or embrace the call of Jesus Christ unto grace and glory And in answer to this I shal lay down onely four suggestions of the Devil wherewith he entangles a man that he should not yeild to the cal of Jesus Christ And as I lay them down I shal labour to take them a way As 1. The first temptation the Devil wil suggest is to you that are young men and to you he wil suggest that you are yet too young to embrace the call of Jesus Christ 't wil be time enough hereafter and you may do it soon enough hereafter you are two young now to be abridg'd of your pleasure and to mortifie your lusts and to betake your selves unto so serious a course as Christ cals you to and by this temptation the Devil prevails with young men more especially And I remember Austine saith that this temptation of the Devil made him keep off for seven years together from embracing the cal of Jesus Christ the Devil would stil tel him in his heart thou art too young to leave thy Drunkennesse and too young to leave thy Harlots til at last he cryed out How long shal I say it is too soon Why may I not repent to day This temptation I say it hath fastened upon many before you that they were too young to come in to Jesus Christ and to this end the Devil wil suggest to you that old and false Proverb A young Saint and an old Devil Whereas indeed if you are young Devils you wil be old Beelzebubs And therefore this being a suggestion prevailing witâ— many hearts I shal lay down six considerations to take off this temptation that it may not prevail with you First If the Devil tempt you that you are too young to hearken to Christs cal consider That the Devil cannot give you a Lease of your lives if the Devil could give you a Lease of your lives and tell you you should live til old age you might then with more safety harken to his temptation but your lives are not at the Devils disposal God is the Author of your life the issues of life and death are in his hands you may die in youth uncalled you may be damned as wel as dead You may be as these men Job 36.14 that shall die in their youth and their lives shall be among the unclean And therefore though the Devil tempt you that you are too young seeing he cannoâ— assure you of your lives you have no reason to hearken to his temptation Secondly Suppose the Devil could assure you you should live til old age yet take this consideration that in putting off your calling and the work of conversion from your youth this may so provoke God that he may harden your hearts in your old daies that you shal have no heart to think of and embrace the call and invitation of Jesus Christ Jer. 22.21 I spake to thee in thy prosperity but thou wouldst not hear and this hath been thy manner frâ—m thy youth Thou wouldst not obey my voyce God spake but they would not hear and it was from their youth that they did thus therefore God would never speak more God hardened their hearts that they should never receive or embrace the cal of Jesus Christ So Isa 6.9 10. Seeing the Jewes from their youth were obstinate against the word of God Go saith God make their ears heavy and their hearts fat and their eyes blind that they should not be called and converted and I should save them Let this therefore be a second consideration that the putting off your cal til your old age may so provoke God as never to give you hearts to embrace his cal Thirdly Suppose al this that you could have a Lease of your lives and you could be assured that when you come to old age your hearts should not be hardened yet consider this that the more sinful and evil the daies of your youth have been the more disquietnesse of minde and horror of conscience will this breed in you when you are old though you shal be called and converted by Jesus Christ Job 13.24.25 26. Thou â—idest thy face thou holdest me as thy Enemy Thou dost drive me as a leaf to and fro and thou dost pursue me like dry stubbâ—e Now why doth Job complain thus Mark the next words For thâ—u writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth Job when he was a young man it seemâ— he was a wicked man and had many sins in his youth and this in his old age made him cry out and say that God took him for his Enemy and that God brake him like a leafe driven with the wind O beloved the sins of your youth though you should be Jobs converted yet they wil bring great disquietnesse and great horroâ— when you come to age the lusts of youth and the vanities of youth and the sensual pleasures of your youthful daies they wil lay a foundation of sorrow when you come to gray hairs to be neare your graves so Job 20.11 And therefore put the case you should repent and should be called when you are old you have no cause to put off the cal of Jesus Christ seeing sins of youth wil fill you with horror and disquietnesse of minde Hence it is that David after he was call'd by the power of the word cries out Psal 25. Lord remember not the sins of my youth that gravelled and gall'd his conscience the sins of his youth before his cal It is the speech of an Author that to look on the pleasurable vanities and contents of youth this wil become an heavy burden and bitter vexation to old age Beloved the more evil you run out into in your youthful daies the greater and deeper foundation of disquietnesse and sorrow you lay in your souls in your latter daies though you should be called by Jesus Christ 4. If the Devil suggest that you are too young to embrace the invitation of Christ consider That Jesus Christ wll take it most kindly at your hands if while you are young you wil give entertainment to his cal Jer. 2.2 I remember thee saith the Lord and the kindnesse of thy youth that thou wouldst follow me in the Wildernesse in a land that was not sown Mark how the Lord speaks and how kindly he takes it that they would in their youth follow God the Lord wil remember it and take it acceptable from you if while you are young while the Marrow is in your bones and strength in your joynts you wil embrace the waies of Jesus Christ It is an observation that some have concerning the Beloved Disciple John John 20. He is called the Disciple whom Christ loved and that leaned upon his brest of al the other eleven Disciples Christ did love John above the rest and Divines give this reason of it John was the youngest of al the Disciples he was converted and called by Christ when he was a young
