-- CHAPTER III: God is the God of all grace, with a discrimination to us, not to others
best of men? and what is God?
1. What is man, a base unworthy, mutable, and ungracious wretch?
And, 2. The second is greater than this first. Oh, what is God, even the God of all grace! and so give me leave also to usurp that speech of David, and close with it, 'What can thy servant say more?'
CHAPTER III
God is the God of all grace, with a discrimination to us, not to others; especially such others as have an imperfect temporary work wrought in them; or he is the God of all grace only to his elect, whom he effectually calls and invincibly saves; not to others, whom he leaves to fall away.
—— hath called us.—1 PETER 5:10.
I undertook for every word that it should contribute to our subject, either some addition unto the illustration of the grace of God, the God of all grace, or the confirmation of our faith in God's carrying us through temptations unto glory, or unto both.
Us here may seem to serve to no further use than to denote those to whom he wrote to be the persons whom God had called, &c., and as lightly to be passed over.
But I hope to make it appear that it hath besides this a further eminent and most emphatical importance; as if he had said, God hath been to us a God of grace in our calling, and in preserving us‚ but so he is not to others‚ whom yet he calls, but leaves to fall away; and this will bring forth a new and great point for the exaltation of free-grace towards us.
This intention of discrimination in this expression us‚ not others‚ by the apostle, will appear, 1. By the reality of the things here spoken by Peter.
2. By the import of the phrase us.
3. From the occasion whereupon Peter uttered this consolation to the church of God.
1. This discriminating intent will appear from the reality of the things spoken here by Peter in the substantials of them, according as they have been already opened, when put together.
For (1.) That God doth, out of special grace, call us‚ as a God of grace to us‚ this in Scripture language elsewhere imports, that there are others whom he calls not out of grace, but from some other principle in himself. Thus expressly, Rom. 8:28, 'The called according to his purpose;' which in 2 Tim. 1:9, is further explained to be, as in the text, 'A calling according to his own purpose and grace,' and the other part of the distinction is added, 'not according to works.' These both are in those Scriptures intended for apparent notes of distinction of a calling of us out of grace as the cause, from calling of others from out of his providence, and which is carried on according unto works. These note a difference in the tenure of callings, the original tenure which they hold of; ours holds in capite‚ in freehold of grace; but others have theirs in copyhold of works; and but dum bene se gesserint‚ if thou dost well, thou shalt be accepted. So that us here, the subjects of the God of grace calling them, doth in that respect secretly imply and connotate with it, and a not-others‚ who yet have a sort of calling.
(2.) Those words, 'hath called,' taken as the effect of grace as the cause, note out a difference of calling for the kind of it, and that these are some others that have a calling different; and this difference we also have in 2 Tim. 1:9 expressly, 'Hath called us, with an holy calling.' It is a discrimination that, too, which likewise doth implicitly
note that there are others called, but not 'with an holy calling.' And so still us, not others‚ is the voice of both these apostles, and is to be understood, in the reality of it, to be Peter's intention. Now, the privilege promised to the us here, who are thus called, is, that we should be perfected, strengthened, &c.; which notes out this difference from those others in the issue and event of calling, that others, though called, yet are not perfected, but left in the end to their own wills and ways, to fall away; for it is a calling according to works, and accordingly it is managed.
And whereas it may be said to be intended with a commotion* of difference from all others of the world;—
I grant you may take them in also, as a further amplification of the grace of God towards us, yet I would further add,
That this discriminating grace is more conspicuously seen by those others that are called, as well as we, whom yet God leaves to fall away. And, indeed, if you understand it only in the way of the beforementioned distinction (as hath been said), then, so conceived, there needed no such distinction as in the word calling is intimated, for the generality of the world are of such as never were or shall be so much as called; it must, therefore, be mainly intended of those others that have had some work of calling upon them, as well as this us themselves.
Moreover, secondly, his scope being to fortify and comfort this us from fears of falling away, and the fears of falling away being occasioned by, and using chiefly and mostly to arise from, the examples of others, that are, in their apprehensions, called as well as themselves, whom yet with their own eyes they daily see to fall away, whom should he in this case, by way of discrimination, intend (if he intended any at all) other than these?
