Sermon 13

2 Peter 1:10. Therefore the rather, Brethren, Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure.

In the prosecution of this subject, you may remember the last doctrine I drew forth was this, That Christians should put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls, that they are eternally elected by God the Father. In the handling of which, I have shown you, 1. What Election is. 2. That the people of God may make sure their own Election, though done from all eternity.

I come now to show you how the people of God may be assured in their own hearts that they are eternally elected. And here, to compass this knowledge or assurance of our Election, I do not only carry it so far as the Papists do, that say, you may have a persuasion, which they call Fides conjecturalis, a conjectural faith, or hope you may be saved; but will not come up so far as the words of my text, to be sure of it. Now should a man use no more than the words of the text, in that it is pressed as a command, it is an argument it may be made sure to a man's own self. For no man is bound to an impossible thing; and in that it is a thing required, to be assured of our election, the Scripture would never oblige our obedience to that which is impossible in itself. I do not drive so far only, but further. What should an elect man do to be certainly persuaded that he is eternally elected by God to obtain life and salvation. I am now handing a doctrine to be trembled at, while you are attending to it. And in the resolving this query, you must take this rule; that you cannot get assurance by ascending into God's decree, but by descending into your own hearts, searching them by the word whether those saving effects, which God does work in an elect person, be wrought in your souls or no: and that is the way to come to a sure and certain knowledge of your election. The knowledge of your election is not attainable by ascending into God's decree; for who has made you his counselors. Nor is it enjoined you by way of Revelation, That is an unsure ground, and you may run into Enthusiasm, as well as persuasion about your election. It is not done by Revelation, neither against nor without the word. Whatever testimony there is, if it come not from the word, you may suspect it to be a delusion. Now the safest way, though I know much cried down, for you to go by in searching whether you are in the number of God's elect, is to search into your own hearts, whether those things be wrought in you, which are wrought in those whom God has elected to life and salvation: and here I shall content myself with the naming of six saving effects.

First, every man that is elected, sooner or later, shall be effectually called, and savingly converted by the power of the word. This the Apostle lays down (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5): Knowing brethren, beloved, your election of God. How should this be known? For our word came not to you in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost: that is, our Gospel did not come in word only, to affect your ears, and rest there; but our word came with power, being backed with the operation of the Spirit, for your conversion. This work all men that are elected, sooner or later must come under, to have the power of the word come with authority upon Conscience, for his effectual calling. So (Romans 8:30): Whom he predestinated, whom he appointed to life, then he called. And therefore, beloved, whoever you are, if you live and die without having the power of the Word to pass upon your soul, for your effectual Calling, you may lay your hearts under this conclusion, that you are not elected by God to obtain life and salvation. For, Whom he has predestinated, them he calls.

Secondly, a man that is elected by God to life, sooner or later God will sanctify him by renewing and regenerating grace: and this is only different from the former in degree; for calling is sanctification begun. Now, when God elects a man, he does not only begin the work of grace, but he carries it on in a course of sanctification. And of this you read (2 Thessalonians 2:12-13): We are bold to give thanks to God always for you, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. If God has from the beginning chosen a man to salvation, the Lord does it through sanctification; not for sanctification, as the Papists say, or for faith foreseen, but it is through it, as a means whereby we are brought to salvation; sanctification shall run through our lives, as water through a channel. So (1 Peter 1:2): They that are elected according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by Christ, through sanctification. So also (2 Timothy 2:21). And therefore beloved, if men live and die, and have not the power of sanctifying grace upon their hearts and consciences, and working in their lives, doubtless those men are not elected; because this you see clearly, that at one time or other God will work this in such men (Jude 4).

Thirdly, men elected by God to life and salvation shall sooner or later be brought into a state of believing (Acts 13:48): As many as were ordained to eternal life believed. No man that is ordained to eternal life, but shall be brought to a believing estate. And therefore men living and dying in a state of unbelief, are not elected. Hence you read (Titus 1:1), it is called, the faith of God's elect; implying, that all that are elected, before they die shall have faith; and none shall have faith, but only they; and therefore in a peculiar manner, called the faith of God's elect, appropriated only to them.

