CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

I therefore pass on to the effect of both these divine causes of our Salvation; There was you heard the efficient cause Gods Election, the meritorious cause Christ, and now we have the effect of these, which is by way of sign to describe who they are that are the Lords, and thus given to Christ, for they being hidden causes, and every one apt to pretend to them; This is the differencing and evidencing mark, They keep the Word of God, So that by this we see who are truly and indeed given of God to Christ, even such as keep his Word; He doth not say, that heareth it or remembers it, or that understands it, but that keeps it; The Scripture hath equivalent expressions to this, sometimes John 8.31. it's called continuing in his Word, because it's not enough for a while to cleave to it unless we persevere; The Scripture giveth sad Instances of many that did not only hear but with joy for a season did receive Christs Word, yet they did not hold it fast to the end, they did not [Greek or Hebrew] as it is Mat. 13. against ⟨p. 182⟩all opposition whatsoever; The contrary to this is in the same Chapter, v. 37. My Word hath no place in you; Our Saviour speaks it there as the cause of all the wickedness that the Jews committed, because his Word had no room in their hearts, You seek to kill me because my Word hath no place in you; This expression seemeth to denote such as are hardened and given up to a reprobate sense, for the godly sometimes may not understand or delight, and receive the Word, but that the Word should at no time find any place in a mans heart, that is the mark of an hardened sinner, look to it then and tremble all you who have many years lived under the Word preached, and yet to this day it hath had no place in your hearts, This is the dreadful condition of many thousand hearers, sometimes this keeping of the Word is called hearing of the Word, as in the same Chapter, v. 43. Ye cannot hear my Word because ye are not of God, where hearing the Antecedent is put for the consequent obedience, and the reason is because Faith and Obedience comes by hearing, and those that delight and are swift to hear are commonly such as are ready to obey:

I therefore passe on to the effect of both these divine causes of our Salvation; There was you heard the efficient cause Gods Election, the meritorious cause Christ, and now we have the effect of these, which is by way of signe to describe who they are that are the Lords, and thus given to Christ, for they being hidden causes, and every one apt to pretend to them; This is the differencing and evidencing mark, They keep the Word of God, So that by this we see who are truly and indeed given of God to Christ, even such as keep his Word; He doth not say, that heareth it or remembers it, or that understands it, but that keeps it; The Scripture hath equivalent expressions to this, sometimes