Chapter IV
Effectual calling the fruit of election grace. It is also the foundation of all the
following acts of grace. The calling of the elect different from the common
u ork of calling that passes upon others, u ho are not finally saved. The
difference between them not only in degrees, but in kind. In what that
difference of kind consists. Calling according to the purpose of election is a
work of that excellency for kind above all other, that God is engaged to
carry it on to perfection. This manifested from the special, and unchange able love of God towards us, which produces in us that good and perfect work.
Who hath called us. 1 PETER V. 10.
My former discourse of God s being a God of grace, and a God of all
grace, hath run mostly upon what God is in his own heart, in his purposes, in his thoughts (as the prophet) towards us, and in his nature made over to
us by his grace. But these having been hidden within himself, although the foundation of all, 2 Tim. ii. 19, it is his calling us, that is, 1, the first outward effect or fruit of that his grace ; 2, and the first manifest token or
visible marking forth the persons whom this grace hath pitched upon ;
3, and thereby farther made by God as a pledge, gage, and earnest that he
will carry them on, continue that grace, and perfect that his work begun in them.
My purpose is not at all to engraft large common-place heads on this or
any other of the words, as not to insist on what effectual calling or what what that glory is, or how great it is he calls us unto, but punctually to keep to this scope, how each and all of these words have that in them as doth conduce to strengthen our faith in this great point of perseverance, and the
engagement that God hath hereby both put and taken upon himself to carry us through to the end.
There are five things here in this parcel of words, Who hath called us
into his eternal glory, that do exactly serve to confirm our faith in this
great point.
1. The first is, that he hath called, therein working a work of such a kind
as his grace, that wrought it, is interested to carry it on. The effect of which is that the God of grace, when he calls out of grace, worketh such a
kind of work as the same grace doth engage him to perfect it.
< the God of all grace, and therefore will
2. Who hath called ? Even
certainly carry it on.
In the first of these the weight of the argument rests properly upon that
respect which God hath towards the work, which out of grace he hath
wrought ; he hath called. In the second shall be considered, that he calling us as the God of all
grace, hath shewn himself so highly to be such, even in calling, that there
fore we may be sure he will carry on all other workings which are necessary
to bring us to glory.
3. That he hath, called us into glory. 4. Into eternal glory. 5. Into his eternal glory. The handling of which, as they explain the text, so each and all of these make for us, and ascertain us that God will carry us through all tempta
tions, &c.
CHAP. IV.] OF ELECTION. 277
; 1. I begin with the first, that he hath called. There are two things under this head to be handled.
(1.) Some things concerning the work of calling necessary to be premised. (2.) That a true and effectual calling of God is a work of that kind, and perfection for kind, and proceeding from, and out of that grace which I have spoken of, as God hath engaged himself to carry it on to perfection.
(1.) As to the first I shall only say these few things. [l.J A saint s being called is the first immediate fruit and breaking forth of electing purposing grace. The river ran under ground from eternity, and
. rises and bubbles up therein first, and then runs above ground to eternity. It is that first and great difference that God puts between man and man ; the first mark God sets upon his sheep, whereby he owns them, and visibly calls them his : Rom. viii. 30,
< Whom he hath predestinated, them he hath also called. That is the first and next benefit unto that in God s heart, viz., predestination. You have the same in 2 Tim. i. 9, who hath called us according to his purpose and grace ; and hence,
< Make your calling and election sure, 2 Pet. i. 10. He singles forth calling of all things else, calling upon us to make it sure, and thereby election will be made sure, that is, made sure to your faith. It is not that election is not sure without it, The foundation of the Lord standeth sure before he calls, but it is not made sure to our faith thereby. The apostles therefore do speak one uniform
language, of one woof and thread, and of a like extent, either when writing to saints they say men called to be saints ; that is one title, as 2 Cor. i. 2, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, called to be saints, or saints by calling. As also when they write to them under the notion of elect, as 1 Pet. v. 13, The church, says he, elected together with you, &c. ; and you know that of the elect lady, 2 John, ver. 1. These are made terms equivalent in men called, and thereby the apostles signify that they acknowledge no other calling to be true calling, but what was the immediate and proper fruit of election, of which I have been discoursing ; for these are terms commensurate, that is, of equal extent, to be truly and spiritually called, and to be elected ; commensurate, as to the same persons. None are
called, in their sense of calling, that are not elect, and there are none elect but either such as are or shall be called.
[2.] A second thing I premise is, that a true and spiritual calling (so I
shall hereafter call and notify it) is the foundation of all the actings of grace which afterwards do follow, and thence it is that the weight and stress of
this whole matter of making election sure is put upon this calling; for every
spiritual acting of grace, to the end of a man s life, evidenceth that first work of calling to be sound and saving, and so conduceth to make a man s calling and election sure. This is evident in that fore-cited place of Peter,
* Make
your calling and election sure. He hath that at the 10th verse. But he had before premised two things, the first at verse 3, according as his divine
power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who hath called us to glory and virtue : from whence it is plain that God, when he calls, doth endow the soul with
all and the whole of the principles and seeds of all graces whatsoever, and which it shall for ever act. And this he doth through the knowledge of him who hath called us, that is, a knowledge of God, and at calling; all this
is for to signify why it is those words, Through the knowledge of him, are added unto who hath called us. He works not on us as stocks, but through a knowledge of God, who is the caller. For, my brethren, know it for a
great truth, that the first light you have in your calling is a new light of God
(who is primum credibile), which is the original seminal cause of all that work
278 OF ELECTION. [BOOK IV.
that accompanies calling. It may be objectively your thoughts were not taken up with God so as with nothing else ; no, but yet light of him came
in, and in the strength of that you began to see what sin was, as it is in itself against an holy God, and so to see what holiness is ; and this know ledge of God is that which is so eminently, and in the first place, mentioned in the work of the new covenant of grace : Jer. xxxi., I will teach them all to know me ; and when he hath done that, thereby the law becomes written in their hearts. And thus he doth give us all things that pertain to life and godliness, even together with and through the knowledge of him who hath called us to (all) glory and virtue. He gives the whole cluster, the whole lump, whole principles of graces at first.
