4. Contempt of the world, and all that belongs unto it, will hence also be ingenerated in us. Did God set his heart upon some from eter- nity? Did he choose them to be his own peculiar [people], to distin- guish them as his from all the residue of mankind? Doth he design to give them the highest, greatest, best fruits and effects of his love, and to glorify himself in their praises for ever? What, then, will he do for them ? Will he make them all kings or emperors in the world ? or, at least, will he have them to be rich, and noble, and honourable among men, that it may be known and proclaimed, " Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King of heaven delighteth to honour;" however, that they should be kept from straits, and difficulties, and trials, from poverty, and shame, and reproach in the world? Alas! none of these things were in the least in the heart of God concern- ing them. They deserve not to be named on the same day, as we
CHAP. II.] AND MOTIVE UNTO HOLINESS. 601
use to speak, with the least of those things which God hath chosen his unto. Were there any real, substantial good in them on their own account, he would not have cast them out of the counsels of his love. But, on the contrary, " Ye see your calling, brethren" (which is the infallible fruit and consequent of election), " how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called :" but God hath chosen the poor of the world, the base and the contemp- tible, for the most part; yea, he hath designed the generality of his elect to a poor, low, and afflicted condition in this world. And shall we set our hearts on those things that God hath so manifestly put an under- valuation upon, in comparison of the least concernment of grace and holiness? Wherefore, let them that are poor and despised in the world learn to be satisfied with their state and condition. Had God seen it to have been good for you to have been otherwise, he would not have passed it by when he was acting eternal love towards you. And let them that are rich not set their hearts upon uncertain riches. Alas ! they are things which God had no regard unto when he prepared grace and glory for his own. Let the remembrance hereof suit your esteem and valuation of them. Do but think with yourselves that these are not the things that God had any regard unto when he chose us unto grace and glory, and it will abate of your care about them, cool your love towards them, and take off your hearts from them; which is your holiness.
Secondly, Electing love is a motive and encouragement unto holi- ness, because of the enabling supplies of grace which we may and ought thence to expect by Jesus Christ. The difficulties we meet withal in a course of holiness are great and many. Here Satan, the world, and sin, do put forth and try their utmost strength. Ofttimes the best are foiled, ofttimes discouraged, sometimes weary and ready to give over; it requires a good spiritual courage to take a prospect of the lions, serpents, and snares that lie in the way of a constant persevering course in gospel obedience. Hereon our knees are ready to grow feeble, and our hands to hang down. It is no small relief herein, no small encouragement to continue in our progress, that the fountain of electing grace will never fail us, but continually give out supplies of spiritual strength and refreshment. Hence may we take heart and courage to rise again when we have been foiled, to abide when the shock of temptation is violent, and to persevere in those duties which are most wearisome to the flesh. And they are unac- quainted with a course of holy obedience who know not how need- ful this consideration is unto a comfortable continuance therein.
Thirdly, It hath the same tendency and effect in the assurance we have from thence, that notwithstanding all the oppositions we meet withal, we shall not utterly and finally miscarry. God's " elec-
602 ETERNAL ELECTION A CAUSE OF [BOOK V.
tion" will at last "obtain," Rom. xi. 7; and " his foundation standeth sure/' 2 Tim. ii. 19. His purpose, wliicli is " according unto election," is unchangeable ; and, therefore, the final perseverance and salvation of those concerned in it are everlastingly secured. This is the de- sign of the apostle's discourse, Rom. viii., from verse 28 unto the end. Because of the immutability of God's eternal purpose in our predes- tination, and his effectual operations in the pursuit and for the execu- tion thereof, the elect of God shall infallibly be carried through all, even the most dreadful oppositions that are made against them, and be at length safely landed in glory. And there is no greater encou- ragement to grow and persist in holiness than what is administered by this assurance of a blessed end and issue of it.
Those who have had experience of that spiritual slumber and sloth which unbelief will cast us under; of those weaknesses, discourage- ments, and despondencies, which uncertainties, doubts, fears, and perplexities of what will be the issue of things at last with them, do cast upon the souls of men ; how duties are discouraged, spiritual en- deavours and diligence are impaired, delight in God weakened, and love cooled by them, — will be able to make a right judgment of the truth of this assertion. Some think that this apprehension of the immutability of God's purpose of election, and the infallibility of the salvation of believers on that account, tend only to carelessness and security in sin; and that to be always in fear, dread, and uncertainty of the end, is the only means to make us watchful vmto duties of holiness. It is very sad that any man should so far proclaim his in- experience and unacquaintedness with the nature of gospel grace, the genius and inclination of the new creature, and the proper workings of faith, as to be able thus to argue, without a check put upon him by himself and from his own experience. • It is true, Avere there no difference between faith and presumption; no difference between the spirit of liberty under the covenant of grace and that of bondage under the old covenant; no spirit of adoption given unto believers; no genuine filial delight in and adherence unto God ingenerated in them thereby, — there might be something in this objection. But if the nature of faith and of the new creature, the operations of the one and disposition of the other, are such as they are declared to be in the gospel, and as believers have experience of them in their own hearts, men do but bewray their ignorance, whilst they contend that the assurance of God's unchangeable love in Christ, flowing from the immutability of his counsel in election, doth any way impeach, or doth not effectually promote, the industry of believers in all duties of obedience.