Fourthly, That man that is elected, sooner, or later before he dies, God will work in his heart a special delight in, and an entire love to the word preached. This you have expressed (John 8:47): He that is of God, hears God's word; therefore you are not of God, because you hear not his words. To be of God, that is, to belong to God by election. Now, he that is of God, God will in time make him hear his word with delight and love; but he that takes no delight therein, is not elected of God (1 John 4:5-6).

Fifthly, the Lord will sooner or later work in the heart of an elect man, love to the people of God, and compassion to those who are not the elect and chosen ones of God (Colossians 3:12). Put on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercy and loving kindness. The Apostle there by the manner of phrase does seem to intimate this much: Put on as the elect of God, etc. As if it were a thing ordained to, and inseparable from an elect man, after his effectual calling, that he should have bowels of mercy towards those that are not called, and that he should have loving kindness towards those that are called. For a man that is once elected, and has the execution of that decree in effectual calling, it is proper to him to have bowels of mercy.

Sixthly, God will sooner or later work an elect man into a new course of living, and of obedience, from what he had in times past. 1 Peter 1:2: You are elected according to the foreknowledge of God through sanctification to obedience; that though you were disobedient before, serving various lusts, yet God, if he has chosen you, will bring you into a course of obedience. Romans 8:29: He has predestined us. What to do? That we might be conformable to the image of his Son. God intends that the person whom he chooses to life should be conformable to Jesus Christ, and that he shall live a different manner of life than before; that though he has formerly been subject to sin and Satan, yet then he shall walk in ways of obedience to Jesus Christ.

Thus having briefly finished these heads, I have only four or five cautions to lay down, to bound what has been said within the limits of truth.

First, take notice that these six defects do not extend to children who die while they are children, but to men and women that are grown in years. A child that cannot act reason, as he is a child, cannot have any of these particulars wrought in him, at least in that way and manner men of years have. A child, as it is an infant, has not conversion in that way a man has, though it has somewhat equivalent to it; as somewhat like sanctification, and somewhat like that faith men of years have. But what that is, and how wrought, man cannot determine. In pressing of this therefore, I say, it does not extend to children who die in their infancy, but only to men come to years of discretion. If they live and die without having these six effects, they may conclude they cannot be elected.

Secondly, the want of these six particulars for a time is no argument of a man's non-election; for before conversion (which is God's first dealing with a sinner) an elect man may be as vile, and as bad as any wicked man alive. As the Apostle Paul tells us (Titus 3:3): In times past we were also disobedient, and served various lusts, and lived in pleasure and excess, etc. So also 1 Timothy 1:12. So that the want of this for a time is no argument of a man's non-election, for then it would follow that a man unconverted is no elect man, which would cross the whole tenor of Scripture. But a man living and dying without these does not belong to the election of grace.

Thirdly, I do not press the having of these effects actually, if you have them habitually. My meaning is this: a man may be elected, and yet may not act anything answerable to effectual calling, nor act with any delight and love to the word, nor act anything in a way of sanctification. Yet, if you have these habitually, in the habit of them, these may be testimonies or evidences of election.

Fourthly, I do not press the having of these effects sensibly to be an evidence of election, if you have them really. There are many men who have these really, when they have them not in their own apprehension.

Fifthly, I do not press the having of these effects gradually, so long as you have them sincerely. My meaning is this: a man may be elected — indeed, and he may not only be chosen in God's eternal decree, but the execution of that decree may be passed upon him, that he may be effectually called — and yet he may not have all these six effects in a great measure in the highest degree. Yet he may have them sincerely, and so be a pledge to his own heart of his eternal election.