The second thing he had said before is, that when he hath thus inlaid the
principles of all graces at first, he then acts them, he draws them out, and he doth it in what order he pleases, and is a-doing it all a man s life : and this second follows in ver. 5-7, And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, [and to brotherly kindness] charity
: and thus adding of these graces, in acts and exercises of them, one to another, is that I mean by drawing of them forth all a man s life. Now observe, as to the point afore us, that the effect or fruit of this adding or exercising of graces all a man s
life, is in the following 10th verse said to be a making your calling and elec tion sure. Wherefore, brethren, says he, give all diligence (that is, by thus acting your graces, whereof you received all the principles at your callings) to make your calling and election sure ; for if you do those things you shall never fall.
Brethren, you use to have recourse to the first work only, and what flaws you find in that, if you have not the whole of what ministers set out to you, you are apt to scruple and question the truth of your calling ; or if you have them not in that method -in your discerning which they set them out in, you narrow your comforts thereunto. But give me leave to say to you, by the apostle s warrant, that God, when the light and knowledge of himself comes in, impresseth withal on your hearts all principles of grace, which he is a-broiching and drawing out all your life-time, and hence every act of grace you perform is, and may become, an evidence of your calling, as well as what was wrought at first. The measure, therefore, of your judging of your calling is not simply to be confined to what work thou hadst at first, but to be ex tended to the whole progress [of] thy life, in the course of which thou findest ever and anon such and such an holy and gracious disposition of heart breaks forth towards God that is certainly grace. Now you are to take these as evidences of your calling, as well as that first work, and this that passage in Peter shews : put but the 5th verse and 10th together, and it will rise up to it ; and it is a thing you are much to take in for your comfort. Suppose thou hadst at first (I speak to them that are wrought on by de grees) for thy actings of grace but some few particulars thou discernedst, which yet are substantial to the state of grace, yet for thy help and comfort take in withal what thou hast thy whole life since to view and survey, and therein all thy self-denials and dispositions of ingenuity towards God, &c. ; and
_ these are all evidences of thy being truly called, and of thy having received all things pertaining to life and godliness, which by degrees God hath drawn out of thy heart.
Only I must add this, that in the calling of some, there shoots up very uddenly an apparent visible election-conversion ; I use to call it so. You shall, as it were, see election take hold of a man, pull him out with a
CHAP. IV.] OF ELECTION. 279
mighty power, stamp upon him the divine nature, stub up corrupt nature by the roots, root up self-love, put in a principle of love to God, and launch him forth a new creature the first day, both in the spiritual sense of himself, and visibly to the observation of others. He did so to Paul, and it is not without example in others after him, as you shall see.
First in Paul, 1 Tim. i. 14, The grace of our Lord was exceeding abun
dant, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus : the work of both which was perfected in the first four days, that you read of in his story in the Acts, and so in his Epistle to the Galatians, God revealed his son in me, says
.he, Gal. i. 12. And it is not without example of the like in others ; as of the Thessalonians, the apostle instances in them : 1 Thes. i. 4, 5, Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. And why ? The work that was
upon you was so apparent and sudden. For our gospel came not unto
you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much
assurance ; that is, an assurance of the things delivered, as well as in an
assurance that they had an interest in them. As ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes : and ye became followers of us and
of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the
Holy Ghost : and ver. 9, And how ye turned to God from idols, to serve
the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, &c. There were such visible conversions then, and sometimes now-a-days, I call them
electionconversions, and they are undeniably such, and visible tokens of
election by such a work of calling, as all the powers in heaven and earth
could not have wrought upon a man s soul so, nor changed a man so on a
sudden, but only that divine power that created the world, raised Christ from the dead ; and the soul that feels it must say so.
[3.] I must yet come in with this, that the Scripture speaks of a calling, a work of the Spirit upon men that is called a calling, and yet it is not that
calling the apostle here speaks of, and which we seek for. That speech, Many are called but few are chosen, which our Saviour Christ hath
repeated again and again, hut especially Mat. xxii. 14, where, if you look to
the coherence, you will find it punctual to this point ; for there came one in
that was called, but wanted the wedding garment, upon the occasion of whom it was Christ says,
* Many are called, &c. My brethren, you shall observe in the very places I have in the former
sermons insisted on for the proof of purposing grace, that the apostle, when
he speaks by way of saving calling, he inserts this by way of distinction,
Called according to purpose. The apostle is fain here to distinguish upon
it, because there is another sort of calling that is not according to purpose
: You find it in Rom. viii. 28, All things work together for good to them
that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose. Which
distinction evidently shews (the apostle would not so sedulously put it in
else), that there is a calling that is not according to his purpose, but accord
ing to the pleasure and menage of his common providential grace, which
accompanies the word, about which is all the controversy under the name
of suffidmt grace.
There are some, both Protestant and Popish divines, that hold election
as strongly as any, and do as fully profess that there is a calling proceeding from that election, and that those that are so called according to ^his pur
pose, shall never fall away, and that of such this place, Eom. viii. 28, is
to be understood. But withal, say they, there is a sufficient grace vouch
safed to many others, who are thereby savingly called, and have, by being
called, obtained as true grace as the other ; nay, and some of them go on
to be saved by the same sufficient grace continued to them, or revived upon
OF ELECTION. [BOOK IY.
them, and improved by them ; and in those that do not so persevere, there is yet no difference in the work of calling itself they once had, from that in the elect, take the mere work of it, but only in the event or issue, that some such do finally fall away ; whereas, none of those that are the called accord ing to his purpose, do so fall. And the reason of that difference they give to he in this, that election, and the God of all grace that wrought it, do maintain and carry on the one, but free-will grace having the keeping of the other, it squanders away that work in them, though it may fall out that some of such as improve that are saved. Thus they compound the business. But I should only ask of those of that opinion this question, which the former discourse suggests, How can any man make his election sure by his calling if this opinion hold true ? For the works, you say, in calling are the same, and there is no characteristical difference. And so, those that are elect, are still left as much, yea, utterly, to seek to make their election sure by their calling. That is certain, unless there should be something in their calling which is not found in the others, that should put the difference.
