SERMON
XIII
"In whom also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh
all things after the counsel of his own will" &c. - Ver. 11 -
14.
I want give you, first, the general scope of the
words; and, secondly, I shall open them unto you particularly.
First, for
the general scope of ver. 11 - 14, it is to apply all that he had doctrinally
said in the first ten verses. He had spoken of predestination, of adoption to
glory or an inheritance, of redemption, of vocation, and of gathering together
all in one. Of these things he had discoursed in general, in a doctrinal way,
from the 3d verse to the 11th. Now he beginneth particularly to apply all
these; for in the opening of them you shall perceive there is nothing almost he
had delivered doctrinally but he applieth and comforteth the people of God with
it.
He had said that God had intended to gather all in heaven and all in
earth to himself; that is the last thing spoken to in the 10th verse. To apply
this to things in heaven there was no need, for he was not a preacher to
angels, to speak directly unto them; therefore he applieth it only unto things
on earth. All things on earth are divided into Jew and Gentile. First,
therefore, he applieth it unto the Jews; 'in whom we,' saith he, 'have obtained
an inheritance, that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted
in Christ.' Here are the Jews, whom God called first; we apostles, we Jews.
Then he applieth it unto the Gentiles, and that under the Ephesians whom he
wrote to : 'in whom ye also trusted,' ver. 13, 'after that you heard the word
of truth,' &c.
He had spoken of a great gathering into one in Christ.
let us Jews, saith he, and apostles comfort ourselves, we have a part in it;
and the Ephesians and the Gentiles, comfort yourselves, ye have a part in it
too, (as you shall hear that the word signifieth by and by.) So much for the
general scope.
Secondly, Now to open the words particularly; and
first to begin with the application that he makes to the Jews in the 11th and
12th verses. The first word that we meet withal to be opened is this, 'in whom
we have obtained an inheritance;' so it is translated, and rightly translated
too; but I shall give you somewhat a larger meaning of it, which they that are
scholars do well know agreeth with the meaning of the word; for I profess this
rule and principle in opening of the Word, (though there be a more eminent
scope of one thing than another,) yet to take in the most comprehensive meaning
that can be given of things; for the Holy Ghost hath vast aims in writing of
the Scripture.
The word here which is translated 'we have ohtained an
inheritance.' To open this word to you; there are two things to be opened
concerning it. The first is, what the word cometh from and
importeth.
The second is, the kind of the verb, for it is a verb; I
shall make it plain by and by to the easiest capacity.
That which is
contained in the substance of the word, for the signification of it, is this.
The word which it cometh from, noteth out, first, having a part or a portion in
a thing. I shall give you clear Scripture for every signification I give you of
it. It noteth out, first, I say, having a part or a portion in a thing, being
partaker with others of the same thing. That is the first signification of the
word and so it cometh in fitly here. He had spoken of gathering all things in
heaven and in earth in one, in Christ: 'In whom we,' saith he, 'have a part;'
in this Christ, in whom all are gathered; let us comfort ourselves, we have a
part. That is the first. I shall give you a scripture where the word whence
this word cometh, is taken for a part, a portion in common. Read Acts viii. 21;
speaking of Simon Magus, 'Thou hast no part or portion,' or lot or portion. It
is the same word that this word cometh of.
Obs. - Now, my brethren,
what is the observation from hence? Do but ask your own hearts; you have heard
of this great gathering in the 10th verse; have you a part in it? have you a
portion in it? You are to apply the word as you go; you see the Apostle doth
so. When he had spoken of this general gathering of all things in Christ, now
he cometh to apply it; 'in whom we have a part,' saith he; in whom ye also have
a part, saith he. Hast thou a part in it? Let me ask thee the question; ask
thine own heart the question. Oh, to be found not to have a share in this great
gathering, what a misery will it be! That is the first thing it signifieth, a
part or portion.v In the second place, it signifieth a part or portion of an
inheritance. The word is often used for an inheritance, as Acts xxvi. 18, where
he saith, 'an inheritance among them that are sanctified.' Therefore our
translators well translate it, 'in whom also we have obtained an
inheritance.'
