who are not effectually called.

Secondly, ten consolatory conclusions to all those men that are effectually called by Jesus Christ. And mixing conclusions procuring terror to the wicked, and such as procure comfort to the godly, one tempered with the other may be good to both. I begin with the first.

1. The first sad conclusion I shall lay down is this: that there are many men in the world, that are called outwardly by the word to a profession of Christ, that are not called effectually by the Spirit to a possession of Christ. My meaning is this: there are many men who have the word of God working much upon them, to the changing of their lives, altering their course, and new moulding of them into an external profession, that yet notwithstanding all this never had saving grace wrought upon their hearts, which is effectual calling. Many are called, but few are chosen, says Christ (Matthew 20:16). And this is a dreadful conclusion to all you that are professors, that have not a saving work upon your hearts: to you that flock to the ministry of the word, yet are not called thereby.

2. That they who are called outwardly by the preaching of the word to a profession of Christ, and yet not called inwardly by the Spirit, they shall endure greater damnation, and greater torments in hell, than those that never heard a word of Jesus Christ. Many shall come, says Christ (Matthew 8:12), from the East and from the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness, where shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Now, who are meant here by the children of the kingdom? Not those that have heaven prepared for them; but the professing Jews, who are called the children of the kingdom, because they enjoyed a greater, and clearer, and fuller measure of the things of God, which showed them the way to the kingdom of heaven, than other men did. And when Christ calls them the children of the kingdom, he calls the heathen the children of the world. Now, many of the children of the kingdom shall be cast into utter darkness. If there be any more dismal place than others, it shall be for the children of the kingdom; those that have been as it were nursed up under God's elbow by ordinances. The children of the kingdom, they shall have a more dismal portion, and dismal room in hell than other men shall have, that never enjoyed the ordinances of Jesus Christ. And O what a sad word is this to you that live where ordinances do most abound, that you may be called the children of the kingdom, and yet you to be thrust into utter darkness!

3. That there are many men, who are only called outwardly into a bare profession, that do harbor and nourish persuasions in their own hearts, that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ; when they never had any saving work of grace upon their hearts. This I spoke of some weeks ago, from John 8:41. The Jews had strong persuasions, they had Abraham for their father; and when Christ beats them off from that, they went higher and said, we have God to our father: and yet verse 44, Christ tells them, they were of their father the Devil. And beloved, you may also be deceived, in harboring strong persuasions that you are called effectually, when you are only called outwardly.

4. That they that are conceited in the opinion of their own goodness, without seeing their want and necessity of Jesus Christ, are of all sorts of people in the world most unlikely to be effectually called by Jesus Christ. This I urge from Matthew 9:13. I came not, says Christ, to call the righteous, and so on. Mark, who are they? That is, Christ came not to call the Pharisees, who were righteous in their own eyes, and who had a self-conceitedness that things went well with them; and saw no need of a Mediator, and Intercessor, and Redeemer. I came not to call the righteous: Jesus Christ excludes that sort of men from being called by him — men that are self-opinionated, and have a conceit of their own goodness, without any want of Jesus Christ. Therefore all you that think you have a strong faith toward God ever since you were born, that think you live honestly among your neighbors, pay every man his due, and therefore see no need of Christ all your days — the Lord show you mercy. You are more unlikely to be called than any men in the world. Matthew 21:31 — There is a parable of a man that had two sons, he bid both work in the vineyard; one son said he would not work: he was obstinate; the other son said he would work, but did not, and so was worse than his word. Now these two sons, they are the emblem of two sorts of men within the pale of the church; some are profane and obstinate men, and they answer as the first son, and say, they will not work; the second are professing men, men that make a good profession, but do not answer their profession in their practice. Now mark — whether of these two will the father accept? And they said to him, the first, the most obstinate; that said, he would not go, but went. Verily, says Christ, so I say to you, Publicans and harlots shall go into heaven before you. Mark, how Christ applies the parable from their own mouths; you that are Pharisees, that are righteous and honest in your own eyes, I will sooner call whores, and harlots, and the worst of men, than I will call you. Publicans and harlots — Publicans, they were the worst sort of men that were, they were sitting at the receipt of custom, their calling exposing them to a great deal of extortion and bribery. Yet these men should go to heaven before others that made a glorious profession of Jesus Christ. Again,

