2. That predestination is most free, not depending upon foreseen works and faith. We are chosen to faith and holiness, but not for it ; the scripture saith, to faith : 2 Thes. ii. 13, ' Because God hath from the beginning of the world chosen you to salvation through sanctifica- tion of the Spirit, and belief of the truth ;' and to holiness : Eph. i. 4, ' According as he hath chosen us in him before the world, that we should be holy.' But we are not chosen because we believed and were holy, or because God did foresee it, but that we might believe and be holy ; faith and holiness are only fruits and effects of God's grace in us ; there was no foreseen cause in us to move God to bestow it upon us.
3. That predestination to glory doth not exclude the means by which it is brought about : sucii as Christ's gospel, ministry, faith, holiness, the cross. No, a conditional dispensation is subordinate to an absolute decree ; God that hath predestinated will yet call before he will justify ; God giveth the condition, taketh away the heart of stone, worketh faith and holiness in us ; God's purpose is that such and such shall be called and saved by faith in Christ. Now this maketh an absolute connection between faith and salvation ; now the elect, till they are called and do believe, know nothing of this, but it is their duty to fulfil the condition.
VeR. 30.] SERMONS UrON JIOMANS viir. 317
4. The greatness of our obligation to God. Here are the several steps and degrees whereby his eternal love descendeth to his chosen, or the several acts and effects by which he bringeth them to their purposed blessedness, and do all infer a new obligation, that he was pleased to choose us who were equally involved in misery with others, and call us with a holy calling, passing by thousands and ten thousands in out- ward respects much before us, and justify us freely by liis grace, forgiving us so many offences, and bestowed upon us the gift of the sanctifying Spirit, by which we are regenerated and fitted for everlasting glory ; see here the great love of God. God's love in time cannot be valued enough, but God's love before all time should never be forgotten by you ; there you have the rise and fountain of all the benefits done unto us ; this was ancient love before we or the world had a being ; it was the design God travailed with from all eternity ; and who are we, that the thoughts of God should so long be taken up about us ? It is love managed with wisdom and counsel ; his heart is set upon it to do us good. Those benefits came not by chance, but were fore-laid and fore-ordained by God. If one do us a kindness that lieth in his way, and when opportunity doth fairly invite him, he is friendly to us ; but when he studieth to do us good, we know his heart is towards us : God sets all his wisdom and grace a-work. This was a feast long in preparing, that it might be the more full and ample, and all things be ready if we be ready, and our remedy at hajid before our misery took effect. This is a distinguishing love, differencing us from others all along, by choosing, calling, justifying, glorifying, that one should be taken and the other left.
5. The blessedness of a christian: they are predestinated, called, justified, and glorified : all which are special grounds of comfort and patience under the cross, whatever may befall a christian in this world. God hath predestinated and singled us to be objects of his grace and instruments of his glory in this world, and to be conformed to the image of his Son, ver. 29, (and we can fare no worse than Christ did), and that the Lord should call us in due time out of the corrupt and miserable state of mankind to the faith of Christ (and shall not we suffer for it ?), and then justify us, and free us from the curse of the law, and absolve us from the guilt and eternal punishment of all our sins, and moderate the temporal punishment of them (surely the cross may be the better borne) ; and then a life begun which shall not be quenched. Blessed is that soul who hath these privileges.
6. See the way how we get assurance of God's love and our own salvation. We know the purposes of God's grace by the effects by which he witnesseth his love to his elect ones. By vocation our pre- destination is manifested, by justification we feel the comfort of it, so climb up to glory by degrees. Those whom God hath predestinated from all eternity, and will glorify in the world to come, he doth power- fully call. The scripture promiseth salvation, not to the named, but described persons ; here, then, is your way of procedure. Would you know your election of God ? Are you called, sanctified, brought home to God ? Begin to live in the Spirit.
Use 2. Do not know these things in vain, nor reflect upon them merely to satisfy curiosity, or to keep up a barren, speculative dispute,