For the other sort, that are kept off by their own fears, they are wont to allege, It is true there is mercy in Christ for sinners, but Christ doth not call them. My brethren, what do you look for? an audible voice to speak to you. Thou John, thou Thomas, &c. ? In the tenders of the gospel you are included as well as others, and why will you exclude yourselves ? If God say sinners, you should subsume and reply, ' I am chief I remember it is said, John x. 3, Christ ' calleth his sheep by name, and leadeth them forth.' How doth Christ call them by name ? By speaking expressly to their case, as if he did strike them upon the shoulders, and say, Here is comfort for thee. As at a feast, when there is a dish that we affect set upon the table, though all the company be free to make use of it, yet we say, Here is a dish for me. So should you apply and take to yourselves your own portion ; though it be propounded generally, yet when God directeth the tongue of his messengers to speak so expressly to your case, that is all the calling by name which you can look for, since oracles are ceased, and therefore you should say. This was a dish provided for my hungry conscience, intended to me, &c. But they will replyj Sure there is no mercy for me, I am so unworthy. I answer — The invita- tion taketh no notice of worth, but of thirst : Rev. xxii. 17, ' Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely.' Thou art not worthy, but thou art thirsty, or else whence come these groans ? And by the way take notice of the ])ride that is in legal dejection. Men are loath to be beholden to Christ ; they would be w^orthy before they will come to him ; and therefore the
VOL. V. B
18 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. 1.
apostle iiseth that expression, ov-)(, vTreTdyrjaav, Eom. x. 3, ' They have not submitted to the righteousness of God.' A proud creature would fain establish a righteousness in himself, and is loath to submit to take all from another ; as an outward proud man preferreth a russet coat of his own before a silken garment that is borrowed or given him by another. But they are such sinners, &c. Ans. The more need to come to Christ; he came to 'call sinners,' Mat. ix. 13. It is no matter what thou hast been, but what thou wouldst be ; Christ doth not call us because loe are lioly, but that we may he holy. Is it a rational plea in outward cases, I am too poor to take alms, I am too filthy to go to the water to be washed ? But they have stood out against so many calls already, and scorned God's counsel. Ans. Wisdom calleth scorners, Prov. i. 22, ' Turn ye scorners ; how long will ye delight in scorning ? ' It is a mercy that thou hast one call more; do not increase the guilt that thou complainest of. But I know not how to come to Christ. Ans. The blind and the lame are invited to the wedding, Mat. xxii., and wisdom calleth fools, Prov. ix. 4, ' Whoso is simple,' &c. The stray lamb is brought home upon the shepherd's shoulders, Luke xv. Oh ! that these words might be spirit and life to you !
TJse 2. Again, it presseth us to ' make our calling and election sure,' 2 Peter i. 10 ; that is, to evidence our election by our calling ; for calling it is but election put in act. Election is nothing but God's love and intention to bestow saving grace upon such and such persons ; and calling is nothing but the actual manifestation of God's love, or the application of saving grace : Rom. viii. 30, ' Whom he hath pre- destinated, them he called.' Calling is the first and immediate fruit of election, by which it springeth forth, and is exercised on the vessels of mercy: So 2 Thes. ii. 13, 14, 'God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through the sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the truth, to the obtaining of the glory of God, whereunto he hath called you by my gospel.' Here is the whole method of salvation. The first rise and spring of mercy was at election, which breaketh out by effectual calling, and so floweth down in the channels of faith and holiness, till it lose itself in the ocean of everlasting glory. So that by calling, God executetli in time what he decreed before all time ; and he that is called, may look backward upon eternal purposes of grace, and forward upon an eternal possession of glory. Well, then, if we would get any assurance of God's favour, or of our interest in everlasting glory, the great business we should labour in is to clear up our calling ; it is the freest and surest discovery of God's love, and so fittest to bottom a confidence or assurance. In elective love, we have the best view of mercy, and a call is the first discovery and copy of it ; for it is an act of God, which ariseth merely from his choice, preventing and anteceding, not only the merit, but the acts and industry of the creature : see 2 Tim. i. 9. Other acts of God's bounty follow the acts of the creature, but this is the first motion God maketh to the soul ; he accepts us when we come, but he called us when we did not think of coming. In short, calling is the key of the gospel, the plank that is cast out to save a sinking sinner, a sure pledge of glory, which is therefore called ' the high prize of our calling,' Phil.