5. A fifth sad conclusion is this: that when others are effectually called before your faces, and yet you remain uncalled, this should greatly aggravate your sin and condemnation. When (I say) you shall see others that live (perhaps) in the same house with you, that hear in the same congregation, that sit in the same seat with you — when you shall hear these effectually called, and you remain uncalled — this shall greatly increase your sin and damnation. Matthew 21:31: John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not (that is, they were not called by his ministry); what then? But the publicans and harlots believed — what then? And you, when you had seen it, repented not afterwards that you might believe. Mark how Christ argues: he urges that those men that heard the same sermons that the other men did hear, they were converted. Says he, you see whores and harlots converted (alluding to Mary Magdalen, and others); you see these, and yet you repent not, and yet you believe not. Now you see one, then another, and yet when you see this, you repent not that you might believe. Beloved, this is a sad conclusion to you, that shall see others converted, when you that perhaps lie in the same bed, sit at the same board, and hear the same sermons in the same congregation — yet they shall be converted and called, and you not. This will greatly increase your sin and condemnation.

6. That whoever God intends effectually to call, it is God's ordinary way to call them by the ministry of his word. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14) It is said there, that they were called through the sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, to obtain eternal glory by Jesus Christ. They were called by belief of the truth, that is, by believing the word preached, and loving the word preached. Faith comes by hearing: faith is the first grace of a Christian's call, and that comes by hearing (Romans 10:17). So also (Acts 26:17-18): when Christ would call and convert the Gentiles, he does it not immediately, but he uses the ministry of Paul. Go, teach the Gentiles, and bring them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. God does it still by the preaching of his word. Now this is a sad word to three sorts of men. First, it is a sad word to them that never sat under the powerful preaching of the word — they are out of God's ordinary way of being saved.

2. It is a sad word to those that may enjoy the word, and yet slight it; they also are not likely to be called.

3. It is a sad word to those that leave the ordinary way of God's calling by the preaching of the word, and trust to raptures, revelations, inspirations, and extraordinary means for God to call them by: alas, they also are out of God's ordinary way of calling; for God ordinarily takes this way to call a soul by the preaching of his word. (Luke 15:22) When the prodigal was effectually called home to his father, his father did not presently comfort him himself, but he sends his servants, and said, Go, take the best robe, and put it upon my Son. This Son is a sinner, the father is God Almighty, the servants are the ministers: now God does not his work by himself, but he leaves it to his ministers; and they shall put on the ring and the garment; they shall be the instruments by the ministry of the word to work grace in the heart. Hence it is that (1 Corinthians 1:12) some are blamed that should say, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Christ. Why, are men blamed for saying they are for Christ? Is that blameworthy, to cry up Christ? No: the fault is not simply in advancing Christ, but the fault was this — so to cry up Christ, as to cry down duties, and cry down the use of ministers, and the use of ordinances; and therein they were to blame. Because Christ would not immediately by revelations and raptures call any, but leaves the conversion and call of a sinner to the ordinary way of preaching the word. And therefore a sad word it is to all out of God's way of calling, that either have not the word, or if they have it, never care to enjoy it.

7. That if men continue long under the enjoyment of the word, and are not effectually called by it, they are likely never to be called. I would commend to you that place to prove this, in (Luke 13:6-7), where Christ tells you of a fig tree: he stayed three years looking for fruit, and he found none. The husbandman prayed to spare it one year longer, and if it did not bear fruit then, he should cut it down, and cast it into the fire. Now, this fig tree was the professing Jews, who lay some competent time under the ministry of Christ, and of his Apostles. And this fig tree, if it were spared but one year, and brought not forth fruit, then it should be cut down. And Christ did so; it seems he cursed it, and said, never fruit grow more upon this tree. Now, you would ask what the meaning of all this is? Why, Beloved, a fig tree, if it bears not fruit within four years after it is planted, it is likely never to bring forth fruit. And here the parable comes home thus far: that if after some competency of time, in which in all likelihood men may have some sparks wrought in them by the ministry of the word — if after all this they are not converted, the curse of the fig tree is like to fall upon that man's heart. Never let the word do that man good more, and never let grace grow in that man's heart more; let never fruit grow more upon that tree. This the parable holds forth: that if you live under the enjoyment of the word long, and are not converted, it is an argument you shall not be called. And this is a heart-cutting consideration to all ancient men, that have out-lived many ministers, and have seen their ministers laid in the grave. Their ministers have spent their strength, and wasted their lungs in preaching to them, and yet they are as profane as ever, and as loose as ever, and as regardless of God and grace as ever. Truly, you are in a very sad case if it be thus with you — you are likely never to be called by Jesus Christ.