The Papists, therefore, to solve this, plainly say, That no man can be assured but by a special revelation, and by that they mean a vision from heaven by an angel or the like, which is their way of revelation ; and as for the testimonies of the Spirit in the case, they account that to be fanatical.
I demand again, if things be thus, to what purpose is this Scripture, my text, and many other Scriptures, exhorting to stedfastness of faith, and assurance in this point ? That God, as the God of all grace, will carry his called on to the end, as having given us this pawn and pledge, that he hath called us the God of all grace who hath called us, says the text will therefore perfect, establish, &c., with which multitudes of other Scriptures join issue in the point, and give their suffrage unto, whereof some I shall have occasion after to mention. This opinion of theirs enervates such Scriptures and makes them void.
That is the third thing concerning calling, for I am yet but upon the first head, to premise some things concerning calling.
[4.] And now you will ask me some differences between such a calling from election, and the other. Truly it were infinite to enlarge upon differ ences ; I shall give you first a general answer, and then mention two or three differences after.
For a general answer, I shall only say this : there being in every true calling, as you heard, all things given pertaining to life and godliness, the trial of which, and the drawing forth of which, is throughout the whole course of a man s life ; that, therefore, there is throughout, from the first of a true calling, a difference in all actings that do spring from that root ; that is, in all acts whatsoever that are spiritual acts, exercised about any sort of spiritual things and objects. And truly this is to me a great truth; I shall give you some little account of it.
If you demand, have not the non-elect and the elect, from their very first saving-workings, many actings about some things spiritual that are merely common to both, that is, both go so far and so far, and thus far together, as in historical faith and the like ; so as that the actings of each, which they^exercise towards several divine objects, are without any differ ence at all in the acts themselves, having both but one and the same kind of working, till they come to some such or such special act or acts ; that puts the first difference, as of faith justifying as justifying, or the like, purely evangelical ? I confess I am perfectly of another mind. I shall give you two grounds for this, my general assertion. First. Perhaps the very having said, they receive all things pertaining to
CHAP. IV.J OF ELECTION. 281
life and godliness at first, might carry it ; in that having received all these
in order unto the bringing forth all sorts of actings about objects per
taining to life and godliness, whatsoever they are ; that, therefore, as they
all do spring from that one universal root and principle received, so they do
all of them differ from what other men have or act, who have not this root
of the matter in them ; for the fruit always answers in kind unto the root, and therefore as there is a new root differing in all things, so must the act
ing of it differ also ; conform to which, and confirming which, is that 2 Cor.
v., All things are become new in the new creature: as for the principle, he
receiving all things belonging to life, &c., so suitably, all things become
likewise new for actings, even the knowledge of the person of Christ ; and
that not only in the point of faith justifying, or when put forth for
justification in him, but the knowledge of his person and of all in him ; if I have known Christ after the flesh, henceforth I know him so no more ; all
his knowledge of him, as he was the Messias, was wholly new.
My explication of this first ground is, that whereas you may think and Judge that a man that is savingly called, and a man that is otherwise wrought
upon, they both believe that God is, but only in common, from one and the same principle, which serves both alike to act so far. For this, you will
say, is but a mere historical faith, and the acts thereof are common to both of them. But give me leave to tell you, that to believe that God is, this in a man truly and spiritually called, is a different act and thing from the faith that is in the other ; and you have Heb. xi. 6, plainly for it, he that comes
to God must believe that he is, &c. From this I would infer that to be
lieve that God is (which is the A B C of a Christian) he that is called, begins to
believe it anew. He begins even there anew, that is, he hath another kind
of act of faith about it, and upon another light and ground than another man hath, be he never so much enlightened, if not savingly. So likewise to
believe that God made the world, in which the apostle instances also in the same place ; and my argument from that place is, that the apostle s scope is
there to give instances of saving faith, and that as with difference from others. For to speak of such a faith as is saving, he had professed to do, and of no
other, in that foregoing speech, which leads on to that whole discourse of
faith in chap, xi., in these words, in the last verse of chap, x., But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the
saving of the soul. He therefore speaks altogether of saving faith, and
throughout in the following chap, xi., and then all those instances which are
there given, must belong all of them unto saving faith, flow from it ; and
saving faith, we are sure, is proper to them that are called. And then, all
the acts of such a faith must differ in kind from what the same are in others
not saved, even as saving faith itself differs from faith that is not saving in
others ; and these to me are undeniable things, that therefore from the very bottom or foundations of faith, a true believer begins anew.
To instance likewise in the works of humiliation for sin, and sanctification
of nature, which we say are preparatory for faith, they are far different from what are wrought in any other.
Brethren, consider for this but what was the eminent effects of John the
Baptist s ministry, of whom it is said, that he did turn men to the wisdom
of the just, &c., that is, he truly converted them. Yet what was the most
eminent effect of his ministry ? Truly he did but point to Christ, and in like manner unto faith in Christ, as Acts xix. 5 hath it, and as the story of his
preaching shews. But the main business of his preaching, and the above-
ground fruits of it in men s hearts was, that he but prepared the way for the Lord in humbling and emptying men, which a spirit of sanctification went
