him the head of his Church visible; whom angels shall acknowledge, whom all things that are in heaven and in earth shall come into, that are his elect, both Jews and Gentiles. This was, saith he, reserved for the fulness of time, to be the business of the latter age. This is the meaning of it.

Obs. 1.-I will come to an observation or two, and so end. You see, my brethren, that there was a fulness of time when Christ came into the world; the world stayed long first, it stayed four thousand years. Learn this observation from it, That if you wait for a great mercy, you must have many times and days run out before the fulness of time cometh to have it. You cannot have a greater instance; for how long did the world stay for Christ? Four thousand years, as I said before. Thou art a poor soul that hast waited for Christ long to come into thy heart; how many years hast thou waited? The world waited four thousand years to have Christ come into it. It is the greatest mercy thou art capable of to have Christ come into thy heart; he is well worthy thy waiting for then. It is no argument that he will not come because he stays long; for should the world have argued, that because he stayed two parts of the three, therefore he would not come at all? No; great mercies are long a-coming, for the Messiah was so. The breaking up of God's heart, of the great design, of all the treasures there, you see it was hid in himself from the beginning of the world for so many thousand years. That is the first observation.

Obs. 2.-The second is this, That God may let men go on in sin long, and give them Christ too, for all that. You see, God let the world go on in sin, try all ways to help themselves, let all the world corrupt their own ways; he did it for a long time, and at last in the fulness of time sent his Son. Thou mayest try all ways; try duties, try what thou canst, how far corrupt nature may go, and God may give thee Christ at last. He did so by the world; after that by their wisdom they knew not God, he sent his Son, made of a woman. When God hath given thee light, and thou hast tried a thousand ways, thy duties, and this and that, to get Christ, and thou hast set up a ladder to heaven, to get Christ this way and that way,-after thou hast tried all things, he sends Christ into thy heart; when thy case is desperate, when thy heart is forlorn, then Christ cometh.

Obs. 3.-There is a third observation, that I will but mention; it is this, That God is the Lord of all time. He appointeth the fulness of times.

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 WILL 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.

The

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. 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.

'Exλngwonuer, that is the word here which is translated 'we have obtained 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 xλñgos, 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 xλñgos, 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 xλngos, 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.

In the second place, it signifieth a part or portion of an inheritance. The word xangos 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 zλngos is taken for a lot. Inheritances, you know, 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 inλngwonuev 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 believers, 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 eternal 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 before 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 aò rou xonoữ 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,' &c. 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.

18. 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,

VOL. I.