And thus having finished this third question, I come now to enter upon another, depending upon the former; which indeed is a very dreadful subject, and a point to be trembled at while it is being handled, and that is this: what probable guess may be given of a man, that he is not within the compass of God's election? This is a very high point, and must be handled with a great deal of seriousness and sadness; it being a point concerning the salvation or damnation of all the men upon earth. Therefore I would entreat you to look about you. God's decrees are in heaven, and it is only a real work of grace upon your hearts on earth that can give you evidence that those decrees are for good to you. As a good work wrought is an evidence of God's purpose to save you, so the contrary work may be an evidence of God's purpose never to save you, but of leaving you without the compass of his eternal election. There can be nothing laid down absolutely and certainly, yet there may be many probable guesses given of the men that are not within the compass of God's election, of which I shall name but six or seven sorts. And I wish to God that none of you that are before the Lord this day have your names written in this black book, lest you have just cause to fear your names are not written in the book of life.

First, the man who falls back from a course of profession to a course of profaneness, without timely returning — the Scripture gives a shrewd guess of such a man, that he is not within the compass of God's purpose to save. I do not say every backsliding, and every decaying affection, but a total and final relapse; when a man falls and rises not again; when a man runs from God and returns not again — the Scripture gives a guess at him, that he is not within the compass of God's election. In Hebrews 10:38-39: If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Interpreters observe that in these words there is a figure, wherein there is less expressed than is intended: My soul shall have no pleasure in him. It is as much as if God should have said, My soul shall hate, or I will exceedingly hate him. But we are not of them that draw back to perdition; but of them that believe, to the saving of their souls — which words clearly import that men who draw back without returning draw back to perdition, to damnation; but we are not of them, says the Apostle. And here then, beloved, does this word fall upon any man before God this day? Have you left a course of strictness, and fallen into a course of profaneness and looseness? Have you fallen from your God, and never think of a returning? I shall not censure you now, but if you live and die in this estate, it is an undoubted argument that you are not within the compass of God's decree to save.

Secondly, men who make the mercies and goodness of God arguments to embolden them the more in sin — such men are not likely to be the persons whom God has elected to life and glory. In the Epistle of Jude, verse 4, it is spoken there of men that turned the grace of God into wantonness. And what says the Apostle of them? They are men ordained of old to damnation. The Scripture there makes it the badge of a man ordained of old to damnation, when he shall persist in this sinful temper — to turn God's grace into lasciviousness; that is, to take arguments from the grace, and mercy, and goodness of God, to walk in ways of sin. And therefore look to it, and with your hearts bewail it, all you who are apt to abuse doctrines of grace; and because God is good you will be evil; because God is merciful, therefore you will be sinful. If you die in this temper, the Scripture declares that you are the men ordained of old to condemnation.

Thirdly, a man who walks in a course of sin, willfully, with malice, and knowingly against conscience, and obstinately without reluctance — and persists in this, and lives and dies thus — that man is not within the compass of God's election. There is a phrase in Psalm 59:5: Be not merciful, O Lord, to wicked transgressors. It is in some translations: be not merciful to them that sin of wicked malice, or of malicious wickedness. Now there is this rule which divines give: that those prayers which were made by David are rather prophecies of what should be than mere prayers that this might be. As David prayed against the Jews in Psalm 69:22, that their table might be a snare to them, and that they should always bow down under their prayers — which was a prophecy, and they did so. And so he adds here that God would not be merciful to men who sin of wicked malice; which is as much as a prophecy that God will not be merciful to men who sin of malicious wickedness. And therefore, beloved, all you that so live and resolve you will die, and perhaps do die, and yet sin obstinately — that, let God command what he can, you will do what you please; let the Minister say what he will, you will do what you like; that sin against knowledge, and against conscience, and without any reluctance; resolve to live and die in a course of sin — the Lord be merciful to such persons. For certainly there must be no Bible, if such men fall within the compass of God's election.

