I answer, Thought
there lieth no engagement upon God for any worthiness that is in man, yet there
lieth a great deal upon God for the worthiness that is in himself. God has
engaged himself with his having chosen them to be a people to himself, and by
this means they are so secured from all that all can do against them, that the
apostle is bold, upon this very account, to challenge all despite to do its
worst against them, saying, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's
elect?" (Rom 8:33). Who? saith Satan; why, that will I. Ay, saith he, but
who can do it, and prevail? "It is God that justifieth, who is he that
condemneth?" (ver. 34). By which words the apostle clearly declareth that
charges against the elect, though they may be brought against them, must needs
prove ineffectual as to their condemnation; because their Lord God still will
justify, for that Christ has died for them. Besides, a little to enlarge, the
elect are bound to God by a sevenfold cord, and a threefold one is not quickly
broken.
(1.) Election is
eternal as God himself, and so without variableness or shadow of change, and
hence it is called "an eternal purpose," and a "purpose of
God" that must stand (Eph 3:11; Rom 9:11). (2.) Election is absolute, not
conditional; and, therefore, cannot be overthrown by the sin of the man that is
wrapped up therein. No works foreseen to be in us was the cause of God's
choosing us; no sin in us shall frustrate or make election void-"Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth" (Rom
8:33; 9:11). (3.) By the act of election the children are involved, wrapped up,
and covered in Christ; he hath chosen us in him; not in ourselves, not in our
virtues, no, not for or because of anything, but of his own will (Eph 1:4-11).
(4.) Election included in it a permanent resolution of God to glorify his
mercy on the vessels of mercy, thus foreordained unto glory (Rom 9:15,18,23).
(5.) By the act of electing love, it is concluded that all things whatsoever
shall work together for the good of them whose call to God is the fruit of this
purpose, this eternal purpose of God (Rom 8:28-30). (6.)
The eternal
inheritance is by a covenant of free and unchangeable grace made over to those
thus chosen; and to secure them from the fruits of sin, and from the malice of
Satan, it is sealed by this our Advocate's blood, as he is Mediator of this
covenant, who also is become surety to God for them; to wit, to see them
forthcoming at the great day, and to set them then safe and sound before his
Father's face after the judgment is over (Rom 9:23; Heb 7:22; 9:15,17-24;
13:20; John 10:28,29). (7.) By this choice, purpose, and decree, the elect, the
concerned therein, have allotted them by God, and laid up for them, in Christ, sufficiency of grace to bring them through all difficulties to glory; yea,
and they, every one of them, after the first act of faith-the which also they
shall certainly attain, because wrapped up in the promise for them-are to
receive the earnest and first-fruits thereof into their souls (II Tim 1:9; Acts
14:22; Eph 1:4,5,13,14).
Now, put all these
things together, and then feel if there be no weight in this plea of Christ
against the devil. He pleads God's choice and interest in his saints against
his interest that is secured by the wisdom of heaven, by the grace of
heaven, by the power, will, and mercy of God, in Christ-an interest in which
all the three Persons in the Godhead have engaged themselves, by mutual
agreement and operation, to make good when Satan has done his all. I know some object against this doctrine as false; but such, perhaps, are
ignorant of some things else as well as of this. However, they object against
the wisdom of God, whose truth it is, and against Christ our Advocate, whose
argument, as he is such, it is; yea, they labor, what in them lieth, to wrest
that weapon out of his hand, with which he so cudgeled the enemy when, as
Advocate, he pleadeth so effectually against him for the rescuing of us from
the danger of judgment, saying, "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the
Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee."