In the third place, the word is taken for a lot.
Inheritances, you kuew, use to go by lot. The Jews' inheritances were divided
by lot; so Num. xxxiv. 13, 'This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot;'
therefore it is called the 'lot of the inheritance,' Num. xxxvi 3, and in many
other scriptures.
Here, then, are three significations of this word. Here
is, first, a part or portion; which part or portion is an inheritance; which
inheritance cometh by lot. The word doth imply all these: that is, in whom we
have a part and portion; an inheritance annexed to that portion; and it cometh
to us by lot. These three things are included in the signification of the
word.
Now, my brethren, it is a word of a passive signification, and it
implieth that we are passive in obtaining it; it is not a thing we seek for,
but it is cast upon us. We have a word in the English, we say a man is
disinherited; that is a passive word; there is no English word that shall
answer it, to say a man is inherited, but he is endowed with an inheritance; he
seeks not for it, it is cast upon him. Therefore in that place, Acts xxvi 18,
it is called receiving an inheritance; 'that they may receive,' saith he, 'an
inheritance with those that are sanctified.' The word here used in this text
(saith Beza) is used of magistrates that were chosen by lot to their places;
even as Saul was chosen king by lot, so do we obtain this inheritance, a part
or portion in Christ by a kind of lottery: it was not a thing we deserved, it
was a thing came to us we never dreamed of. It was not so much as sought for by
us; the word here is a mere passive word, it was cast upon us; we found a share
in Christ before we were aware, as it were, not thinking of it. Not but God
awakeneth men first, but they do no more towards it, they know no more of it,
till God takes them and works upon their hearts,' than a man asleep doth for
the obtaining of an inheritance which is bestowed on him.
Obs. -
What is the observation hence? This, You have heaven cast upon you, you that
are believer; as it were by lot. Poor souls, you come hither to church, and
here you put yourselves upon God's lottery; and you do well. What is the reason
that a poor servant goeth away with Christ in her heart? She hath a draw for
it, and she draweth etemal life; it is cast upon her. Ladies come here; here
come men and women of great quality; perhaps they go away without it. It is
cast upon men by lot. The greatest work that ever God did is to convert souls,
and he carries it so as if he did it the most casually. You know the most
casual thing in the world is a lot. A lot, you know, is a thing carried by a
secret providence, for so he saith, Prov. xvi. 33, 'The lot is cast into the
lap, but the whole disposing of it is of the Lord.' Here you come, and you are
all cast into the bag of the Church, and God, by his secret providence, throws
and casteth heaven upon thee, and letteth others go. Poor Zaccheus climbs up
upon a tree (for he was a little man) to see Christ: 'Come down,' saith Christ,
'this day salvation is come to thine house.' Go, saith he, into the highways,
and bring in the beggars; take whom you can find. God had predestinated them,
yet it is carried so as if it came to them by lot; even as Saul, that went to
seek his father's asses, and bcfore he cometh home he was anointed king of
Israel. 'What did ye go out to see ? saith Christ to John Baptist's hearers, 'a
reed shaken with the wind?' They went out to see a novelty when they went to
hear John; to see a reed shaken with the wind, or to see some great man clothed
in gorgeous apparel, just as men go out to see shows; but yet John turned the
hearts of the children to the fathers, turned many of their souls to God, that
went thus out for other ends. Even thus God, I say, by a kind of lottery
casteth heaven upon men; they obtained an inheritance by lot.
Now, my
brethren, if you ask how and when it was that they came to have a part and
portion in Christ; in whom we have obtained a lot, a portion, and an
inheritance? Then, when they were converted and turned unto God; then it was
that they came to have a right and portion in Christ and in this inheritance.