Fourthly, that man who, by living under the powerful ministry of the Word, is more hard in heart and worse in life — if a man grows thus, it is an argument he is not within the purpose of God's election. Matthew 13:14-15: "By hearing, you shall hear, but not understand; by seeing, you shall see, but not perceive; this people's heart has grown dull, their ears are dull in hearing, their eyes shut, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I should save them." Here is the judgment God lays upon such sinners, that they shall have eyes and not see; they shall be ignorant; their hearts shall wax gross; they shall be incapable of taking any impression of the word upon them. And what is the end of all this? Lest they should be converted, and I should save them — implying that if God lets you, who live under the ministry, have dark eyes and hard hearts, it is an argument God has no intent to save you, and therefore his purpose is to condemn you. So John 12:40: "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their hearts, and be converted." Here is laid down as an act of God's, that God did harden their hearts and God did blind their eyes, lest they should be converted. [reconstructed: Implying] that if men do live and die in this temper — that they have lived year after year under a powerful ministry, and yet they grow more blind in judgment and more profane in life and more hard in heart after 20, 30, 40 years of hearing than they were before; that the word does but draw out their wickedness and makes them more profane and more opposed to godliness — the Lord have mercy upon such souls, for certainly if God leave you thus, it is an argument he never intends to save you, for the Lord does thus with such, that they might not be saved. There is a passage in Romans 11:7: "Israel has not obtained that which he seeks for, but the election has obtained, and the rest were hardened." By election is meant the elected — the abstract put for the concrete. As often in Scripture, circumcision is put for the circumcised; and so here, election is put for the elected. The elected have obtained it — what did they obtain? They obtained salvation and glory; but the rest that were not elected, they were hardened. The Lord there makes it the badge of those that are not elected, that they are a blinded people and a hardened people. [reconstructed: Implying] that men who are not elected shall live under the word, yet shall be blind in mind, shall be hard in heart, shall be wicked in life, and the ministry of the word shall never reform them. And if any of you be such, O that the Lord would make you tremble this day — tremble lest you are not in God's thoughts to do you any good another day.

Fifthly, when God does give up men to strong delusions, not only to believe lies themselves but to teach lies to seduce others, when the Lord leaves them to live and die in that estate, the Scripture makes it an argument of those who are not chosen by God to life and glory. You shall read therefore in that great delusion of Antichrist, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12: "God gave them up to strong delusions, to believe lies, that all might be damned who believe not the truth." It is made a brand of damnation when God shall give them over to believe lies. Though a godly man may die in a corrupt opinion, for every error is not a badge of damnation; but errors that are fundamental, that strike at the foundation of religion, wherein men run so far as never to repent of their error — that the Scripture makes the badge of a man whose soul is in a world of danger. Read that text, 2 Peter 2:1-3: "There were false prophets among the people, likewise there shall be false teachers among you." And who are they? Verse 2: they shall deny the Lord that bought them; they shall bring in damnable heresies. Every error is not a heresy; but these men shall bring in damnable heresies, and many shall follow their pernicious ways. Now what is their censure? "Whose judgment now of a long time lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not." Their damnation was not asleep, but for a long time damnation did attend them, and they were in danger of it. So that, beloved, it is great danger for men to be patrons of error, especially when they are gross and palpable, and when in Scripture language they may be called damnable heresies. It is an argument, if men live and die thus, that they are not within the purpose of God's counsel to do them good.

Sixthly, men who live and die in a continual spurning and opposition against the Gospel and word of God powerfully preached — it is a dreadful sign they are not within the compass of God's election. 1 John 4:5-6: "You are not of God, for you hear not his word." So John 12: he that hears the word is of God, but you hear not his word, therefore you are not of God. Therefore you belong not to him. But more relevant to this purpose is that place, Acts 13:46-48: "It was necessary the word of God should first have been spoken to you, but seeing you put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." Now compare this with verse 48: "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed." The contrast is thus: as many as God purposed to save, they glorified God for his word, and they rejoiced and were glad in his word; but those that were not decreed to salvation, they put off from them the word of the Lord, they spurned at it and opposed it, and could not endure the word of the Lord. Therefore the text says, "The Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and they raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their region." It was said to Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:16): "By this I know that the Lord has purposed to destroy you, because you have not hearkened to my counsel." Thus you see, the Scripture makes it the badge of a man who does not fall within the compass of God's election — to bring him to life and glory — to live and die in opposition to the word of God.