In the last place, although us seems to come in without any emphasis at all, and to serve but only as a noun that follows the verb hath
called‚ as if denoting barely the person; yet elsewhere you find, when it is, as here, joined with calling, that there is a special emphasis set over the head of us‚ Rom. 9:24, 'Even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.' Where observe
He says not barely, who hath called us‚ but 'even us whom he hath called.' The accent is set over the head of the us; and the effect of Peter's speech here comes all to one with that there, for it is no less than as if he had placed his words also thus, 'Us whom the God of all grace hath called.'
And, secondly, To what purpose is it that the accent, the emphasis there over us‚ but to shew the infinite vast difference which grace and mercy puts between that us whom he hath called, and others? It is as if he had said, even us‚ and not others‚ through discriminating grace; for which read the words afore, and you will acknowledge as much, ver. 22, 23, 'What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction? And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory?'
And if any say, that this difference there put is but that which is between the elect and all others of mankind that are the vessels of wrath, I answer, read and annex ver. 15, 16, 'He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion: So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.' So that from that us, there thus indigitated, that are called also, that attempt to will and run, and to obtain salvation thereby, it is apparent that there is intended a more special sort of men,* from whom even us, by a true calling, are distinguished, unto the greater magnifying of God's grace thereby.
And, thirdly, you may observe the us there to note out the whole church, for so it follows, 'Even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles,' which two divided the world.
This for the reality of the thing itself in Peter's scope, that us is intended in a discriminating sense from others called.
2. If we consult the peculiar phraseology and use of the word us or we‚ as in the apostles' mouth it sounds, when they speak of saints
'whom God hath called,' we shall find it notes forth the whole body of the true church, as a set and fixed number, that shall not be diminished in any one of them, and who are specially called forth out of the world, yea, and discriminated from another sort of professors, called out of the world together with them who fall away.
I might, yea, I shall, I think, [be able] to give an account of every tittle of this significancy of the word us, as applied unto true saints by calling, of whom only here Peter speaks.
(1.) Us sets out and denotes the whole bulk and body of the true church of God, first culled out of the whole mass of mankind by the election of grace, then called forth by effectual vocation from the rest of the world; form whence it is, indeed, it bears its name, and is styled by way of eminency, ἐκκλησία, or the church, insomuch that every saint, being a member of that great corporation, may speak of himself, and of or to another, in the language of we and us‚ by way of apartment from all the world.
(2.) They are termed an us in a far narrower discrimination than that from all the world, even from them that are called out of the community of the world, by a real work of the Spirit upon them, as well as upon these saints themselves, yet but with an abortive imperfect work of calling and profession that proves vain, as James speaks, as to the issue thereof. Thus expressly you have it, 1 John
2:19, 'They went out from us‚ but they were not of us: for if they had been of us‚ they would no doubt have continued with us: but they
went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.'
[1.] He entitles the whole body of truly called ones, that had received that 'unction from the Holy One,' in the next verse, where there is an us four several times.
And [2.], Those, in difference from whom he terms these the us‚ were such as through a work of calling had once joined themselves unto them, as those words, 'They went out from us,' and 'continued not with us,' do manifestly declare; yet, says he, of a differing kind and sort from us‚ for 'if they had been of us they would have continued with us, but went out that it might be manifest they were not of us:' that whereas they had been accounted and reckoned to be of us‚ having made a separation from the world as well as we, and professed Christ and Christian holiness as well as we, yet to the end that vast difference that was betwixt that work of calling which had been upon them and that which was upon us, and which did as really distinguish us from them, that that might appear, they were left to fall away, and so to go out from us.
By which [3.] it also there appears that this true us‚ genuinely and rightly so styled, are, as was said in the assertion, a fixed and standing and durable company or body, whereof not one shall be diminished. And observe how peremptory and conclusive he is in it; for, says he, 'If they had been of us,' truly called, 'they would no doubt have continued with us.' As if he had said, all of the right breed and calling, or of the right company of the true us‚ they do continue together for ever, they are a standing durable body to Christ, and every one of them continues so; and he doth not barely affirm it
(which, being an apostle, were sufficient), nor doth he only bring it in by way of a reason, or certain evidence, that therefore those other were none of us, in those words, 'For if they had been of us,' &c., but he would have us out of all doubt or questioning of it; without doubt‚ says he, there must never so much as a thought be entertained to the contrary, nor over any question by any of you be made of it.