8. That God in the dispensations of his grace, does not ordinarily let effectual calling run to the richer sort of men in the world; but rather to the poorest sorts and ranks of men that are. I remember that Augustine in one of his books has this saying, Unlearned men they snatch away heaven from us that are great scholars. And truly, as it was in his time, so it is now: men that are great scholars, that understand Scripture, know languages, they are turned into hell, when unlearned and poor men, they get heaven. God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith. In all the dispensations of his grace though he calls some rich men, it is true, to carry on the work, and countenance his people; yet God's effectual calling does not so commonly come among rich men, as the poor of the world. The poor, says Christ, receive the Gospel; the learned scribes, and doctors among the Jews, and the rich Pharisees, they did all spurn at Jesus Christ, when the poor and ignorant people that knew not the law, they followed him. (1 Corinthians 1:26) Not many wise, not many noble, not many mighty are called; but God has chosen the poor things of this world, and things that are despised, indeed and things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are. Here you see plainly this conclusion proved, that God's effectual calling does not ordinarily and commonly run among the greater sort of men in the world, but it runs among the poorer sort of men, they ordinarily give best entertainment to the Gospel. And the reason of this is, first, to magnify the riches of his grace: if Christ should call rich men only and chiefly, many would think, it was only men's riches and men's honor did move Christ to call them. Now, Christ to vindicate and magnify his grace, he will call poor despicable wretches, that one would think there should be nothing in the eye of reason or sense, why God should cast an eye of favor upon them.

2. To magnify and manifest his power, that he will preserve a company of poor contemptible people, among so many enemies, so potent, and so wealthy, that they shall never be able to overthrow them.

3. Because rich men lie under more temptations against effectual calling, than poor men do. Rich men think, should I be called to be a professor, I may lose my riches, endanger my estate, and eclipse my honor; and these are great temptations to rich men to hinder their calling. Therefore you read (Mark 10:22) of the young man, that when Christ called him, it is said, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions; and would not follow Christ, who had not a house wherein to put his head. Many men for fear of losing their estates, they lie under this sore temptation, to hinder them from being called. And then also for their honor; men may think they shall eclipse their honor, should they profess a course of religion. (Galatians 2:2) I preached publicly among the ordinary sort, says Paul, but I preach privately to men of reputation, lest I should run in vain. As much as if he should say, men of quality and of repute, they would not own Christ publicly, they were afraid they should lose their honor and credit; therefore Paul was enforced to indulge them so far, as to preach privately to them. Hence Nicodemus a great man came to Jesus by night.

9. If you are only externally called to a profession of Christ, and not called internally to a possession of him, at one time or other before you die, God will discover the hypocrisy of your hearts, and the unsoundness of your call. There are many men who now are called; a man cannot discern whether they be effectually called or no; but in likelihood before you die, you will discover somewhat or other that may give just ground of suspicion you are not savingly called, [reconstructed: either by] falling into some error in judgment, or running into some scandalous sin, or the like.

Lastly, if God has not, or intends not effectually to call you, you may take this for an undeniable truth, God neither intends to justify you, nor to save you. Whom he calls, them he justifies, and none else; and whom he justifies, them he glorifies, and none else. So that justification and glorification depends upon calling (Romans 8:30). And thus I have done with these ten sad conclusions.

I shall now change my discourse, and turn my speech to a second sort of men, and to them I shall lay down ten consolatory conclusions, for the comfort of you that are the called of Jesus Christ. And here, before I lay these down, I shall first show you what need there is that ministers should preach comfortably to you that are effectually called. Because first, after you are called effectually, you are more exposed to meet with persecutions from men. Secondly, temptations from the Devil. Thirdly, the stronger struggles of corruptions from within, than ever you were before; therefore you had need of comfort.

1. I say, after calling you are more exposed to meet with persecutions from men than ever you were before. (Hebrews 10:32-33) Call to remembrance the former days, in which after you were illuminated, you endured a sore fight of affliction, partly by being reproached, and made a gazing-stock, etc. They endured nothing before, but after they were enlightened, they endured a great fight of affliction: had not you therefore need of comfort?

2. After calling, you are more exposed to temptations from the Devil, than ever you were before. The Devil, when he finds all things at peace, he lets men alone; but when he finds a man coming out of his clutches to be called, then Satan troubles and assaults him. (1 Peter 5:8-10) Your adversary the Devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. These were they that the God of grace has called to eternal glory. Yet these were they that the Devil rages so against. Had not you therefore need of comfort, because you are exposed to more temptations from the Devil?