282 OF ELECTION. [BOOK IV.
along with, and fell upon them. You find it prophesied of, Isa. xl. 3, Pre
pare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, &c. The voice said, Cry ; and he said, What shall I cry ? All flesh
is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The
grass wither.eth, the flower fadeth, because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it. Observe what I shall say hereupon
: That which you call the work of humiliation and repentance, which his ministry set their hearts on work upon, and which was the preparing the way for Christ, and which above
ground did more appear, and grow up highest in their spirits, were yet as
true evidences of an effectual calling, as any of those actings that followed
in those converts upon Christ s preaching that followed. As that all flesh was
grass, because the Spirit of the Lord had blown upon it, and had withered the world, and all things in it ; yea, and all the fruits of flesh in a man s own heart that he trusted in, so that he did then see an emptiness in crea
tures, in legal works, duties, abilities in a man to help himself as to salvation ; to have all valleys filled, hills cast down, all conditions laid level in men s,
eyes, these are and were proper fruits of election, and pieces of true calling. And when our Saviour preached Mat. v. (John having prepared a people for
him), observe but what he at first preached to that poor prepared people, who had, I say (John having spoken to them of him), withal some sparks of faith in them towards him. Now, how doth Christ apply himself to these ? Blessed, said he,
* are the poor in Spirit. He speaks to these
very hearers and converts of John (as some of his apostles had been) that were utterly emptied, and the eminent grace appearing in them, was this
emptiness and poverty of spirit likewise. Blessed are those that mourn, in that they have sinned against a holy God, and from whom now they are
a-seeking pardon and forgiveness. And blessed are those that hunger and
thirst after righteousness, for they saw no righteousness of their own to
rely upon. And blessed are the meek ; they lay at God s feet, and at his
dispose ; they put their mouths in the dust, if there might be hope ; God
* blessed are the peace -makers ; that is, such as having seen themselves to have been in a state of wrath from and with the great God, and seeking peace and pardon at his hands for their own souls, do out of pity unto others, whom they see to continue in that condition, endeavour to convert their souls unto God, to make peace with him, as he in Job speaks. Such dispositions as these were the eminent effects and impressions from the baptist s ministry, and
might do anything with them, and they not repine. So also,
preparatory unto their being baptized with the Spirit by Christ as fire, and
yet they rose not up to prevailing faith, and righteousness was not distinctly brought forth to victory. John pointed them to Christ, as Acts xix. tells, and their faith had him in their eye, but was not bloomed, and in the mean time these dispositions were wrought, and they were effectually called. Now
then, suppose (as it falls out ordinarily) that men s minds, at their first be
ing wrought upon, are apt to be so intent upon it for a while as thereby to be retarded in their going out of themselves so fully to Christ, and that a
great deal of legality doth accompany the work in them, yet still there is the root of the matter a-working up in them, and although self-love may be so much stirred in a man, together and mixed with these actings, that a man can not discern the difference, and that a legality also cleaveth to them that doth much divert the soul, or at least obstruct it in the clear, and pure, and abstract act
ings of faith, as justifying, upon Christ ; yet these inlaid principles have their spiritual workings proper to them, and being in their spring and root
evangelical, do work themselves out of that legality and self, and come in the
CHAP. IV.] OF ELECTION. 283
end to breathe in the open, pure, and free air of free grace and justification in Christ, &c.
These hearers of John had received all things belonging unto life and
godliness in their first work, and their calling began with these dispositions fore-mentioned, and yet a great legalness of spirit cleaved to them, and much darkness about Christ and his righteousness. And we see now-a-days, men that are called and converted, what ado they have to get themselves out of themselves, and out of self-righteousness, ability, or from acting from
themselves, and their own graces, as a new nature in them, and from doat-
ing in any manner upon that new grace they have received, and long it is
ere Christ comes to be formed in them, and yet there is a true spiritual gospel root that shall and will work itself out of all ; and in the meantime there
is a true spiritual difference in those its actings from all workings whatsoever in any other, though mingled and covered with so much of self and legal dross, as hath kept them from a clear emergency, and working of them out of them
selves with a prevailing victory, but they lie in such dispositions as those
aforespecified, in which spiritual life works like a mole under ground, that
is still heaving and casting up the earth it is covered withal, until it gets above ground.
Only I add this, that they receive little certain comfort in any or all of
these, till Christ doth come more sensibly into their hearts, and until faith
that is in the bud, mixed with all these, begins to blow, as we say, as indeed
faith did not in those hearers of John Baptist, until Christ himself came and preached to them, for whom and whose ministry it was they had been
prepared by John, though in itself it was not a bare preparation, but a sav
ing work of calling in them. And thus much for my first ground.
Secondly, My second ground is this, no man can pitch upon any act, which he would have first to put the difference, but there s a counterfeit of it ; so
as you must distinguish upon that also, and so you must upon all the rest. Let a man, called effectually, say he hath assurance, that other sort of pro fessor will say so too ; therefore it is not such or such a particular act that
begins to put the first difference, as if all actings afore it were but such as
are common to others with them, and no other. No ; but it is the kind of
that and all other that puts the difference.
And if you ask, What is that kind of them all, or wherein lies it ?
I answer : It is the spiritualness of all acts flowing from the new creature
wherein the difference lies, if we could discern it. Our very historical faith,
whereby we believe the things themselves, as that there is a God, &c., would, and may serve to make a difference between a man called, arid one
^ not
called, only we cannot so readily discern that difference, it is not so sensible.
I found this answer upon that of our Saviour, That which is born of the
Spirit is spirit. The spirit begotten is the whole bulk, cluster, and lump of graces in our first calling received (we have spoken of), the whole seed
infused when first born and begotten, all of which and throughout, is spirit,
says he ; and it hath not one only or a few particular objects to be drawn
out unto, but all sorts of divine and spiritual things prepared for it to exer
cise itself upon, both in the first workings of it, and afterwards.
Now one that is not elect, he is wrought on so as to be manned and car
ried out to divine objects that are spiritual ; and one that hath this spirit
begotten in him, he is carried out to the same divine spiritual objects also ; how then, you will say, shall we distinguish them ?
I will give you it in as few words as I can. What is the root of all ?
