354 ETERNAL ELEC'gI fj ON A CAUSE OP, persuasion of their own election; never any, who when they had received it in a due way and manner, that it proved a snare unto them, that it tended to ingenerate looseness of life, unholiness, or a contempt of God in them. Besides, in the scripture, it is still proposed and made use of unto other ends. And thosewho know any thing of the nature of faith, or of the love of God, any thing of intercourse or communion with him by Jesus Christ, any thing of thankfulness, obedience, or holi- ness, will not be easily persuaded, but that God's elect- ing love and grace is a mighty constraining motive unto the dueexercise of them all. Sect. 15. God himself knoweth this to be so: and thereforehe maketh the consideration of his electing love, as free and undeserved, his principal argument to stir up the people unto holy obedience, Deut. vii. 6, 7, 8, 11. And a supposition hereof lies at the bottom of that blessed exhortation of our apostle, Col. iii. 12. "Put s' on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, " bowels ofmercy, kindness, humblenessof mind, meek- ness, long-suffering, forbearingone another, forgiv- " iug one another." These things, which are so great a part of our holiness, become the elect of God; these are required of them on the account of their interest in electing love and grace. Men may framean holiness to themselves, and be stirred up unto it bymotives of their own, (as there is a religion in the world that runs in a parallel line by that of evangelical truth, but toucheth it not, nor will do so to eternity,) but that which the gos- pel requires, is promoted on the grounds and by the motives that are peculiar unto it, whereofthis of God's free electing love and grace is among the principal. Farther, to confirm this truth, I shall instance in some especial graces, duties, and parts of holiness, that this consideration is suited to promote. Sect. 16. (1.) Humility in all things is a necessary consequent of a due consideration of this decree of God; for what were we when he thus set his heart upon us, to choose us, and to do us good for ever? Poor lost un- done creatures, that lay perishing under the guilt of our apostacy from him. What did he see in us, to move him to chooseus, nothing but sin and misery? What did he foresee that we would do of ourselves more than others, if he wrought not in us by his effectual grace? nothing but a continuance in sin and rebellion against him, and that for ever. How should the thoughts men's present concernment therein, it is infallibly assu- red unto them by its effects; and, being so, it is filled with motives unto holiness, as we shall, now further de- clare in particular. First, The sovereign and ever to be adored grace and love of God herein, is a powerful motive hereunto: for we have no way to express our resentment of this grace, our acknowledgment of it, our thankfulness for it, but by an holy fruitful course of obedience; nor doth God, on the account thereof, require any thing else of us, Let us therefore inquire, what sense and obligation this puts upon us, that God, fróm all eternity, out of his mere sovereign grace, not moved by any thing in our- selves, should first choose us unto life and salvation by Jesus Christ, decreeing immutably to save us out of the perishing multitude of mankind, fromwhom we neither then did in his eye or consideration, nor by any thing in ourselves, ever would differ in the least? What im- pression doth this make upon our souls? what conclu- sion, as to our practice and obedience, do we hence educe? " Why," saith one, '5 if God hath thus chosen 55 me, i may then live in sin as I please, all will be i{ well and safe in the latter end, which is all I need i{ care for." But this is the language of a devil, and not of a man. Suggestions possibly of this nature, by the craft of Satan, in conjunction with the deceitfulness of sin, may be injected into the minds of believers, as what may not so be? But he that shall foment, embrace, and act practically according to this inference, is such a monster of impiety and presumptuous ingratitude, as hell itself cannot parallel, in many instances. I shall use some boldness in this matter. He that doth not understand, who is not sensible, that an apprehension, by faith, of God's electing love in Christ, bath a natu- ral, immediate, powerful influence upon the souls of believers, unto the love of God and holy obedience, is utterly unacquainted with the nature of faith, and its whole work and actings towards God, in the hearts of them that believe. Is it possible, that any one who knows these things, can suppose, that those in whom they are in sincerity and power, can be such stupid, impious, and ungrateful monsters, so devoid of all holy ingenuity, and filial affections towards God, as merely out of despight unto him, to cast poison into the spring of all their own mercies? Many have I known complain, that they could not arrive at a comfdctable
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