And third, you are to meet with more strong and vigorous workings of inward corruptions in your own hearts. As Paul, before his calling was not troubled with his corruptions, sin never troubled him, the powerful and vigorous workings of his lusts never wearied him; but when the command came, then sin revived. When the power of the word came with authority upon his conscience, then he saw sin to revive and get strength upon him. Beloved, I would appeal to any of you, whom God has called to grace and glory, whether before you were called, you ever found sin so strong as after, and ever found the workings of your inward corruptions so violent as after; and therefore upon these three grounds, you have need that comfort should be preached to you.

I now pass to the conclusions, which I shall lay down for the comfort of all them that are effectually called.

1. That Jesus Christ does effectually call a poor sinner, before that sinner does look after Jesus Christ. Should God entail heaven upon this condition, that you that had been first in the transgression, should be first in seeking reconciliation, we should never have the difference ended between God and us. But behold, here is mercy, and here is a ground of comfort, that though we are the first in the transgression, Christ is the first in suing out reconciliation: Jesus Christ does effectually call poor sinners, before they either call or look after Jesus Christ at all. (Isaiah 65:1) I am sought of them that asked not for me, I am found of them that sought me not; I said, Behold me, Behold me, to a nation that was not called by my name. Here you see, Jesus Christ goes out first to call you, before you go out to call him. And O what comfort is this? Christ does not stay till you look after a Christ, but Christ casts an eye upon you before you look after him. We read of Matthew the Publican, that while he was looking after his money at the receipt of custom, at that time Jesus Christ was looking after his soul. We read of the disciples of Christ, while they were mending their nets, and looking after their fish, Jesus Christ takes this occasion with the hook of the Gospel to catch them. We read of Paul, that while he was breathing out persecution against the church of God, and raging with malice against the saints of God, at that time he was even called to be a saint. So that this is very comfortable. God does first look after a sinner in his effectual calling, before a sinner looks out after Christ. God does first look after you, enlightening you by a sermon, and seizing upon your conscience by a command, before you look after him.

2. That Jesus Christ has effectually called you, when he has left many thousands in the world, of better parts, and better dispositions, more natural good, and less evil in them than you have in yourself; and yet he has rejected them and called you. Jesus Christ has many times rejected a patient heathen, when he has called you, who are of a rigid and passionate disposition. Jesus Christ has left many a curious wit, and pregnant scholar, and many of singular parts, that had they grace to manage them, they might bring God much glory; and it may be he has called you, a poor ignorant sottish creature. Jesus Christ, it may be, has rejected many that have had less sin than you have in you. Jesus Christ did reject many an honest heathen, when he would call Mary Magdalen, that had seven devils in her: Christ rejected Simon Magus, and rejected Agrippa, a half-turned Christian, and rejected Herod, who heard John Baptist gladly; and [reconstructed: passed over] Felix, that trembled at a sermon, and rejected [reconstructed: Ahab], that humbled his soul before God; when it may be he has called you, that never had such workings in your heart as these men had. And O what ground of comfort is here!

3. God in calling your soul, and bringing you into a state of grace, he does it freely for his own name's sake; when there was nothing in you to move him to call you; when there was much in you to provoke him never to call you, yet his own grace compelled him, and his own mercy engaged him to call you. (1 Timothy 2:9) We are called according to the purpose of his own grace, not according to our own works.

4. That they who are most sensible of their own vileness, and see the most want and necessity of Jesus Christ, they of all people are most likely to be called by him. When Christ rejects civil honest men, and self-conceited men, and morally good men, and they are no way likely to be called; yet those men that are sensible of their wickedness, and see their want of Jesus Christ, they are of all men most likely to be called. (Matthew 9:13) I came not to call the righteous; but whom? but sinners to repentance. All men are sinners, but he means such as see their sin, and see their need of Christ to pardon and subdue sin in them, for so the words import: The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. They that are sick of sin, and see their infirmities, they are most likely to be called by Jesus Christ. And therefore this is most comfortable to you, all you that are drooping Christians, that hang down your heads under the sense of sin, that see sin to be exceeding sinful; this is the end for which Christ came into the world, to call you to glory.

5. That a man may be elected by God from all eternity, and yet he may live a long time in a course of sin, before he calls him, and yet before he dies he shall be called. (John 10:16) I lay down my life for my sheep; and other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold under one shepherd. The meaning is this; Christ told them his converted ones were his sheep; and those are not all, but I have others that are not converted — yet I will convert them, and bring them to the same fold also. So that Christ has his sheep among them that are not yet converted and called: and though many times you may go a long time in a course of sin, yet before you die, you shall be effectually called, and brought home to the sheepfold of Jesus Christ.

