2. The elect do not so behave themselves but that for their negli- gence and resistance they might justly be forsaken of God ; but God dealeth not equally with all that are of equal merit : ' We ourselves were sometimes disobedient,' Titus iii. 3 ; Eph. ii. 3, ' Among whom we had our conversation in times past, fulfilling the wills of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as others.'
3. That faith in Christ Jesus, and salvation by him, is the mere gift of God : Eph. ii. 8, ' For by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God.' The Lord might have justly
1 Qu. ' not set ' ?— Ed.
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left us without calling or changing us, and we could not change nor turn ourselves : Phil. i. 29, ' For unto you it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.' So that God's grace is the chief cause why we differ from ourselves and others.
4. That this grace is given to some and not to others, floweth from God's eternal decree : ' Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world/ Acts xv. 18 ; Eph. i. 11, ' Who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will.'
5. This eternal decree is a free election, or the mere good pleasure of God, giving faith to some and not to others : Acts xiii. 48, ' As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.' Christ traced it no higher : Mat. xi. 26, ' Even so, Father, because it pleased thee ; ' Rom. ix. 11, 1 For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.' The children had not done good or evil, whereby they might be differenced from one another, that the purpose of God, or his gracious decree of choosing some in Christ might stand ; so that his electing grace is the chief cause why we differ from others in faith and godliness ; he gave us that good whereby we differ from them. The purpose of God goeth before his calling, and freely layeth the foundation of it ; it is not an approbation following, but a foregoing operative election. Men may give an approbation following, that know not what may come hereafter, but God calleth us to the grace he hath provided for us.
Use 1. To press us to make our calling and election sure : 2 Peter i. 10. We are all called, but are we effectually called with a calling that floweth from election ? Now we cannot see the certainty of our election till we believe with a true, firm, and lively faith in Christ Jesus : 1 Thes. i. 4, 5, ' Knowing, brethren, your election of God ; for our gospel came not to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.'
2. Love God fervently : 1 Cor. viii. 3, ' If any man love God, the same is known of him.' The ardency of our love is a sure sign of our election : 1 John iv. 10, ' Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.'
3. Filial fear of God : Phil. ii. 12, ' Work out your salvation with fear and trembling/
4. Till we obey him carefully : Eph. i. 4, ' According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love/
5. Mourning for sin after a godly sort : Zech. xii. 10, ' They shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son.'
6. A hungering and thirsting after righteousness : Mat. v. 6, ' Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.'
7. Purifying ourselves yet more and more : 1 John iii. 3, ' He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure.' Many think the doctrine of election destroyeth these things. No; it begetteth them. Did you ever know what love, and thankfulness, and delight
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in God and holiness is ? What doth feed them but God's free love in Christ ?
Use. Get your hearts affected with this free love and grace of God.
1. Here we see all God's blessings in their first rise, fountain, and bosom-cause, which is the eternal elective love and grace of God.
This was that set all the wheels a-going. The efficient cause of all this difference between us and others is God, the meritorious cause is Christ, the powerful agent is the Spirit, that softeneth the hard hearts of the elect, and inclineth them to believe in Christ and love God. But what moved all ? His purpose of grace, which is brought to pass for us, imparted to us immediately for Christ, in Christ, and by Christ : 2 Tim. i. 9, ' According to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.' And Christ hath procured the Spirit to cause them effectually and infallibly to believe, repent, and obey : 1 Peter i. 2, ' Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus.'