Doctrine: All Human Endeavors to Render Sinners Fruitful Are Uncertain as to the Issue

DOCTRINE. All the endeavours which are used by men for the rendring of sinners fruitful, are uncertain as to the issue.

They that use them have no assurance that they shall obtain; they are not certain that sinners shall be converted, and made serviceable to the glory of God: they know not but that after all is done, they will remain as they were, as far from grace and holiness as ever. In prosecution of this doctrine we may,

1. Enquire upon what grounds the evidence of this truth is built, and

2. Resolve a doubt which is apt to be raised on this consideration.

1. In the enquiry into the grounds of the evidence of this truth, we may take up with these conclusions.

1. That God knows who are appointed to obtain grace and salvation. We are not therefore to charge this uncertainty upon him, though men be at a loss, yet he is at none: this the Apostle vindicates (2 Timothy 2:19), The Lord knows who are his. He not only knows them in the gross, or number; but who they are personally and individually; not only how many they are, but what are their names, and in particular: he is a chosen vessel (Acts 9:15), and this must needs be, because his free election is the first link in the chain, whereof eternal glory is the last (Romans 8:29, 30). When therefore it was a time of the greatest obduration upon the nation of the Jews, Paul satisfies himself in this (Romans 11:7), The election has obtained it; so that in this respect, here is the greatest certainty that can be, because God's purposes are unchangeable.

2. That the means of grace are nextly and directly appointed for the benefit of these. It was for the redemption and salvation of sinners, that Jesus Christ came into the world; but for which he had never engaged in the work which he undertook: and to that end that his redeemed may be brought to participate in the good which he has procured for them, the Gospel is promulgated, and the offers and invitations to accept of peace are made to sinners: and this is the reason why the Gospel is sent to this place, and not to that, because God has some of his chosen ones here, whom he has loved with an everlasting love, and whom he designs to call by these means, into the grace whereby they may be saved: nor can it be said that ever the Gospel was sent to such a place, where there were none of that number dwelling; though possibly there have been more of them in some places than in others: it is therefore called the Gospel of Salvation.

3. Hence all these wherever they are, shall sooner or later be brought in by the means of grace. There is no uncertainty in the thing itself as to the futurition of it; that shall be a truth in the winding up (Acts 13:43), As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed; these may possibly lie a great while in their sins, and abide barren under manifold essays used with them, there may be a great deal of time and cost for the present lost upon them; they may out-stand the three years of patience, and fall into the one year of probation, before they bear any fruit; but it is certain they shall turn to God before they die, they shall not be cut down for their barrenness; they shall be born to God, though it be out of time.

4. But the Gospel means are sent to more than are chosen. Our Savior more than once uses that assertion, many are called, but few are chosen, by which he does not intend effectual vocation, for that belongs to none but the few who are chosen, but the outward calling of the Gospel, by which men are brought into the visible church, and are invited to come to Christ, believing on him, to seek grace from him, whereby they may be enabled to serve him, it is therefore such a call as men refuse to close cordially withal. Those whom God has set his love upon, are, before their conversion, among the rest of the world, they are alike as to their natural state; and those to whom the dispensation of the Gospel is committed, do not know how to distinguish these from others, and are therefore enjoined to come to such a people, and make offers of grace universally to all that hear them (Isaiah 55:1), Ho! every one that thirsts come (Revelation 22:17), whoever will, let him take the waters of life freely; and Christ is by them as much offered to one as to another, and they are as seriously and solemnly invited to come in to him; and accept of his grace; and if they refuse to entertain these offers, they will be inexcusable, and their guilt will be aggravated (John 15:21).

5. We cannot know antecedently to conversion who are chosen, that is, by any ordinary notes or signs. God did sometimes immediately reveal this to his extraordinary ambassadors of old, although not always: but there are no rules given us, by which we may conclude positively that such are elected, and thereby encourage ourselves particularly to use endeavours with them that they may be called; there being no Scripture rules on which we can proceed: and therefore such a faith has no foundation. There is no [illegible] in their good natures; for God sometimes chooses the most rugged dispositions, when he passes by the most ingenious; that young man (Matthew 19) had fair, but he fell short: not by any impulse on our spirits, making us to be more earnest and solicitous for them than others; for God may thus encourage endeavours in us, to make them thereby become the more inexcusable.

6. Men cannot convert whom they please. The new birth depends not on the wills of men (John 1:13). Our good will may animate us to our duty and because our love to them makes us very loath that they should perish, it will excite industry in us: and God's end is thus accomplished by us; but our grace cannot infuse it, though we have never so much of it in us. What godly parent would lose one of his children? What godly minister would lose any of his flock? What godly Christian would see any one of his neighbours perish if this could be? If it could be in his power to bring them home to Christ there should none of them lie out from him. Men's work is, in their place to endeavour this, but the efficacy of it depends upon a higher virtue (1 Corinthians 3:6): I have planted, Apollos has watered, but God gave the increase.

As none but God can bless the means with success, so he does his pleasure in it: Christ, speaking of Regeneration, tells us (John 3:8), "The wind blows where it lists, so is every one that is born of the Spirit of God." As it is of grace, so that it may appear to be so. God takes and leaves as he sees meet (Romans 8:18). He has mercy on whom he will have mercy. All the labours of his people are under the sovereign dispose of his hand; they may throw out the net, but it is he who must bring the fish into it, if they take any, or else they may toil all night and catch none. Nor is he obliged to do it, he is neither obliged to sinners to convert them, for it is by grace that any are saved; nor is he engaged to such as seek and endeavour it, for he can recompense their labor fully in another way, if he please to frustrate it in the thing itself.