6. A man may be effectually called, when in his own apprehension he cannot find any real and sound evidence of his vocation. This is what the phrase in Peter imports, (2 Peter 1:11) Whoever does not these things, is blind and cannot see afar off. It is spoken of a godly man, of a man that has his election sure, but does not add grace to grace to make his calling sure, that man is purblind and cannot see afar off; that is, cannot see as far as heaven, that his name is written there; cannot have clear and strong comfort of his belonging to God. Many a godly man may be effectually called, and yet that man a purblind man, not able to behold as with open face the evidence of his effectual calling.

7. A man may have grounded assurance that he is effectually called, and yet neither know the time when, nor the manner how, nor the instrument by whom he was called. And this is a very comfortable conclusion. There are some that press conversion so high, that if a man cannot tell the time when, or the manner how, or the sermon by which he was called, they say he is not yet converted. This is too rigid a doctrine, and the Scripture makes more for the confirmation of this, that a man may have a grounded assurance of his effectual calling, when he neither knows the time, nor the manner, nor the instrument by which he was called. Mark (4:27): And he said, so is the Kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow he knows not how. The seed here sown is the work of grace, for so is the Kingdom of God, says Christ; and here this seed springs up, the man cannot tell perhaps the day he sowed it, nor how he scattered it, yet this seed springs up he knows not how. So a man may have the seed of grace sown in his heart, which is effectual calling, and yet it grows up he knows not how, nor when he was called. So John 9 (I only allude to it), 19-20. It is spoken there of the man that was healed by Jesus Christ; the blind son, that had his eyes opened by Jesus Christ. What say his parents? We know this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we know not, nor who opened his eyes. Beloved, so I may say of a poor sinner; a poor sinner is like this blind son, we know we are born blind, neither knowing God nor ourselves. We know, if we are converted, we now see, but how this was done, or by whom this was done, man cannot so exactly determine.

But now, this conclusion does not hold true in all cases. If a man have been a profane liver, then it is impossible in an ordinary way, that that man should be effectually called, but he must know the time when he is called. But for others that from their childhood have been brought up in a godly family, and from their childhood to their dying day, did never break out into any scandalous sin, these men cannot give an account either when, or by whom they were called, and yet their calling may be effectual. And therefore that is too rigid a doctrine, to press such high qualifications before conversion; for God has different ways and degrees of working, though all are not obvious to our eye.

8. That they who are called by Christ, they shall be kept by Christ, that they do not fall from their call, but be brought to the state of glory; and that is another comfortable conclusion. You are not called by Christ, and so left to yourselves and the wide world, as Adam was. Adam was called by God to a state of blessedness, but he was left to stand by his own strength, but you are not so. You are not only called by Christ, but you are kept by Christ, that you shall not fall from grace, being once called to it. Jude 1:1: Jude the servant of Christ, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Christ and called. Here then is your comfort, that you are not called by Christ, and left to yourselves; but you are preserved by Christ, and called and kept in a state of grace, till you shall come to glory. So (1 Thessalonians 5:24): Faithful is he that called you, who also will do it; that is, bring you to that glory which you are called to.

9. When Christ has an intent to call a poor sinner, neither their poverty, nor their impiety shall hinder the call of Jesus Christ. Not your poverty; God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom (James 2). Not your impiety; poor Christians think, Oh, I am so vile, and so sinful, and profane, that I fear Christ will not call me. Why, this shall not hinder. Mary Magdalen a harlot, possessed with seven devils, yet called. Manasseh a blood-sucker, that made the streets of Jerusalem run down with blood, yet called. Paul a persecutor, a blasphemer, a man mad with rage against the Church of God, yet he obtained mercy; and why? That he might be an example to them that after should be called. So that here is your comfort, when Jesus Christ has an intent to call you, neither your poverty, nor your impiety shall withstand his call, nor turn the thoughts of his mercy from you.

10. That though no man can pry into the decrees of God about election and reprobation, yet if you can make good your effectual vocation, you may be sure of your election and of your glorification. Though no man, I say, can enter into the bosom of God to know his secret decrees, yet if you can find upon good and Scripture grounds, that you are effectually called, you may be sure you are eternally elected, and shall hereafter live in glory. Romans 8:28: Whom he predestines, them he calls, whom he calls, them he justifies, and whom he justifies, them he will glorify. And therefore comfort your hearts in these consolatory conclusions about effectual calling.