our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given
SERMON III.
2 TIMOTHY, Chap. 1. verses 9 and 10.
9. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began;
10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
We have shown this morning, according to the text of St. Paul, that if we will know the free mercy of our God in saving us, we must come to his everlasting counsel; whereby he chose us before the world began. For there we see, he had no regard to our persons, neither to our worthiness, nor to any deserts that we could possibly bring. Before we were born, we were enrolled in his register; he had already adopted us for his children. Therefore let us yield the whole to his mercy, knowing that we cannot boast of ourselves, unless we rob him of the honour which belongs to him.
Men have endeavoured to invent cavils, to darken the grace of God. For they have said, although God chose men before the world began, yet it was according as he foresaw that one would be diverse from another. The scripture showeth plainly, that God did not wait to see whether men were worthy or not, when he chose them: but the sophisters thought they might darken the grace of God, by saying, though he regarded not the deserts that were passed, he had an eye to those that were to come. For, say they, though Jacob and his brother Esau had done neither good nor evil, and God chose one and refused the other, yet notwithstanding he foresaw, (as all things are