It is not said expressly in the text, but the coherence carrieth it strongly.
Why? For, first, he saith, they were 'predestinated' by God, that 'works all
things by the counsel of his own will.' How came they to have it? Not simply by
predestination, but by a work which was the fruit of predestination, and by a
work of grace; therefore many interpreters translate the word here
vocati, we were called to an inheritance. Then, secondly, he mentioneth
faith: 'We,' saith he, 'did obtain this inheritance, who first trusted in
Christ.' So now, when they began to trust in Christ, then they began to have a
part and portion in this lot. Then, thirdly, when he applies this to the
Ephesians, ver. 13, 'In whom ye also had a part and portion in him,' (for that
is the best reference of the words,) 'after ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation, and believed,' &e. So that then it is we come to
have a part, and a portion, and right to this inheritance, when we are savingly
converted and turned to God. That is the Apostle's scope, and is as if he had
said, When we were converted, and ye were converted, then both ye and we came
to have a part and portion in this gathering universal, and in this
inheritance.
I will give you a scripture or two to back this. The first is
Acts xxvi.
Christ from heaven speaks there, that he would send Paul to
preach to the Gentiles, 'to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to
light,' - here is conversion mentioned, you see; 'from the power of Satan unto
God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance' - that
they might receive it, and obtain it by being thus turned - ' among them that
are sanctified by faith in him.' Mark, when they were turned, when men believe,
when they begin to trust in Christ, as he saith here of the Jews, ver. 12; when
after they have 'heard the gospel of salvation,' they believe, as he saith of
the Gentiles, ver. 13; when they are called and sanctified, then it may be said
that they began to receive or obtain this inheritance, though they were
predestinated to it before. My brethren, you cannot without conversion either
have a right to this inheritance, neither can you be made fit to be made
partakers of it. In that place, Acts viii., where he speaks to Simon Magus,
(Simon Magus lay still in sin, he was a carnal wretch;) 'Repent,' saith he;
'thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter.' He doth not say that he might
not have for time to come. What reason doth he give why he had no part for the
present? 'For thy heart is not right in the sight of God; repent therefore.' He
doth not say but he might have; Thou that art yet still in thy
unregenerate estate, thou that hast not obtained a lot, a part and portion, yet
thou mayest have; 'repent therefore,' saith he, 'of this thy wickedness,
and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee;' and
if once he repented, then he should come to have a part in this inheritance and
in this Christ, and in being gathered together in one, with all things else, in
heaven and in earth.
Obs. - From hence you see, to give you an
observation upon it, what it is that giveth you a part and portion in the
inheritance with the children of God ; it is being called, it is having faith
wrought in you, it is being sanctified; for by all these are you gathered to
Christ as your head. 1 Pet. i. 3, 'Who hath begotten us again to an
inheritance,' saith he, (those are his words.) You must be begotten again
before you have right to this inheritance, before you can 'receive an
inheritance among those that are sanctified;' so you heard out of the Acts. I
will give you but one scripture more to convince you of it, and it is a
parallel place to this; it- is Col. i. 12, 'Giving thanks to the Father, who
hath made us meet to partake,' to have a lot, to have a share, 'in the
inheritance of the saints in light.' What is it that makes you meet? It is
being holy. Why? Because it is an inheritance of the saints, and an inheritance
in light; and while thy heart is carnal and walketh in darkness, thou canst
never come to have a part and portion in this matter. In whom, therefore, saith
the Apostle, (here is the sum of all,) we have a part or portion, an
inheritance strangely cast upon us, we know not how; we never looked after it,
it was cast upon us by lot. How? By giving us faith, by calling us, by turning
us to God; and by means of that we are come to have a part and portion in this
inheritance. So you have the first word explained, 'In whom we have obtained a
lot,' a portion, an inheritance by lot, by being called, and sanctified, and
renewed.
