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All doubts and scruples may be re∣moved out of our hearts, and we may come to be assured, that we are chosen and called by God. Thus are the Gala∣tians taught, * 1.1 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying, Abba, Fa∣ther.
And what is that but Gods pro∣clamation to our soules, that he hath chosen us. This was good doctrine at Rome also, * 1.2 The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit, that we are the children of God. St. Peters coherence intimates so much unto us, that there is away to put all out of question. He told us before of a chaine of grace tokens of salvation. Wherefore the rather (saith he) give dili∣gence to make your calling and election sure. As if the Apostle should have said, I would not perswade you to this dili∣gence to make your election sure, if I did not know, there were certain and infallible tokens of election, whereby it may be known: but now seeing there are such certain notes, though otherwise you might be negligent; yet let me now perswade you the ra∣ther to diligence in making your election sure. Next the Apostles com∣mand in the text to make it sure, shews that there is a way for such as have grace, to be assured of it. The Apostle writes by the Spirit of God, to whom all Spirits ought to be subject. He urgeth it also as a matter very necessary for our own profit and comfort. Doubt∣lesse then there is a way to secure it.
Adde unto this the promises of God elsewhere made by the mouth of our blessed Saviour, * 1.3 Aske, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Now what have we more need to aske, then the con∣firmation of our eternall election? What have we more reason to seek for, then the perswasion of our internall vocation? What have we more to knock at heaven gates for, then assu∣rance to be let in there, when we are shut out here? So that Gods promise assures us a way to make our calling sure.
Lastly, consider the examples of those that have attained to this assurance. Take St. * 1.4 Paul for one, Hencefore there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse. But St. Paul was an Apostle, had been rapt up into the third heaven, and might very well know by revelation, what would become of him. So were not they whom St. John writes unto, and yet they knew their own happy condition also, * 1.5 We know that we dwell in him, and he in us. And presently after, * 1.6 We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. And in the Chap∣ter before, * 1.7 We know that we have passed
from death to life. St. John joynes the rest with him in this assurance. * 1.8 The He∣brewes had in them things that accompany salvation, and could not be divided from it. Take the testimony of Macarius al∣so, They that are anointed with the spiri∣tuall oil of gladnesse have received a signe of that incorruptible King∣dome, to wit, * 1.9 Gods Spi∣rit for an earnest. They are the Secretaries of the heavenly King, and relying confidently up∣on the Almighty, they enter into his palace (where the Angels and the Spirits of holy men are) although they be yet in this world. For although they be not yet come to the entire inheritance, which is pre∣pared for them in that world, yet they are most sure of it by that pledge, which they have newly received, as sure as if they were already crowned, and had the key of the Kingdome in their own possession.
I will conclude the point with the testimony of an Emperour: Constan∣tine in his oration to the Fathers as∣sembled in the Councell of Nice, as
Gelasius reporteth, * 1.10 speaks thus, The hope of the happinesse to come we do not only expect, but as it were in some sort, we have it hear already. Worthily spoken and as became a Christian Em∣perour.
Woe then to the carelesse worldling, who seeks to make sure the possession of his lands, and goes to the Assurance office for his goods at Sea, he hides his wealth, and carefully layes up his treasure, that it may not be stolne, but takes no care at all to assure his electi∣on or calling to eternall happinesse. If they could not be made certain, he were to be excused; but seeing there is a way to do it, his negligence is inex∣cusable. He hath preferd his wealth be∣fore his soul, earth before heaven, gold before God, misery before happinesse. He must expect Simon Magus doom, Thy money perish with thee. * 1.11 He hath neg∣lected his soul while he lives, and God will refuse it when he dies.
The great mercy of God to us here also appears. We had deserved eternal condemnation. It had been abundan•• mercy in God to bring us to heaven, though we had gone through a kind•• of hell here. We had been happy in
the end, though we had been misera∣ble in the way. But God hath been pleased to give us not only heaven after this life, but the assurance of it in this life: Thus are we happy here under the certain hope of happinesse hereafter. Our joyes are begun in this world, that will be perfected, but never be ended in the world to come. Praise God then for thy happinesse be∣gun on earth, till thou enjoy thy end∣lesse happinesse in heaven.
We must now ascend one step higher to the means to assure us of our e∣lection and vocation, and then we are at the highest, till we come to heaven.
Gal. 4.6.
Rom. 8.16.
Mat. 7.7.
2 Tim. 4.8.
1 Joh. 4.13.
V. 16.
1 Joh. 3.14.
Heb. 6.9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, That have sal∣vation; or, are joyned to it.
Qui spirituali exuliationis oleo uncti sunt, signum regni illius incorruptibi∣lis recepere, sc: spiritum sanctum arrhabonem. Secretarti sunt regis coelestis, ac freti siducia Omnipoten∣tis palatium ejus unpred••untur (abi sunt angeli et spiritus sanctorum) quamvis adhuc sint in hoc nundo. Licet enim integram haereditatem sibi in illo seculo praeparatam nondum adierint, certissimi tamen sunt ex arrhabone, quem modo receperunt, ac si jam coronati essent, et regni clavem tenerint. Macar. Hom. 17.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Gelas. Act. concil. Nic. lib. 2. cap. 7.
Act 8.20.