318 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XL.
but to cherish tlie love of God, holiness, patience, and become more serious in the work of salvation.
What effects have you of this predestination ?
1. Love to God. From everlasting to everlasting he is God, Ps. xc. 2, Ps. ciii. 17 ; and from everlasting to everlasting his mercy is to them that fear him. We see his love in his purposes and performances ; the one before the world began, the other when the world shall have an end. And so two eternities meet together, eternal glory arising from purposes of eternal grace ; so that whether we look backward or for- ward, you see the everlasting love of God. Oh ! then, let God be yours first and last ; let the everlasting purposes of his grace be your constant admii'ation, and the everlasting fruition of God in glory be your fixed end, which is always in your eye ; and let the sense of the one and the hope of the other quicken all your duties. God's mercy, you see from all eternity it began, and to eternity it continueth. We adjourn, and put off God, as if we had not sinned enough, and dishonoured his name enough ; hereafter will be time enough to return to our duty. If we begin ever so soon, God hath been aforehand with us ; some make early work of religion, as Josiah, Samuel, Timothy ; some are called sooner, some later ; but though all are not called so soon as others, they are loved as soon as others, for these benefits were'designed to us from all eternity.
2. Holiness. That we might hate sin more, and prize holiness more. Holiness is inferred out of election, as a special fruit of this predestina- tion : Eph. i. 4, ' He hath chosen us to be holy.' It is inferred out of calling, for ' he hath called us with an holy calling,' 2 Tim. i. 9. The calling is from misery to happiness, from sin to holiness. It is inferred out of justification ; sanctification is the inseparable companion of it. God freeth us a inalo morali, that freeth us a mcdo naturali; impunity followeth uprightness, our recovery were not else entire. Our case iS like that of a condemned malefactor, sick of a deadly disease, who needs not only the skill of the physician to heal him, but the pardon of the judge. And it is inferred out of glorified ; none shall enjoy everlasting glory after this life but such as are holy here ; and if they be not sanctified and renewed by the Spirit, they shall never enter into the kingdom of God ; for we cannot have one part of the covenant while we neglect another : it is not only the way, but part of glory.
3. iPatience under afflictions. The same notions are used of afflic- tions which are used of your privileges by Christ : 1 Thes. iii. 3, ' Ye are appointed thereunto.' You should look to that in all that befalleth you ; he that appointed you to the crown, appointed you to the cross also. Called: 1 Peter ii. 21, 'For even hereunto were ye called.' We are called to the fellowship of the cross ; we consented to these terms : Mat. X. 38, ' He that taketh not up his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.' Justified ; the comforts of it are most felt then : Eom. V. 1, ' Being justified by faith, we have peace with God.' Glorified ; take it for degrees of holiness ; holiness is promoted by affliction : Heb. xii. 10, ' We are chastened, that we might be partakers of his holiness.' Final blessedness : 1 Peter iv. 13, ' Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are par- takers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad with exceeding joy.' Christ's last day is a glad day to you.
VeE. 31.] SERMONS UPON EOMANS VIII. 319
4. More seriousness in the work of salvation : 2 Peter i. 10, ' Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure ;' 2 Peter iii. 14, ' Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.'
SERMON XLI.
WJiat shall toe then say to these things ? if God be for us, who can be against us? — Rom. viii. 31.
We are now come to the application of these blessed truths, and the triumph of believers over sin and the cross ; yea, over all the enemies of our salvation. It is begun in the text — ' What shall we then say ? ' The words contain two questions —
1. One by way of preface and excitation.
2. The other by way of explication, setting forth the ground of our confidence. So that here is a question answered by another question.
First, Let us begin with the exciting question, What shall we then say to these things f
Doct. When we hear divine truths, it is good to put questions to our own hearts about things.
There are three ways by which a truth is received and improved —
by sound belief, serious consideration, and close application. Sound