Now, the Apostle, when he had thus applied this for their and his
own comfort, leadeth them to consider the fountain. For, my brethren, we are
apt to think with ourselves, we have grace wrought in us, therefore we have
interest in Christ, and in him a part and portion in this inheritance, and so
look no further. But what doth the Apostle? He leadeth us up to the eternal
love of God, (I pray, think of that;) for what followeth? 'In whom having
obtained an inheritance - according to his purpose who worketh all things after
the counsel of his own will.' Look to the fountain of all this, saith he; it is
your being predestinated, and this from an everlasting purpose; and although it
came to you, as it were, by a lot and by chance, and you were as far off from
being called, when you were called, as any men in the world; but yet, saith he,
it was a lot guided by God's eternal predestination. 'Being predestinated,'
saith he, 'according to purpose.'
I shall open this a little. I handled
predestination before, thercfore I will not speak of it now; only this,
remember that he speaks this of the Jews and apostles, for he applieth this to
them: 'In whom,' saith he, 'we that first trusted in Christ have a portion,
being predestinated.' You may read in the next verses, where he goes on to make
the like application to the Gentiles, that he doth not mention predestination
in that his application to them. He speaks of their calling indeed, but he doth
not speak of their predestination; not but that they were predestinated, but
why doth he choose to mention it in his speech to the Jews only? The truth is
this, they had been the people of God, and had it by promise; they had God and
heaven entailed to them; Abraham was their father. Yea, but saith the Apostle,
for all this it was God's eternal love, it was his predestination, that was the
cause of singling us out. And he mentioneth it not in his speech to the
Gentile; though he intendeth the same thing to them; for if the Jews and
apostles had it by predestination, the Gentiles, that were without the promise
and 'without God in the world,' had it from the same fountain much more. And he
mentioneth it to the Jews, because election carried it away even amongst them,
and election, the force of difference it puts amongst men was seen most amongst
them, because, I say, they were the people of God by promise. Take two
scriptures for it. First, Rom. xi. 7. You shall see there that he makes the
calling of the Jews to depend especially upon election. 'What then? Israel,'
saith he, 'hath not obtained that which he seeketh for,' (multitudes of the
people of Israel did not;) 'but the election hath obtained it;' it is the elect
amongst Israel that have obtained it. Do not think, saith he, it cometh to you
by your father Abraham, as they thought; it is the election that obtained it.
Secondly, Rom. ix. 11. He speaks there of Esau and Jacob; he saith the purpose
of God according to election was it that stood. It was said to the mother of
both, that 'the elder should serve the younger.' Election, you see, carries it
among the Jews; therefore his mentioning of predestination here cometh in
seasonably, for they would have thought the promise to their fathers would have
carried it. No, saith he, 'being predestinated.'
But why 'predestinated
according to his purpose who works all things after the counsel of his own
will?' There is an opinion in the world that there is a twofold predestination;
that God dealeth with some men according to purpose, as he did with the
apostles - converteth them infallibly, and they persevere. They are, they say,
chosen according to purpose. But others, God dealeth with them according to
their works. It is a truth, God deals with none but according to their works;
but yet he doth not predestinate men to be saved according to work; for if he
did, he should predestinate them for their works. It is not therefore brought
in here by way of distinction, to shew that there is one predestination
according to works, and if you walk thus and thus then God chooseth you to
life; and another predestination which is peremptory. But all the scope is
this, to shew the stability of it, to shew that God's choosing of men is
stable, and firm, and unalterable; therefore it is called predestination
according to purpose.