Seventhly, and this we may speak more confidently and positively, that that man is not within the compass of God's election, who sins the sin against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:32). He shall neither be forgiven in this life, nor in the life to come. This is an unpardonable sin (1 John 5:16). Now I know there are many men, who confine this sin only to the Pharisees, as if they only were guilty of it. There are others, that say this sin is seldom committed; and so many divines speak favorably of it: but, Beloved, I am persuaded, this sin is oftener committed, than most men in the world dream of; and many men are plunged into this sin, that think well of their own souls. The sin against the Holy Spirit is only this:

It is a willful and deliberate act in a professor of religion, whereby he does not only fall from his profession; but he runs into a course of sin knowingly, against conscience; obstinately, against counsel; and maliciously, against Jesus Christ. This is briefly a description of this sin. Now I am persuaded there are many in the world that have professed religion, that are, if not in this sin, yet at the very next door to it. And if a man be gone thus far, this is called in Scripture, a sin to death; a sin, which if a man fall into, he may be sure he shall be damned. And thus I have in brief given you an account of these seven particulars, whereby every man may give a guess in his own thoughts, whether he be within the purpose of God's election to salvation or not.

I have now, from this sad doctrine, only a few comfortable positions to lay down, and so conclude. As,

1. That though these particulars may give you a guess of those that are not within the compass of God's election, yet no man is bound to make this sure to himself, that he is not elected. You are bound to make your election sure, but you are not bound to make your reprobation sure. For these heads I have given out, not to make any godly man question his election, but to startle wicked men, who live quite contrary, and opposite to the elect of God.

2. That a man may come very near to the worst of these sins, and yet may be an elected man. We were (says Paul) sometimes disobedient, deceived, and served various lusts (Titus 3:3). And (Ephesians 2:2) in times past you walked according to the course of the world, according to the power of the Prince of the air, who works mightily in the children of disobedience. In times past you were children of wrath, as well as others. In times past before calling, you may come very near to these evils, yet be within the compass of God's election, provided that you do not live and die in those evils. For if so, there is no hope of mercy.

3. That for men to question their election, merely because they do not find the saving effects of election in their hearts and lives, is rather an argument of their being, than of their not being elected. Because men not elected, they never look after their election, to make it sure, they will trust all upon the mercy of God, and grace of God, and never look after holiness; sin never troubles them, profaneness never grieves them, want of holiness perplexes not them. The questioning therefore of your election arising from the evils of your conversation, is rather a sign that God has chosen you to life and glory.

4. Election often runs to those that are the worst sort of men in the world. Election runs to them that have been worst in their lives, before they were called. And thereby God magnifies the riches of his grace. Election passes by civil honest men, and [reconstructed: ingenious, temperate men], and commonly runs to men, that have been scandalous, loose, atheistical, profane livers, before they were called. Whores and harlots shall come to Heaven before you (Matthew 21:31). Manasseh, that was a cruel murderer, and idolater, yet election ran to him. Mary Magdalene, a common strumpet, out of whom Christ cast seven devils, yet election ran to her. Rahab, a harlot; Paul, a persecutor, a blasphemer, a man injurious to the saints; yet (Acts 9:15) he was a chosen vessel to God, and obtained mercy. God, to magnify the riches of his free grace, lets election run to the worst of men that are in the world. And this should be great comfort to you; though you have been drunkards, and though you have been Sabbath breakers and adulterers, and though you have been profane, yet if you can but now close with Jesus Christ, and look after heaven, if you can but now mourn over your condition, and repent of your former failings, and come in to Jesus Christ; election has run to men as bad as you, and though you may be now men profane in your lives, yet you may be objects of God's election.