There are none that know whether God will give his blessing to, or withhold it from their utmost endeavours. If he do afford it, their labor shall be succeeded, if he restrain it, sinners will remain impenitent under all. This God has kept as a secret with himself; and therefore all our endeavours must needs be under uncertainties, and the issue must be dubious to us. Doubtless God has holy ends in keeping his servants in suspense; however, they are to do their work, without any demurr. Ezekiel must deliver his message, whether the people will hear or forbear.

Here is a doubt which calls for some resolution, namely: Is it not matter of great discouragement on the spirits of godly men to labor under such uncertainties, or what is it that [illegible] animate them to their work.

Flesh and blood may possibly take discouragement at it, and be ready to think, what shall I lose all my labor, and possibly, instead of bringing men to Christ, and salvation, make them worse, and increase their condemnation? But grace will teach us other lessons. Here then let these few things be considered for our satisfaction in this point.

That there is all reason that God should have the sovereign disposal of his own gifts. That he be acknowledged to be supreme, and arbitrary in his dispensing of himself to the children of men, must needs be his indisputable prerogative, who shall find fault with him for doing with his own what he will? If he should have left all the whole race of mankind in their natural estate, and bestowed his grace upon none of them, there would have been no ground for [illegible] fault with him, or lay any [illegible] to his charge; for all were forfeited, and fallen into his hands, and liable to his revenge. If then he will give his special favours to some and not to others, and that according to his own pleasure, without acquainting us with the reason of it, it concerns not us to dispute, or make any demurr in our thoughts about it. The highest reason, and ultimate resolution of these things, which ought to set us down satisfied, is, what if God will (Romans 9:22).

That every Christian is under an indispensible duty in his place, to endeavour all that he can to promote the salvation of others. Ministers in their place, parents in their place, governors in theirs, and neighbours in theirs: this is a general duty that influences every relation that men [illegible] according to the different manner [illegible] it is to be attended. And this is [illegible] lay men under strong engagements [illegible] endeavour it to the utmost; considering that otherwise they will bring themselves under guilt, [illegible] not be able to answer it to God, [illegible] he shall call them to an account about it. For men to take any discouragement in a known duty, is to hearken to Satan's temptation, and to provoke God to anger against them. Though success be a great encouragement in duty, yet that which firstly ought to engage the conscience of one that fears God, is that it is his will. Duty is our part, success is his, we may desire it, and ought to pray for it; but when we have done all, we must leave it with him (Ezekiel 9:11).

That this uncertainty carries motive in it to do duty to all. As we do not know that we shall prevail with them, when we have done all; but that they may continue in their impenitency; so on the other hand, we do not know but that we may be instrumental of doing them good, that which carnal reason takes discouragement from, that grace encourages itself by. I am sure it is an argument which the Spirit of God makes use of to animate us to this constancy (Ecclesiastes 11:6). If we did certainly know that such an one would grow worse by all, and at last perish after he had used utmost endeavours with him for his salvation, this would make us to despair, and that would quite dishearten us from doing our duty; but as long as we know not what the event shall be, we now fetch our encouragement to obey God's precept from the precept itself under which we are, and so commit it to the providence of God with humble submission: as becomes us.

There is a great deal of hope notwithstanding this uncertainty. Hope is the spring of action; it is that which thrusts men forward into all their business. Thus it is done in the world, and in the management of all the affairs of this life, men go upon it. The husbandman sows in hope; the merchant adventures his estate to manifold perils in hope; there is no assurance in these things; all that they can say, is, if God wills it shall prosper; and they withal observe that this is the way in which the providence of God is to be served, and to which he is wont ordinarily to give his blessing. Now there is as good hope here: God is pleased to convert sinners by the use of means; it is the way that he has appointed for it, it is not therefore impossible but that he may give his blessing to our endeavours, and make them to succeed. Nay, it is very probable, that if he makes us diligent and earnest, he does intend to give us the desired success. The Word of God gives us as much encouragement to this, as to any thing else, and more too.

That if these endeavours do succeed, we are well paid for all our labor. The joy and comfort of it, will give us abundant satisfaction. If we may but save a soul from going to the pit, if we may but win a sinner over to Christ, and be instrumental of bringing him in to him, that he may have service from him we shall never think much of any thing that we have done for the obtaining of it: All these travailing pains are now forgotten, for the joy that there is one born to Christ, who shall serve him here, and live with him for ever. If the honor of God be very dear, and the souls of sinners very precious to us, this will be our joy and our triumph both now, and in the day of Christ; and the very hopes and forethoughts of it are enough to put life into our endeavours.

But supposing that we should fail in our desires and hopes on this account, we shall be no losers still. Our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. It will indeed be our present grief and bitterness of heart, but we shall not lose our recompense. The rewards which God bestows upon his people, are not according to the success, but according to their integrity and faithful industry. If we pray for the conversion of these or those, and they be not converted, our prayers shall return into our own bosoms; if we take pains with them and all come to nothing as to them, but seems to be as water spilt on the ground, yet God will not forget our labor of love, but will remember us in the day of recompense: with this Christ comforts himself (Isaiah 49:[illegible]).