For this look into Rom. ix. 11, the place I quoted
even now; saith he 'that the purpose according to election might stand ' - that
is, that it might be unalterable; join purpose and stand together. What God
doth purpose is immutable. 2 Cor. i. 17, saith Paul, (who was but a creature,)
I promised, saith he, to come to you, to take you in my way as I came out of
Macedonia. Paul did not come. 'When I therefore,' saith he, 'was thus minded,
did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to
the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?' No, saith he,
what I purpose, that I will perform. Why will Paul do it? Because he would have
the gospel receive no prejudice; I preach the truth, and I would be true of my
word; therefore, saith he, if I promise a thing, and purpose a thing, I will do
it. Will Paul do thus? then God will do it much more; having predestinated us
according to his purpose, it shall stand then; - ' that the purpose of God
according to election,' saith he, 'might stand;' so the word is in that Rom.
ix. 11. It signifieth, therefore, the immutability of God's counsel; that is
meant by being predestinated according to his purpose.
I come now to the
last thing in the verse; 'who works all things according to the counsel of his
own will.' This is a third thing here in the words. For the coherence of it,
how it cometh in: it cometh in, first, as a reason why God had converted them;
or, rather, why their conversion, and their faith, and their obtaining an
inheritance, was by predestination. It is a reason that will convince any man,
that they, having obtained a part and portion in so great a business as heaven
was, having grace wrought in their hearts that did interest them in that
inheritance, that it must needs be by a foreknowledge, by a decree of God. Why?
Because, saith he, God works all things else according to the counsel of his
own will; therefore certainly this. The reason is very strong; he would
convince them that God did work grace in their hearts as the fruit of
predestination, he would convince them that God had given them heaven, which
came to them by lot, he had done it by a set decree, from everlasting. Why?
For, saith he, 'he works all things after the counsel of his own will;' he
plotted every thing beforehand, therefore certainly this; he hath done every
thing advisedly, nothing falleth out but what he had laid the plot before. If
he had a hand, saith he, in any thing, or in all things that ever he did, he
must needs have a hand in working grace in men's hearts, for it is more than
all. If he bestowed any thing upon any creature, - if he hath given the
kingdoms of this world unto men, and that he doth according to his will among
the inhabitants of the earth, as it is said, Dan. iv., then certainly they that
have the kingdom of heaven promised, have it by his decree. Here lieth the
reason, and thus he argueth: because God hath a hand in all things, therefore
he hath a hand in the conversion of men, therefore he hath a hand in bestowing
of heaven upon men. And that is the first way; it cometh in as a reason of what
was said before.
It cometh in, secondly, to shew how great a power it was
that wrought grace in their hearts, and how much God's heart was in it when he
did it. He hath shewed as much power, saith he, in working grace in your
hearts, as in working all things else; his heart is as much in this thing as in
doing all things else. He doth put them altogether, you see. How do you prove
that to be the scope of such a phrase as this?
I will give you a scripture
for it; it is Phil. iii. 21; he speaks there of changing of our vile bodies,
which requireth a mighty power, to make them like Christ's glorious body. How
doth he express the greatness of this Power? By just such a phrase as this
here: 'who shall change our vile body,' saith he, 'that it may be fashioned
like unto his glorious body.' HOW? 'According to the working whereby he is able
even to subdue all things unto himself.' This phrase cometh in to shew that God
putteth forth the same power in changing our vile bodies and making them like
the body of Christ - the same power I say, and no less than that power - that
must subdue all things, that created the world, that ruineth the world in the
end, and annihilateth or bringeth down kingdoms, and doth everything. Well, you
have grace wrought in your hearts here; how had you it wrought? By him, saith
he, that worketh all things; no less power than that which goeth to work all
things, goeth to work this ; the same proportion of power that goeth to work
all things else, gocth to work grace.
So now you have the general scope how
these words come in. - To open the words particularly to you a little, for I
would fain make an end of this verse -
First, The word here that is
translated 'worketh,' signifieth to work effectually; ' he worketh all things
effectually,' that is the meaning of it; he doth it according to the counsel of
his will, and that will shall stand, it shall not be resisted; whatsoever he
will do he doth effectually; you have it Ps. cxxxv. 6, 'The Lord is great;
whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas,
and in all deep places.' And Isa. xlvi. 10, he saith, the counsel of the Lord
shall stand.
