Second use is exhortation. It presseth you to two things : —
1. Put in for a share and interest in this mercy ; that is to say, in the a])ostle's words, 2 Peter i. 10, ' Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.' God hath not told us who are elected and who are not ; therefore our way is to accept of the general grace offered, and to devote and resign ourselves to God, and to depend upon the merits of our Redeemer, and put ourselves under the discipline of his Spirit in the use of the appointed means, humbly waiting for his renewing and reconciling grace, and every day more and more, by diligence in the holy and heavenly life, getting your interest more assured ; for by this means do we come to know the purposed love of God, and that ' he hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain eternal salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.' We need not say, Who shall go up to heaven to know the mind of God ? Our election is known to us by our vocation, and our vocation by the fruits — our walking before him in holiness and righteousness all our days. Surely the knowledge of our election is a thing greatly to be desired, because our eternal happiness and all spiritual good things depend upon it. Election is the free love of God, by which he intendeth these blessings to us. This is manifested by calling, by which they begin to be applied to us ; then the effectual operation which these blessings have in us discovereth calling, when we ' call on the name of Christ,' and ' depart from iniquity,' 2 Tim. ii. 19.
2. We should praise, and admire, and esteem this glorious grace, and show our thankfulness both in word and deed.
[1.] In word ; because that is a means to kindle in our hearts the love of God, and to stir up a spiritual rejoicing in him: Ps. ciii. 1-3, ' Bless the Lord, 0 my soul ; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all his benefits : who forgiveth all thine iniquities ; who healeth all thy diseases,' &c.
[2.] But chiefly in deed : you are more obliged to live to God than other men, when, passing b}' thousands who, in outward respects, were
112 THE TWELFTH SERMON. [2 ThES. II. 14.
better than yon, and you as deep in sin as they, he, not only without, but against, all merit of yours, by his singular grace set you apart for himself. Siiall I sin against God, and grieve his Spirit ? No ; let me glorify him as long as I have a day to live.
SERMON XII.
Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. — 2 Thes. II. 14.
After the doctrine of Antichrist, and God's dreadful spiritual judg- ments on his abettors and followers, the apostle interposeth some matter of consolation to the Thessalonians ; as before he comforted them from their election, so now from their vocation. Therefore, as we saw the doctrine of election set forth in the former verse, with all its appendant branches and circumstances, so now the doctrine of vocation, with what belongeth to it. Here calling is set forth — (1.) By the author of it : he calleth you ; that is, God, who from the begin- ning hath chosen you to salvation. (2.) The outward means: by our gospel. (3.) The end, which is doul>le : — First, Subordinate, in the word ivhereunto, viz., to faith and holiness ; Secondly, Ultimate: to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ' Whereunto he called you,' &c.
L>oct. All that are elected by God are in time effectually called by faith and holiness i to obtain eternal life.
1. I shall open effectual calling by what is said of it in the text.
2. That all chosen by God are called in this way.
1. Let me explain effectual calling. The author of it : ' he called you ;' namely, God, spoken of in the former verse. I prove it by these two reasons : — (1.) None else hath authority to call ; (2.) None else hath power to call.
[1.] Authority to call, either to duties or privileges; for calling is an earnest invitation to duties upon the offer of several privileges.
(1.) Duties: God is our proper Lord and rightful sovereign. He may justly challenge our obedience. Being our Creator, he is our owner ; and being our owner, he is our sovereign and lawgiver, and may enact what laws he pleaseth. Certainly creation giveth him an interest in us ; for every man taketh himself to have an authority over what he hath made, to dispose of it as he pleaseth. Now he that properly made all things is God. Man is said to make a thing as he bestoweth art upon it, but God bestoweth being upon it. A potter may form his clay into what vessel he pleaseth, to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour, Kom. ix. 21 ; that is, either a dish for food or a vessel to serve the vilest uses of nature, for meat or excrements. But we speak of rational creatures that are capable of proper government. Surely God made us, and hath a right to