That root you see is spirit. What doth that import ? That he is made a
spiritual man; and to discern that, let us go to 1 Cor. ii. 14, 15, The
284 OF ELECTION. [BOOK IV.
spiritual man discerneth all things, spiritually ;
* the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit, because they are spiritually discerned, but he
that is spiritual judgeth all things ; from whence I learn that to have spirit begotten in a man, is to make him a spiritual man. And what doth his
being a spiritual man capacitate him for ? To take in all spiritual objects
spiritually. It is the apostle s own distinction that he puts ; a school-man could not distinguish more exactly ; and it is one general distinction which serves to distinguish all acts of a spiritual man in the going forth of his soul unto spiritual objects whatsoever. You will then ask, What is it for a
spiritual man to take in spiritual objects spiritually ? I answer, when he
considering them all, or any of them, as they are simply in their own spiri tual nature, is then acted spiritually towards them, and hath suitable spiri tual actings upon them in every power of his soul ; whereas one that is not
savingly called, though he be exercised about spiritual things, yet being not born spirit, the whole of his soul is not acted or carried forth to them, as
barely apprehended in their spirituality, and so he doth not do it spiritually. But still how may we discern the difference between these two ? It is easy, I do not say to discern it, but to give the rule for it. It is this ; when our
understandings take in and consider any spiritual thing, as it is in its own
spiritual nature, and thereupon we find something throughout our whole hearts suited to that spiritualness of it, taken in under that apprehension or consideration of it, so to be affected, moved, stirred, carried on according as it is thus apprehended, then, there is a spiritual acting. For instance, let
thy understanding take in the spirituality of God or Christ, or of Christ s
righteousness (to instance in that) what it is in itself, in the excellency of it, above thine own, as Paul, who counted all his but as dross and dung in
comparison of this of Christ ; yea, although thine own should be made up as complete as that which is in the holy angels in heaven ; yea, and as per fect for degrees as the righteousness of all the angels in heaven, if that which
is in them all were put into one, yet the soul would rejoice it had such a
righteousness to throw away and trample upon, to glorify this of Christ s in
justifying of thee. And so as this thy valuation, and affecting to have this
righteousness made thine, is not only or merely because it saves thee, but because the way of thine and a sinner s justification, by it alone, tends so
greatly to glorify God and his grace. Now findest thou an heart suited to, and thus heartily affected towards it, under these apprehensions about it, or such like to these ? Here is a spiritual acting towards that object, and as a liberal man will devise liberal things, so a spiritual man will be de
vising such^ spiritual things as these, and his heart will work after them accordingly. Yea, take sin as it is set out in the spiritual nature, and as a man considers sin as it is contrary to the purity and holiness of the
great God, and contrary to his righteous will, and he finds withal suitably a contrariety in his heart, not only in his conscience, but in his heart against that sin, upon the account of this contrariety to God and his holiness, this
is a spiritual acting towards that object. The 7th chap, to the Romans, from the 14th ver. to the end, confirmeth this : Doth he speak of a godly man there under the person of himself ? Yes ; yet he abstracts in that view of his heart, there set forth, the workings of sanctification against sin from faith in Christ ; the issue, indeed, is to drive the soul to Christ, ver.
25, but yet in all the foregoing passage he had barely viewed and considered sin and holiness in his heart, as they opposed each the other ; and his own words tell us his eyes were fixed thereon alone ; I see, says he, and I do what I hate ; and it is not I, but sin that dwelleth in me. I see, says he, in my mind, a law contrary to the law of sin ; that is, take sin as sin, I
CHAP. IV.] OF ELECTION. 285
have the contrary law in me enacted in my whole man. Have you the like ? This is from the Spirit of grace ; this is grace wrought in a true calling. So that, my brethren, from all these instances set together, I collect and gather that from the first to the last, from bottom to top, there is a difference in all and every spiritual acting whatsoever, since in these fore-mentioned there is.
Only this I again add, that till faith blooms, or blows, as you say of a rose, we cannot have firm comfort in any of those things ; yet however such a difference there is in the things themselves. Also where those with these differences are found, there faith upon Christ is always in the bud, though it should not be fully bloomed. Also though there is this difference, yet
if we rest in these things, without acting faith on Christ immediately every day, there is so much legality ; and the apostle had much ado (and we all much more) to get out of himself, and was all his lifetime jealous of his own right eousness, and of his own heart, lest it should at any time turn in to that righteousness he detested, and lest his heart, so much as for any one moment, should be taken and found out of the exercise of pure and clear faith on Christ, as you read : Philip, iii. 9, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Thus much as to a general answer what difference there is in callings.
If j^ou ask me particular differences, I shall give you two, which I find annexed unto such a calling as is according to God s purpose, and the proper effect thereof; and shall add a third.
You know I mentioned two places for this distinction of being called according to his purpose, Rom. viii. 28, 2 Tim. i. 9. We will have recourse to both these places, and only take those characters which we there find. First, Rom. viii. 28,
< We know that all things work together for good to them that are the called according to his purpose, so far we cited it for our purpose afore ; but observe what comes between as a character, whereby we may be able to distinguish, to them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose.
So that [1J true and sincere love to God is a proper note, and fruit, and effect of being called. The apostle, you see, puts that in when he would make a distinction, and absolutely pitches it there ; they are those that love God. You plainly see, the one is exegetical, or explanatory, or characteristical of the other : Them that love God, them that are the called according to his purpose.
But you will say, Is this that that will infallibly distinguish a true calling from another calling of one that is not elected ?
Yea, and I will give you the greatest evidence for it that the Scripture hath ; it is in Heb. v. 12, compared with the 6th chapter, ver. 4, 5, 9, 10. It is a great instance, and punctual to the point of difference afore us ; and therefore the greater, because in the one he speaks the lowest things of these Hebrews that could be spoken of sound professors
: For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teacheth you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God ; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. You are become such ; as if they had been otherwise once. Here is as low as low can be, for men that had pro fessed Christianity for thirty years, as they had. On the other hand he speaks the highest things of the work upon, or calling of a man not elected, chap. vi. 4, 5, Who were once enlightened, and had tasted of the heavenly
gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and had tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come. And at the 9th verse,
286 OF ELECTION. [BoOK IV.
* But, beloved, we are per suaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. Now what grace is it that the apostle, to choose, singles out to instance in, as that which was and argued better things in them, than all that other work upon the others rehearsed, ver. 4, 5, and * things accompanying salvation, but this very thing of love ? So ver. 10, For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed towards his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and
he yet says of the true believers amongst them,
do minister.
