Four useful discourses viz. ... /Four usefull discourses viz. ... /

That all those that are good Hearers,¹ and Entertainers of the Ministry of the Gospel that comes to any place, they are such as are appointed from all Eternity to enjoy the Peace of the Gospel. Judas was not more a Son of Perdition, than such a one is a Son of Peace. That is, There was no more Evidence that Judas was appointed to Eternal perdition, than there is certain Evidence that such a one is appointed from all Eternity to enjoy the Benefit of the Gospel.

1. 1Doct.

I shall give you these two Scriptures for it, the first is in Acts 2. latter end, And the Lord added to the Church, (that is, Converted to Himself, made His Gospel effectual) daily such as should be saved; such as were appointed to be Saved. And another Scripture there is, which saith, That all those which were ordained to Eternal Life, believed. But above all, I will give you this one Scripture, in 1 Thes. it is a most excellent Text for this purpose, and a mighty Encouraging Text to all those, that shall be found good Hearers of the Gospel: Chap. 1. 4, 5. Knowing, Brethren beloved, your Election of God. We know that you are those whom God hath Eternally Elected: How do you know that? Were you in the ⟨p. 175⟩Counsel of God, in Gods Treasury, to know what His Thoughts were: How can you tell the Election of God? Mark, The Words following doth give you the Reason for what He saith, knowing your Election of God: For our Gospel came not unto you in Word only, but also in Power. Indeed when the Gospel comes to a place, if it comes in Word only unto a Congregation, they come indeed to hear, and flock to hear what a Man can say; This is no Argument of a Mans Election: but when it comes not only in Word but in Power, when you begin to feel the Power of the Word upon your Hearts. Though you come, it may be, at first out of Curiosity and Novelty, and took notice of nothing that would be done; but when you came there, the Gospel took hold upon your Spirits, and over-powered your Hearts. Now by that you may know, that you are one that are appointed unto the Benefit of the Gospel of Peace, that you are Elected of God. Those Souls that feel the Power of the Gospel upon them, may know certainly that they were Elected from all Eternity. As if God should Speak from Heaven, and say, Such a Man or Woman, they are Elected from all Eternity; we may now as well doubt of that Voice, as we may doubt of a Man or Woman, that hath the power of the Gospel upon their Hearts: So that is appears by this Text, that where there are good Hearers of the Gospel, they are the Sons of Peace; that is, appointed for all Eternity to have the benefit of Peace. And there are these particulars in this: