Lastly, See your help. The Spirit is the great new-covenant gift purchased by Christ, that it might be dispensed to us the more abun- dantly : John i. 16, ' And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace ; ' Titus iii. 5, 6, ' By the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us.' By his sanctifying and renewing grace we are enabled for all this duty. We have it by the hearing of faith, Gal. iii. 2 ; and the whole dispensation of the gospel is called the ministration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. v. 8. Therefore if a sluggish heart did not possess ■christians, they might do more than they do.
VOL. xvin.
SERMON UPON 2 PETER III. 9.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness ; hut is long-suffering to us-iuard, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. — 2 Peter iii. 9.
The apostle, in answer to tlie cavil and exception of tlie mockers of religion, is taking off the scandal of the delay of Christ's coming. Three considerations are produced to satisfy the godly —
1. The true measure of speed or delay is the eternity of Grod, which admits of no beginning, succession, and ending, but consists in a con- stant presentness to all that which to us seemeth past or to come ; and we must judge as he judgeth. This is laid down, ver. 8.
2. The end of this delay, which is the conversion of sinners. It proceedeth not from any culpable slackness in God, but only his patience towards the elect. God is not slack, but we hasty. Our temper requireth time and patience to work upon us, and bring us under the power of grace. This is in the text.
3. The manner of coming, which is sudden and unexpected, like the coming of a thief upon a sleepy family, ver. 10 ; therefore we should rather prepare for it than complain of slackness.
We are upon the second consideration. Wherein —
1. The false cause of this delay is removed, 'The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness.'
2. The true cause assigned, * But is long suffering to us-ward.'
3. The end of this long-suffering propounded — (1.) Negatively, ' Not willing that any should perish ; ' (2.) Positively, ' But that all should come to repentance.' Wherein the way to escape ruin is intimated, which is repentance.
The only doubt is about the sense of the words, how that is to be understood, that God would not have any perish, but all come to repentance ; for we see many do yet perish, all do not come to repen- tance ; and is God frustrated of his end ?
Ans. To this doubt three answers are given, and all solid, though I prefer the two first.
] . The patience of God, according to its nature, hath that use and end, to invite all sinners to repentance : Eom. ii. 4, ' Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering, not know-
SERMON UPON 2 PETER III. 9. 227
ing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? ' God's continuing forfeited mercies, and tarrying the sinner's leisure, giveth us an hope that he is willing to be reconciled ; and if we do not seek his favour, and turn to him by repentance, it is long of ourselves ; the fault is our own, because we do not improve this hope.
2. The apostle in this place hath special reference to the elect, who are concerned more especially in the promise of Christ's coming, to put an end to their sufiferings, and to render them an eternal reward. Certain it is that the apostle speaketh to christians, reckoneth himself in that number : ' Is long-suffering towards us.' Now all these are not born at once nor converted at once. If the judgment should be hastened, many of the elect would be found in their natural condition. Now God would have none of these to perish, but that all in their time should by congruous means be brought to repentance. All things are for the elect's sake ; if their number were completed, time would be no more, and the present state of things would be dissolved.
3. The third answer is by distinguishing a twofold will in God. There is voluntas signi and voluntas heneplaciti. The will of his good pleasure, and his will declared by some sign, command, decree. The one concerneth our duty, the other the event. It is all men's duty to repent : 1 Tim. ii. 4, 'Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.' Not as to the event : God doth not will it so as it shall fall out so ; but this is their duty. His approving will is meant. Some scoff at this distinction, but the thing is as evident as daylight. It is one thing to will that this thing shall be or not be ; another thing, this is good or evil ; one respects existence, the other moral regulation. The one showeth what shall be, the other what should be ; the one what God will do, the other what we should do. His command must be distinguished from his decree ; some things are willed only by one, not both ; as the selling of Joseph, the crucifying of Christ ; God willed them voluntate heneplaciti, but not signi ; he declared no such will as a rule to the creatures. Some things he willeth voluntate signi, not heneplaciti ; as the conversion of all that live within the hearing of the gospel ; he doth not purpose it in his decree. Sometimes he willeth the same things by both ; as the conversion of the gentiles to the faith of Christ ; God purposed it in his decree, and required it in the gospel. This is a truth applicable tc other scriptures, and in part to this. But I stick to the former answers. By his secret and everlasting decree he chooseth whom he thinketh good, and appoints the preaching of the gospel, by which all are invited. God would not have any one to perish by his directive and approving will: Ezek. xxxiii. 11, *I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Turn ye,' &c. Yet will not have all to be saved, not all by his secret and appointing will.