MAT. 22. 14.
I Have dispatched the former Proposition, Many are called, and now come to the adversative, or exceptive Proposition, But few are chosen, […]; though this Greek word may sometimes be taken as an adjective, signifying as much as excellent, choice and precious; yet it is here a Participle, and doth not so much denote any inward dignity and excellency, as an external act of God, selecting and choosing some to eternal life, and leaving others; thus the word is used very plainly against the Arminian glosse, that would have it be an Adjective, Mark 13. 20. […] for the Elects sake, whom he hath chosen; So that this word doth signifie an extrinsecal favour and priviledge of God, who doth all things according to his own will; why of these called, God chooseth one and not another, Noli Scrutari, said Augustine, do not curiously pry; and again Quaerat doctiorem, sed caveat ne inveniat praesumptiorem. We cannot tell the reason why of those many called, some have grace given them to obey, and others remain in their obstinacy. And as we cannot tell why this man, and not another; so neither why few, and not many. For as the glory of a King is in the multitude of his Subjects; so we would, think, the glory of God would lie in the multitude of those that are saved, but we see the peremptory assertion in the Text, Few are chosen.
Observ. That of those many who are called, and enjoy the priviledges of grace, few are chosen to eternal life.
Thus Christ called his people A little flock, Luk. 12. 32. Fear not little flock; As the number of precious stones is few to the pibble and gravel ones that lie in the fields; and as the weeds are farre more then the flowers; so its here: In the Church of God there are more that are drosse then gold, more that are stubble for hell fire, then prepared persons for glory.
Now let’s open this Doctrine; And
First, This truth about the paucity of those that are elected, may be handled either sinfully or profitably; sinfully, as when it is treated on onely to satisfie curiosity, and to keep up a meer barren speculative dispute. Thus that man was exercised, who came to our Saviour, and asked him, Whether there were few that should be saved? Luk. 13. 23. Therefore our Saviour did not directly answer to the Question, because he would not nourish that sinful humour in man. This point then of Election but of a remnant and few of mankinde, is not to be agitated in a verbal and contentious way, but in a saving way, to make us tremble, and to set us upon a more diligent and close striving with God in prayer and all other duties. Hence our Saviour though he would not encourage that Questionist in a way of curiosity, yet he did indirectly answer it, by bidding the same person, Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for broad was the way that did lead to death; but narrow was the way that did lead to eternal life, and few enter therein; So then this Doctrine, if any other, should produce sobriety, holy fear and trembling. For what prayer, agonies, conflicts should this work in every hearer?
Secondly, Consider the aggravation of the Doctrine, Many are called and few1 are chosen, even of those that are called; and therefore, as you heard, it is an inference made from the man who came to the feast, sate down with all boldness, and yet because he had no wedding garment, was wholly excluded; and this indeed makes the consideration of this point more terrible and sharp; for had it been said, Of all the men in the world, there are but a few that are elected to eternal glory, this would not have struck so much trembling; for who would not have thought it very probable, that those who are within the Church, those that are within the Ark, none of them should perish? But this should wound at the very heart, that even of those who have called Lord, Lord, who have prophesied, wrought miracles, enjoyed the Ordinances, that an handful of these should be saved: Oh the depths of the counsel of God! How can man sit and hear these things, and not be darted into the very heart? As they cried out when Christ said, One of you shall betray me, Is it I Lord? Is it I Lord? And thus now when the Scripture speaks, Many of you persons called shall be damned, Is not every one to say, Is it I Lord? Is it I Lord?
Thirdly, That notwithstanding few are elected comparatively to those that are left2 by God; yet if you take the number of the elect absolutely in themselves, so there is a great number of them. Hence many are said to come and sit down with Abraham, Matth. 8. 11. in the kingdom of Heaven; and the spiritual seed that is given unto Christ, is very great, compared to the dew of the morning, Psal. 110. Hence in the Revelation you reade of many thousands sealed in every Tribe. It hath been a conceit of some of the Ancients, that so many shall be repaired out of man-kinde, as will make up the number of the Angels that fell. Their opinion is, That for the many Angels that fell, there shall rise up so many men in their room, and God will have that number compleated; but here is no ground for this out of the Scripture; We may truly say, that howsoever it be a few in respect of others, yet it is an All absolutely considered in themselves; and therefore they are sometimes called the world, and all men, as some Divines do expound those places.