But you will say, How shall I know how I love God ? Would you have me give you a sign of a sign ? Suppose Jesus Christ were here, what course would he take ? I cannot take a better. If Jesus Christ were here (and I
in his stead, as you know the Scripture speaks), what course did Christ him
self take ? He asked Peter the question, Peter, lovest thou me ? Nor
* Peter, lovest thou me ?
did he go and rifle his heart by signs of that ; but
I beseech you but turn over your own hearts in all that hath passed between him and you ; have you never found intermingled with other workings on you,
any true strains of love to him ? No dispositions of ingenuity towards him ? None ? Think again ; if Christ did now himself appear, and did put but this
question seriously to thee, I know his presence would awe thee to speak what
thy heart doth at the bottom ultimately conceive and apprehend, though thou
canst wrangle it out, and dispute it with ministers (as your manner is), that
you have -no love to Christ, none. Christ is now here present, and we in
Christ s stead do put that question to thee.
[2.] The second character averred (for I take only such as expressly and
setly annexed) unto a calling according to purpose in that other : 2 Tim. i. 9, Who hath called us with an holy calling, according to his purpose and
grace. So then, hath God stamped holiness on thy soul ? Hath thy soul
* Whose pure eyes can endure no iniquity, and thy heart cleaveth to him under this thought and apprehension of him, though thy heart and life abounds with that which
again and again considered this, how he is an holy God ?
humbleth thee, and causeth thee to mourn, as contrary to that his holiness ? Doth thy heart approve of all his commands in all things as holy and good, because this holy God hath given them, though never so contrary to thy
lusts ? And is it thy constant wish, Oh that this holy God would make me
partaker of this holiness ! and that I might live with this holy God for ever !
I should have an happiness in him ! Are there any such buddings ? any such secret pulses, and strings, or veins of heart as these flowing in thee ?
But you will say to me, holiness is but a legal thing, a conformity to the
law of God, and was in the heart of Adam, who was under a covenant of
works ; and will you say that it is a certain evidence that the God of all
grace hath savingly called me ? I do not say that [it] is, without faith ; but
where true holiness is there must be faith, as where smoke is there must be
fire ; and being so understood, I do avouch, and will give you an invincible
scripture for it, that true holiness in the least degree is a proper fruit and
effect of the covenant of grace, and a certain evidence that God will perfect and stablish thee ; take Heb. x. 14, By one offering he hath perfected
for ever them that are sanctified. The effect of these words is the same
with that I am upon out of Peter ; Paul says, Them that are sanctified are
perfected for ever ; and Peter says, He hath called us into eternal glory ; and
you will see the God of all grace engaged in it. Thus Paul also speaks, Them that are sanctified he hath perfected for ever, that is, he hath put them out of all danger of miscarrying, as for salvation.
Obj. Well, but you will say, may we build upon this, that those that are
CHAP. IV. ] OF ELECTION. 287
truly sanctified are the persons [who] are thus perfected, and in the covenant of gi ace ?
Ans. Yes, you may build on it, for it hath a duplicate of evidence for the ascertaining of it. 1. That the Holy Ghost, by Paul s pen, hath uttered it, which single witness were enough ; but, 2. Paul expressly says, That the Holy Ghost in another scripture hath testified it ;
< whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness, says he, (and his proof is most punctual and invincible), as also that it is the commensurate effect of the covenant of grace : ver. 15-17, Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us : for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them ; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Observe the accurateness and exactness of this proof. There were two branches of that his assertion in ver. 14.
1. They that are sanctified, 2. Are perfected for ever (even as here, called into eternal glory). And the Scripture he cites punctually speaks and joins both these together, even as the apostle doth.
1. Them that are sanctified, in those words, I will write my law in their hearts ; and so true sanctification is expressed in Scripture, My people, in whose heart is my law.
2. Perfect for ever, in those other words, Their sins he will remember no more ; and I hope they whose iniquities God remembers no more are
perfected for ever.
Unto which I add (that which I intimated afore), that the God of all
grace would appear interested in it, viz., that this holiness, which this pro mise, thus to be perfected, is made unto, proves to be the proper fruit of the covenant of grace, and of that alone ; for of the covenant of grace it is he
speaks, when the Holy Ghost in the prophet prefaced unto it, This is my covenant after these days, namely, under the gospel, that covenant whereof the apostle had afore said, Christ was the minister, with difference from that
legal covenant : Heb. viii. ver. 6, But now hath he obtained a more excel lent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises ; and ver. 10, For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel ; after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, &c. There is no other, nor no better ; all truly sanctified are in that covenant ; and none that are truly sanctified are sanc
tified otherwise than by virtue of it.
I might add a third, that I may not leave out the principal verb, as we
say, viz., saving faith, and it is found in the same: Jer. xxxi. 3, The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an
everlasting love ; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Hath God drawn thy heart to him ? Specially was it his everlasting kindness wherewith he hath drawn thee ? I do not ask whether with assurance of that his love ; I am not so severe ; for there is another drawing, even in the way of faith, of adherence and recumbency, wherein he hath proposed to thy soul all that which is said of his eternal love to his people, to allure thy soul to himself ; yea, and thereby hath allured it, and hath strengthened thy heart to spread it and plead it afore him blindfold, that he would accept and wrap thy soul in that bundle. Eternal love hath herein found out, and owned thy soul, and thy soul hath owned and laid hold on, or rather referred