And [4.] he tells us that those other were therefore left thus to fall off, in and through a special design on God's part, who had this end or design in his thus so ordering of it, that they might be made manifest they were not of us. Now where there is an end there must be a design guiding to that end, and whose was this but God's? Who in his providence brings it to this issue, like as elsewhere you have it, that 'they that are approved may be made manifest among you.' The manifestation of these in both places was not the work of man, but God's, who knowing who are his, accordingly doth call them; 'whom he hath predestinated, them he hath also called;' and therefore full well knows who are his own true us, as I may so speak. And he knowing also that those other were never in reality and truth of his us‚ or owned by him for such, none of his rightly called ones, as Christ knew Judas all along that he was a devil, hence he who is a God of holiness and truth cannot always bear with them, Rev. 2:2. As of the angel of Ephesus it is said; but, as there also, tries them that say, They are called, but are not, and proves them liars. God ordinarily at the long run leaves them to discover themselves in this world, and 'they that are otherwise cannot be always hid': 1 Tim.
5:25, 'Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.'
And this import or signification of the word us is, I think, in all things home to the point we have been treating of and pursuing, and justly inferred from the apostle's language and use of the word.
3. And more particularly, that Peter should upon a special peculiar motive and consideration use this word in this sense in this passage of his, we may perhaps be easily induced to think, if we consider, (1.)
That this word us‚ in this very importance of it, did first of all the apostles fall from Peter's own mouth; and, (2.) Withal consider the occasion of it then, and how near it came home to Peter; and then,
(3.) The near relation and correspondency that the matter of these verses doth hold with that occasion.
(1.) It fell first from Peter's mouth in this sense, and that in the first sermon we read of after Christ's ascension: Acts. 1:13, 16, 17, 'In those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, This
Scripture must needs have been fulfilled concerning Judas. For he was numbered with us‚' ver. 17. The Scripture he means that was fulfilled is afterwards rehearsed by him, ver. 20. In the mean time he prefaceth concerning Judas in these words, 'He was numbered amongst us.' Whom doth he mean by us‚ but amongst us saints, the church of the New Testament, whereof one hundred and twenty were present? as also amongst us apostles, whereof eleven remained and were present, and not one of them ever to fall away, as Christ's prayer, John 17:12, shews, 'None of them is lost but this son of perdition.'
(2.) The occasion of the us in that sense was upon the first and most notorious discrimination from that us that ever shall be made, and so famous an one as the New Testament rings of it to this day, of one who in an instant fell from the most eminent calling, having been called by Christ himself, and by reason of that his calling thus numbered and unquestioned by any of them amongst the first saints, and the highest rank of saints the apostles, 'and had obtained part of this ministry,'—so it follows, ver. 17. In John 18:4, you read it signally noticed, and studiously observed by the evangelist himself: 'And Judas that betrayed him stood with them,' that is amongst those, or that company who came to take Jesus; and, says Peter here, Acts
1:16, 'Who was guide to them that took Jesus;' yea, it would seem he was become as the captain of them: John 18:3, 'Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns, and torches, and weapons.'
What a dismal standing with these his new acquaintance and companions was this! For from hence for ever, according to his own choice, he was to take his lot with them for ever, who stood with him then; he till then had been numbered amongst us‚ but from thenceforth was numbered amongst the us no more. This is Peter's scope there, and the story shews it; then and there it began to be manifest that he was not of them, and in the very literal historical
sense it is said, 'He went out from them,' John 13:30, to go to these other, never to return again, or be of that company any more.
And how near unto Peter's heart this eternal separation and discommoning of Judas must needs come, at the same time, even whilst he was uttering of it, we may easily apprehend, when we recall that his own fate had been to deny his Lord thrice, with oaths and imprecations, within two or three hours' space, after that Judas had betrayed the same his Lord and Master also. His sin came as near (in the kind of it, though not in degree) unto that of Judas, as near in that respect as it did in space of time from Judas his committing his; whereupon we may well conceive that any, or all of them that heard him that day might presently say within themselves, dost thou talk of Judas his having been once numbered amongst us? and in thy saying so dost take upon thee still to number thyself with us? for in saying us he included himself amongst that number still; yea, but who and what was it put this difference, and kept thee among the number of us‚ whilst Judas was eternally cut off? I shall answer for him out of his own words here in the text (and his own heart for certain, if he were here alive, would beat and speak the same), it was the God of all grace who had called me; and for that he had called me with an holy calling, and had given me saving faith, as be hath done to the rest of you, the us. It was he who did restore, strengthen, establish me, the very same night; and it was Jesus Christ that looked back upon me, by whom God calls and strengthens, as in the text, who had prayed for me, that my faith, which had been in my first calling wrought in me, should not fail.
