[4.] By the means of its accomplishment. Two are mentioned, one on God's part, the other on ours — ' the sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the truth.' Where note : —
(1.) That God's decree is both of ends and means, for all his pur- poses are executed by fitmeans. He that hath chosen us to salvation hath also chosen us to be holy, and to believe the truth. And without the means the end cannot be obtained ; for without faith and holiness no grown person shall see God or escape condemnation. As to faith, it is clear : John iii. 36, ' He that believeth not, the wrath of God abideth on him.' And holiness is indispensably necessary : Heb. xii. 14, ' Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.' God had assured Paul, Acts xxvii. 22, ' That there should be no loss of any man's life amongst them, except of the ship ;' and afterwards, ver. 31, Paul tell- eth them, ' Except these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved.' How could the assurance given to Paul from God, and Paul's caution to the mariners stand together ? Doth the purpose of God depend upon the will and actions of men ? I answer — Not as a cause from whence it receiveth its force and strength, but as a means appointed also by God to the execution of his decree. For by the same decree God appointeth the event, what he will do, and the means by which he will have it to be done ; and the Lord revealing by his word this conjunc- tion of end and means, there is a necessity of duty lying upon man to use these means, and not to expect the end without them. God in- tended to save all in the ship, and yet the mariners must abide in the
106 THE ELEVENTH SERMON. [2 ThES. II. 13.
Bliip. And therefore, what God hath joined together let no man separate. If we separate these tilings, God doth not change his counsel, but we subvert his order to our own destruction. The scripture maketh it a grievous sin, a tempting of God, to expect the end without the use of means. In vain is the cavil, then, of those who would impeach the doctrine of God's free and unchangeable will concerning the sal- vation of the elect, upon the pretence that it taketh away the duty of man, and the necessity of our faith and obedience. No ; God exe- cuteth his decree by the proper means. And wretched is their infer- ence who say, If I be elected I shall be saved. No salvation can be obtained but by the sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the truth. And worse is their confidence who jjrofess assurance of their election, and yet walk after the flesh. No ; till a man purge himself from youthful lusts he is not a vessel of honour sanctified and set apart for God, 2 Tim. ii. 21. And in vain do we hope to go to heaven till we take the way that leadeth thither. Devils have been cast out thence for unholiness, and therefore unholy men shall never be taken in there.
(2.) That these things are not causes of election, but fruits of elec- tion, and means of execution of God's decree about our salvation. Sanctification is not a cause, but a subordinate end or means: Eph. i. 4, ' He hath chosen us to be holy ;' not because lue are holy, but that vje might he Jiohj. So 1 Peter i. 2, ' Elect according to the foreknow- ledge of God, through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience.' Not elected for it, but tlirough it. When God had all mankind in his prospect and view, he freely chose out some to be sanctified and saved. We come to the po.sses.sion of it through sanctification, that is, by it as a means. So for the other ; faith is a fruit of election, not a foreseen cause : Acts ii. 47, ' The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.' None cometh to the church but those whom God draweth, and they are actually added to the church by a profession of faith ; and such as should be saved were as many as were ordained to salvation Acts xiii. 48, ' And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.' The whole city were met together to hear, but as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. It is not said, as many as believed were ordained to eternal life, but the contrary ; faith is not the cause of election, but election is the cause of faith.
(3.) That being the neces.sary fruits, they are also evidences of our election. All that are sanctified by the Spirit and believe the truth belong to the election of God. Election itself is a secret in God's bo.som, and is only manifested to us by the eft'ects ; and what are the necessary efiects but sanctification by the S])irit, and a sound belief of the gospel ?
First, The sanctification of the S{)irit is not only an external dedi- cation to God, but an internal and real change. Some are externally dedicated, and may tram|)le under foot the blood of the covenant whereby they are sanctified : Heb. x. 29, ' Of how much sorer punish- ment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God ; and hath counted the blood of the cove- nant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?' That is, were in external cove-