In the second place, he saith, 'He worketh all things;'
what all things? I will not meddle with sin, what hand God hath in it, though
the very same phrase is used of it, Acts iv. 28. The crucifying of Christ, the
greatest sin in the world, it is said nothing was done in it but what his hand
and counsel determined; there was both counsel and hand in it, - that is the
expression there, - at least for the ordering of all the circumstances of it. I
only mention that; and consider all things else, God worketh all things
effectually, his hand casteth all things. Doth there a hair come off your
heads? A hair is a small matter; it is by the Father, Matt. x. 30. Doth a man
shoot an arrow, and there is one behind the bush, and he killeth him? It is God
that delivereth that man into his hand, Exod. xxi. 13. He ordereth the thing
that is done by chance, and doth it effectually. God foretold that Ahab should
be slain when he went out to battle; yet the text saith plainly that the arrow
that did kill him was shot by chance: 'A certain man drew a bow at a venture,'
so you have it, 1 Kings xxii. 34, 'and smote the king of Israel between the
joints of the harness,' whereof he died; it was a mere adventure, but God
guided it effectually, for he had prophesied that Ahab should not go home from
that battle.
Things that are of the merest chance, God works them all. When
Nebuchednezer went to destroy Jerusalem, it was the greatest design that could
be, a thing foretold seventy years before, in Hezekiah's time. You shall find
in Ezek. xxi 20, 21, it was a mere matter of chance that Nebuchodonezor went
thither. The prophet there describeth the king of Babylon's journey with his
army; he describeth his coming to Jerusalem, and how doth he describe it? 'Son
of man,' saith he, ver. 19, 'appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king
of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose
thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city.' There were two
ways; Nebuchednezer came out with his army, - he did not resolve whither he
would go; God had foretold he should go to Jerusalem, - he cometh out, I say,
with his army, and he cometh to the head of two ways, one to go to Egypt, (as
some,) another to go to Jerusalem. He was undetermined; what doth he do? He
goeth and useth divination. 'The king of Babylon,' saith he, ver. 21, 'stood at
the parting of the way, the head of the two way; to use divination: he made his
arrows bright,' or, as some read it, he did, by mingling arrows together, cast
a lot which way he should go; 'he consulted with images, he looked in the
liver.' He opened beasts to see whether there was good fortune, as some call
it, to go on the right band or on the left. All this was foretold that he
should do. Who knew what should be in the liver of that beast, and that his
soothsayer should guide his way to Jerusalem, and assure him of good fortune in
that way rather than in the other? The text saith, ver. 22, 'At his right hand
was the divination for Jerusalem.' All his lots, shuffling of arrows, looking
into the liver, all this did cast him to go to Jerusalem, and God had foretold
this long before. You see he works all things, the most casual things that are,
by his own appointment. 'The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing
thereof is of the Lord,' Prov. xvi. 33.
Come to the wills of men, they are
more ticklish things than matters of chance are; for what say men? We have a
liberty, we can do what we will. But what saith the Apostle? Say not, 'To-day
or to-morrow we will go to such a city;' but, 'If the Lord will, we will do
this or that,' James iv. 13, 15. But to give you an instance for it, that God
ruleth the wills of men, for I cannot instance in many things; I will give you,
to me, one of the greatest instances the Scripture affordeth. It is Exod.