And his speech being thus understood, the mind thereof hath this reflection and rebound back again upon all the rest then present, and upon the whole church of Christ, to the end of the world; and it is as if Peter had said, that I who am the first and highest example of discriminating and unchangeable grace under the New Testament, that is, of one set thus in comparison with another of so eminent a station, that I should be thus kept, and still able (through grace) to number myself among you; this may you all interpret to be a blessed
handsel, and an everlasting good omen, earnest and gage unto you, the whole of us‚ and the whole church of the New Testament to come, that God will in like manner keep all you, that are of our us‚ unto eternal life, as he hath done me, maugre all temptations that may endanger the contrary, and, nevertheless, that you have seen with your eyes (and the churches in all ages will see the like) another that was called thus to apostatise, God having exemplified in him and me the fate and condition of two sorts of called professors, as leading cases under the New Testament.
This for the first occasion of using the word us in this discriminating sense, and how near it came home to Peter.
(3.) But if we shall add to this the third thing, the near correspondency and affinity that the matter of my text doth hold with that first occasion, we may perhaps be yet further induced to think that Peter intended this sense of discrimination in the word us.
It is evident that his full and fervent aim is, in this close of his epistle, to leave behind him a strengthening confortatory unto the whole church of the New Testament then in the world, and in them unto the whole catholic church to succeed to the end of the world, against the fears of falling away, which those called ones are obnoxious unto, from the experience of their own hearts, temptations, falls, and of the falling away of many that are called as well as themselves. And it is as evident that this matter of comfort given the whole church against such fears is but one and the same with what himself had been comforted withal, from the experience of that difference put by God between him and Judas, and indeed was the necessary inference, consequent, and lesson learned therefrom, which as he did ever carry about with him, and could not but have the prospect of often in his thoughts, so in a special manner it may, if not that it must, be supposed (if at any time) to rise up in his heart upon this occasion, and so that in the sense thereof he penned this; and not less rational it is to think that upon these coincident apprehensions within himself, and falling upon his own heart, he should intend here us
that are truly called in the same sense of discrimination from others abortively called, in which he had at first uttered it in Judas his case, when he said, 'He was numbered amongst us.'
But you will (it may be) be more fully persuaded unto it if you cast but your thoughts back, and recall that observation which I cast in at the entrance of the exposition of this text, which I then said conduced much to the illustration of Peter's scope and heart therein; how that certainly it had been Christ's admonition unto Peter upon the foresight of his fall, 'Satan hath desired to winnow thee, but I have prayed thy faith fail not, wherefore when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.' That charge, I say, left upon him by Christ, gave fire and vent to his spirit to insert this consolatory conclusion, and administered the materials to him, yea, and many of the very words which he forms his speech in; and accordingly having first given them warning, as Christ had done in the verses just afore, that Satan did seek to devour and drink up at one draught (which was
Judas his perfect case) any of the brotherhood in like manner, he then presently comes in with 'But the God of all grace, by Jesus
Christ, shall strengthen, stablish,' &c. And you may review what a set and formed up parallel in many particulars there is found between the one and the other, as I then shewed. Peter here going about to strengthen his brethren, and that in writing now in the same or like words, when he is restored and converted; so as I doubt not to affirm that Peter had it remembrance of, and an eye thereunto in this of his.
And upon all this we will find good reason, that he having that command of Christ in relation to his fall afore, in perfect attention at the penning of this, yea, and as provoking him thereunto, that he should have withal in fresh remembrance, after his fall and recovery, that narration of his own, Acts 1 (for Judas his being cut off and himself restored was one of the greatest occurrences that ever befel him, and must needs stick with him the most), and that passage especially, 'he was numbered amongst us,' wherein at once are summed up and bespoken his own restoring, according to Christ's words, and the preservation of the rest, the whole church to be