itself unto [it.] And hath God caused thee, in this manner, thereon to
trust, as David speaks, and to give up thyself thereto, as to be saved, to the
288 OF ELECTION. [BOOK IV.
conduct of it, so to be carried on by it, and to fulfil in thee the good plea sure of his will, even the will and the deed, according to his good pleasure, thou working out thy salvation in a subordination and dependence there upon ; and do the drawings and motions of it in thy heart still recover thee from sin when thou art fallen, break thy heart, and humble thee for falling, and the little holiness thou hast hath come in this way ? And dost thou owe
the greatest part thereof (at least) to these drawings by God, and pleadings of
thine with God about that his everlasting love (or his free-grace, as we
usually call it), and thy interest in it ? Dost thou grieve that thou art not made altogether holy by it ? Hath God, indeed, drawn thy heart (shall I
say even out of thyself) thus, and taken thy heart thus with this his ever
lasting kindness, and canst thou think that this God will leave thee ? What, and have drawn thee with this love ? No, he will never do it. He can never find in his heart to do it ; his love hath engaged itself to thee, and himself thereby. And what is this drawing by loving-kindness in Jere
* The God of all grace hath called thee ? And in drawing thee with loving-kindness, hath drawn thee to Christ,
miah, other than in the text,
according to that of our Saviour, None comes to me but him whom the Father draws.
I will but further cast in this for the comfort of some, which this place in Jeremiah suggests
: Oh, thou mayest say, perhaps, I was thus drawn and
affected once, and for a long time was carried along thereby in sweet and
free accesses to the God of all grace, as sitting upon, and reigning in his throne of grace ; having, together with these accesses, some holy obedience
suitable, which I carried away with me, from those near accesses unto
: Oh, but wretch that I am, I am greatly fallen and decayed in those
grace
respects. For thy comfort, read but the words afore in that prophetical
passage, Again I will build thee up, and thou shalt be built. I know in
the letter it is spoken of restoring their outward condition ; but his ever
lasting love being alleged as the cause of it, and his drawing them as a con
junct effect, I may warrantably apply it unto their souls, as God also would
have those his drawn or called ones among them to understand. What do
I then infer from hence ?
Hast thou run into dilapidations and decays of that former work, when it was a time of love, and when thou wert thus first drawn ? Lo, Again,
says he, I will build thee ; and why ? For my love is everlasting, and con
tinues the same : I will heal their backslidings, and love them freely, as in Hosea. And what is this also, other than what Peter also here farther says, The God of all grace who hath called us, will perfect, the word is restore, when fallen, set in joint again, when laxated or out of joint through falls, as
* hath
Gal. vi. 1, it is used. This for the first branch of this first head,
called, which was intended by me but only as some few things premised about calling according to God s purpose.
(2.) That calling according to purpose is a work of that perfection for
kind, with difference from all other works found in others, as thereby God
is engaged to carry it on unto perfection. This is added to the former, and
is home to the point afore us. I put, you see, God s maintaining of this his work upon these two things.
[1.] His special love, that works in us a work of such a kind as hath a
perfection in it.
[2.] That his love continueth an unchangeable respect unto it for the kind and perfection of it, as bearing the peculiar stamp of such a love. These two, in this argument, have a recursus or recoil, a running back again one into the other : 1. His love works the work ; that work wrought hath
CHAP. IV.J OF ELECTION.
that hold on, and interest in his love, as it is engaged to carry it on, because
it wrought it, which indeed is no other than what is in the text: 1, the God of grace hath called ; 2, this God of grace having called, will perfect, stablish it.
I shall single forth but one scripture, which alone speaks fully, and to the whole of this assertion : it is James i. 16-18 verses, Do not err, my bre
thren. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither sha dow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. Upon this passage it is I
shall centre my discourse, as being proper and adequate unto every tittle of the assertions, which were,
1. That there is a good, a perfect work of regeneration and calling, which
proceeds out of God s special good will.
2. And this with difference from other gifts and works bestowed upon temporary professors.
3. Unto which work God bears an unchangeable respect, without shadow
of turning from it ; and that because,
(1.) It proceeds out of his good will at first.
(2.) Because it is accordingly a perfect gift, wholly differing from all other
gifts whatever that he doth bestow upon the sons of men.
And a glimmering of all or most of these do appear out of the text in the
very reading of the words ; especially if their coherence with James his whole discourse before (which I shall presently set out) be weighed and
considered.
Although I shall land in this passage, ver. 17, 18, as the conclusion, yet in order unto the greater illustration of the apostle s set scope in these
words, I must fetch a compass about, and run over, as briefly as I can, the
forepart of this chapter unto ver. 10, which may perhaps cast some light upon the whole epistle, as to what is the main design of it, which hath not
been so fully observed.
And the reason why I am to do this is, I did necessarily put in this clause
into the assertion, that regeneration or true calling is, &c., with difference
from whatever other works or gifts God bestows on any others ; and indeed
one great end of God s in bestowing other gifts upon men non-elect is to set
off the more that his special grace shewn to his only called ones, in the
perfection of that work on them, with difference from all other works that
are but the counterfeits thereof; and therefore the consideration of both these
together, set in view one by the other, serves greatly to illustrate this great
point in hand ; and this, I say, is one eminent scope in James, which I must
punctually keep unto, and not digress, so as you are not to expect handling
particular differences of these works further than as, in the opening of James
any such shall start forth, and discover themselves there to lie ; but the or/ of
it, viz., that such a difference there is, and that this is James his design, is
all my present business.
I shall draw the current of James his discourse into these rills.
First, He at first breaks in abruptly upon them with the greatest paradox
to the world that ever was uttered, and which true Christianity only can
receive and embrace : ver. 2, My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall
into divers temptations. 1, All joy, count it matter of joy, and of full joy ;
2, when ye fall as into a precipice, that is, suddenly, without warning or
being looked for ; and 3, at once, not by degrees or succession ; 4, into
temptations, not one, but many, in the plural ; 5, and those of diverse sorts ;
VOL. ix. T
290 OF ELECTION. [BOOK IV.
for persecution draws a train with it, as of poverty, all taken away, impri sonment, banishment (as John often, and Aquila, Priscilla), sickness through
ill usage, death, miseries on wives, children, families.