xxxiv. 24. God commandeth them that at three set times in the year all the men
should appear before the Lord in Jerusalem. Now you know the Jews did live in
the midst of their enemies; and might the enemies say, Now all the men are gone
up out of the country to Jerusalem, we will go and destroy the women and
children; this they might plot and order it many years before, what should
hinder them? Why, saith God, go up three times in the year, and I will order it
so that 'none shall desire thy land.' If God had not a strong hand upon the
wills of men that he can turn them which way he pleaseth, how could he make
that promise beforehand that they shonld not desire their land? If God did not
effectually rule the wills of men, the inclinations of men's spirits, when they
had all opportunity, all the reason in the world, all advantages, yet that they
should not have a desire to the land, - how could God, I say, undertake this,
unless he did rule the wills of men? My brethren, I profess I would not serve
this God, if he did not rule the wills of men in this world. Why? Because I
could have no temporal promise fulfilled; for most temporal promises depend
upon men's will. If he did not rule the hearts of all the men in the world, of
kings, of parliaments, what a confusion would this world run into? How could I
sue out any promise that God makes, wherein I have to do with the wills of men,
as in most we have? Therefore certainly he ruleth, and ruleth effectually,
things wherein men are most free; he doth either take away desire, or put rn
desire; turns their hearts to hate his people, or, on the other side, gives his
people 'favour in their eyes,' as the expression is; it is just such another
instance, Exod. xi. 3. When the people of Israel had gone and brought ten
plagues upon them, when all their first-born were slain; here was a fair way
made for favour, was there not? That they should come after all this, and say,
I pray, give us your jewels. What! after you have done us all this mischief?
Yet, saith the text, God gave them favour in their eyes, and they gave them
their jewels of silver, and their jewels of gold, and raiment, Exod. xii.
35.
What a mighty thing is this in God's ruling the wills of men! Doth not
this God, think you, work effectually in all things, when he ruleth the most
ticklish things of all, the wills of men, and of the hearts of kings? I need
not instance. Now, my brethren, if God thus doth work all things, certainly
then he works grace much more, when he turns the will to believe. If he put a
desire in you, if he take away a desire, it doth not lie in the counsel of your
own will, saith he. There are those that think grace is wrought by the counsel
of man's will. God indeed giveth me power to believe, or not to believe, and
then the counsel of my will casteth it. No it is according to the counsel of
his will, not according to the counsel of thy will; as you know the Apostle
saith, he works both the will and the deed. If he brings forth the will into
the deed of all things else, much more in the matter of grace, whereby you come
to 'obtain an inheritance among those that are sanctified.'
I should shew
you why counsel of will likewise is attributed to God. I shall be too long if I
go on to open that, I will therefore but make an observation or two, and so I
will conclude.
Obs. 1. - Both God work all things according to his
will? Then give up thy ways to him. 'It is not in man,' saith Jeremiah, 'to
direct his steps.' It is God that must direct them for thee, for he works all
things according to his will. If any man in the world, if his understanding and
will were a rule to mine, and I knew he were infallible, I would certainly go
give up all my ways to what he saith. As you say you must be ruled by him that
bears the purse, you must be ruled by him that bears the understanding.
Certainly, if any man have an infallible understanding, I will be ruled by him.
God hath; he works all things, and all effectually by the counsel of his own
will; therefore in all thy ways give up thyself to him.
Obs. 2. -
Again, in the second place, (I cannot prosecute many,) God works all things
according to the counsel of his own will. It is an inference that Job makes of
it, chap. xxiii. 13, 14. You shall find there, that Job professeth his
sincerity, how fearful he was of offending God: 'My foot,' saith he, ver. 11,
'hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined;' he obeyed him, he
did not decline the least from his ways; 'neither have I gone back,' saith he,
'from the commandment of his lips: I have esteemed the words of his mouth more
than my necessary food.' What is the reason of all this? It followeth,
according to the coherence, as best interpreters give it, 'He is in one mind,
and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth; he
performeth the thing that is appointed for me, and many such things are with
him.' Saith he, I considered with myself this, that I were as good be subject
to his will, for he will have his will upon me; I cannot resist his will, I
were as good submit; 'he works all things according to the counsel of his
will;' he performeth all things that are 'appointed for me;' he is of one mind,
and I cannot turn him. I must therefore comply with him; hence it was that I
have not gone from the commandment of his lips. I thought it was best to yield
to him, and to give up my will to his. It is a strange argument and you see the
Scripture enforceth it.
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