Now for an apostle, God s herald, to proclaim this with so great a triumph
to all joy and glorying, as ver. 9, thus aforehand, when they were but put
ting on their armour, when men use to do that when victors put it off, and
to inculcate this as the best news, and greatest happiness and blessedness
that could befall them: ver. 12, Blessed is the man that endureth tempta
tion, &c. all this must have this supposal or thing taken for granted at the
bottom of it, that the God of all grace had afore designed a most glorious
issue, and would most infallibly and certainly uphold and carry all, truly
called, through all the temptations to the most glorious issue and achieve ment at last that the heart of man could conceive or expect ; for so he
* Knowing this ; that is, laying down this for a certain
inserts, ver. 3, 4,
truth, take it for granted, and be assured of it at the very entrance into them ; and indeed to have made this proclamation, without this foundation
for the bottom of it, had been the most weak and uneffectual exhortation, not
to say the greatest vanity, in the world ; for otherwise without this assist
ance and undertaking from God, such temptations do work upon our flesh
the clear contrary, and it is impossible, at least an infinite hazard and danger, but that they should do so ; and so they would be matter of the greatest dis
couragement as could happen unto man. Only understand all this to belong unto sound Christians, and to none else.
Now what is this but the same, and no other than the grand point we
have been upon all this while out of Peter here in the end of his epistle, and
with which also himself had made his entry in the beginning of the epistle
* Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations ; that the trial
chap. i. ver. 6, 7,
of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though
it be tried with fire, might be found unto the praise, &c.
It is true indeed, James speaks of outward temptations, yet these are
always, we know, for a season, accompanied with inward temptations many
ways, as in the same ways Peter acknowledged in those words, Though now for a season ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. And
our James gives a set and solemn admonition about them also ; ver. 13,
* Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, &c. Of which more afterward.
But although this about temptations was James his entrance, and he
begins with that as a necessary exhortation for those times, yet it served
but to lead on to another greater, and more principal design, and that was
a discovery of false and unsound professors, who filled their churches, of whom in temptation many already had, and others would fall away ; and
indeed the very design of God himself in sending these temptations was and
is to try and discover the sound and unsound, by enduring temptations ; so
* That the trying your faith, viz., of you, and the faith that is in
ver. 4,
* Blessed is the man that
you, whether it be sound or no. And, ver. 12,
endureth temptation. Hence, though this about temptation was his pre
face, yet it gave but the occasion and introduction to that other more general
scope now specified, and this discovery to have been the set general drift of
the epistle, Aretius* was well aware of, though few, if any ; interpreters else ;
that although there are (says he) many other particular propositions handled
* Plures stint particulares propositiones, tamen tina generalis, quam surae ex capite
i. 22, quee deinceps hinc inde aliquoties rejicitur. See his Prolegomena, $c., to this
Epistle.
CHAP. IV.] OF ELECTION. 291
by James, yet there is one general one, which you may find (says he) in
ver. 22, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own
selves ; and often (in effect) again repeated in the epistle. And the occa sion was, says he, that there were many that professed religion in their churches that were not sound, of whom the apostle gives many and shrewd characters through this epistle, which other interpreters smother, noting them only under the notion of vices or corruptions in practice among them. These characters as these, A double-minded man is unstable in all his
ways, ver. 8 ; and ver. 23, If any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass, &c. Then
ver. 26, If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his
tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man s religion is^vain. In the 2d chapter an allowed partiality in keeping God s commands : ver. 10-12, Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is
guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not
kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a
transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. Also of those that would put their religion in faith without works, from ver. 14 to the end. In chap. iii. 14, he speaks of pro fessors whose zeal, though about matters of religion, was bitter, ver. 14-16,
But if ye have bitter envying arid strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not
against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and
every evil work. Which he discerns from that wisdom which is truth of
grace, whose character you find, ver. 17, But the wisdom that is from
above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. In the 4th chapter he gives like characters of worldly professors, the vigour and
strength of whose intentions and contentions was spent upon seeking things of this world : ver. 1 and 2, and who if they prayed for them, yet it was to consume upon their lusts ; ver. 3, which sort of men he terms in downright terms, adulterers and adulteresses, ver. 4, for there were of both sexes
such : Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of
the world is enmity with God ? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the
world is the enemy of God. And at ver. 8 he gives them that counsel and
direction which alone was proper to their condition, even to begin an initial
repentance and conversion from out of a state of sin, which they yet lay in,
ver. 8-10, Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your
hands, ye sinners ; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep ; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your
joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall
lift you up. And it is certain that the double-minded there was one that
was hitherto in his sins, and not hitherto in the state of grace.
Now though Aretius seems first to descry this at ver. 22 of chap, i., yet
I hope you will discern the mystery of this discovery to work from the
beginning of this first chapter, and to have had a good progress all along unto verse 19.
Secondly. Hence flows, then, the second rivulet the fore part of this
chapter runs into, that James doth industriously set out two sorts of pro
fessors, sound and unsound, or temporaries ; and also two several works
upon them, although intermingledly, sometimes speaking of the one, sometimes of the other ; and all to shew that the falling away of the one
ariseth from the imperfection of that gift or work that is upon them, and
292 OF ELECTION. [BOOK IV.
the enduring of the other from the perfection or goodness of that work
wrought in them.
For the demonstration of which, I shall cursorily run over from the 3d
verse to the 19th, and then mainly centre in the perfection of a true work, out of ver. 17, 18, which is the point for the sake and proof of which I was
induced to this exposition of this first chapter of James.
1. Begin we with his beginning at ver. 3, 4, which we have a little
* Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh
already opened,
patience, &c.
1. To what sort of Christians doth he speak this ?
Certainly to none other but the sound ; for it is
(1.) To them that have such faith as will bear the trial, and will, being
tried, bring forth that patience which we have been a-setting out. (2.) They are such as have already had some knowledge and experience in lesser
trials and skirmishes, that their faith hath begun to bring forth patience in some measure.
2. It may be seen, by what a character of perfection it is (as opposed to
counterfeit and imperfect, says Beza) that he sets upon their faith and the
workings of it.
1. The faith itself he there speaks of is a true and perfect work of faith