love the Word of Christ that was an instrument of his calling and the Minister that preach'd that word which was the meanes by which he was called and try your selves by these Many of you haply have some good wrought as you think upon you and some change in you but truly let me tell you this if you are persons that are out of love with the word if you are out of love with those Ministers God made instrumental to convert you you have just cause to suspect your calling for you see throughout the whole course of Scripture their hearts did cleave with love to them that called them And therefore they that can slight and contemn those Ministers by whose Ministry they were brought home to Jesus Christ they have just cause of jealousie to suspect their Call Again 3. If God hath effectually called you he will by his Spirit bring you out of a state of ignorance and darkness and give you some measure of knowledge to be acquainted both with the mysteries of God and Christ and the sinfulnesse of your selves more then ever you were before This the Apostle Peter intimates 1 Pet. 2. ver 9. You are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a peculiar people that you may shew forth the praise of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light i.e. out of ignorance into a great measure of knowledge And it is called a marvellous light 1. Because it is marvellous if you compare that knowledge you shal have under the Gospel with what men had under the Law 2. It is marvellous because men are astonish'd that they should after so long a night of ignorance come to so great a measure of knowledge 3. It is called marvellous because it is so contrary to that condition they were formerly in As if a man that hath lain long in a dark dungeon should be suddenly called into a glorious Palace the Palace would seem more glorious because it is so contrary to the dark Prison So this work of God when he calls you it is marvellous light because it is so contrary to the condition you were in before your calling Isa 30.26 Acts 26.18 He hath sent his word to call you from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God 4. It is a marvellous light because such as none but the Mediator could procure it Isa 42.6 7. I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles 5. It is a marvellous light because a light that shines out of darknesse 2 Cor. 4.6 God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse 6. It is a marvellous light because it hath more force then any other light 't is called the light of life John 8.12 Now this call from darkness to light hath two branches 1. A man shal have more Light to have more acquaintance with and more clearness in the mysteries of Jesus Christ And 2. more Light to know the sinfulness of himself First He shal have more Light to know the mysteries of Jesus Christ And hence it is that Paul tels us Gal. 1.16 It pleased God to call me by his grace and to reveal his Son in me implying that where God by his grace doth call a sinner he doth reveal his Son unto him Wherefore Beloved if Jesus Christ be not made known to your soules if you have no competent measure of the knowledge of Christ you may be under this conviction that you are not yet called by Jesus Christ Nay further he doth not only call you unto this Light to manifest Jesus Christ to you in some dim way but you shal have a clear light 2 Cor. 4.6 For Gâ—d who commanded light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts not in a dim but shining light to give us the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ that is you have a cleer light to know God in the face of Christ you cannot know God in himself but in the person of Christ you shall have light to know him This therefore is the first Branch That God will put a light into thy soul whereby thou shalt have a clear knowledge of the things appertaining to Jesus Christ Again Secondly This shall not only reveal Christ to thee but this light shal also reveal thy Selfe to thee the sinfulness of thy self It is observable of Paul that before his calling he was after the law blameless he thought himself to be a faultless man but when the word called him then he cries out I see sin to be exceeding sinfull then he saw sin to be sin and himâ—elfe to be a vile and wretched man And therefore Beloved any of you that have not this marvellous light in your souls neither to know God nor to know Jesus Christ nor the matters appertaining to him nor to know the sinfulnesse of your own hearts take it from God you are not effectually called either these passages in Scripture must be rased out or else your callâ—ng must not be sound and therefore take heed I would fain mâ—ke my Ministry searching that hypocrites may not lie lurking under it You would be better Christians if you were better acquainted with all that unsoundness and that wretchedness of heart that is in you and therefore I intreat you look about you Though I would have no godly man discouraged by this that is spoken but that you that are not yet called might have your hearts a little staggered by what is and wil be said 3. A man effectually called is cast out of himself and cleaves to and closeth with Jesus Christ with more complacencie and contentment then ever he could do in all his life before John 6.45 He that hath heard and learned of the father shal come unto mâ— he doth not say all they that hear of the father many men doe hear the word but never close in with Christ but all they that have heard and by hearing have learnt and are called come unto me and close in with me and cleave to me and take content and delight in me Beloved there are many that hear the word yet never goe out of themselves and never close in with Christ yea but all they that hear and learn that hear and are called by hearing they all come in to Jesus Christ Wherefore all you that in hearing cannot finde your hearts in love with Christ cannot finde your hearts to close in with Christ and believe in Christ you have just cause to suspect your call that your calling is not effectual 1 Cor. 1.24 The Apostle tels you there were other men counted Christ foolishness but to you that are called Christ is the power and wisdome of God that is you do acknowlâ—dge and you do conceive of Jesus Christ that he hath as much power as God hath in him and as much wisdome as God hath in him and you close in with Chrrst for that end when other men think Christ to be
to salvation Secondly though men have been notoriously wicked in their lives before calling yet if this notorious wickedness doth lay any engagement upon them to make them labour to be more eminent in grace after calling this is rather a sign of election then reprobation It is observable in Paul he was a notorious wicked man before his call but now this exceeding wickednesse of his before call did engage him to labour to exceed all others in goodnesse after he was converted and the more evil he was before the more holy he labours to be after As he laboured before to hale men to prison for professing Jesus Christ he is now as zealous to draw men to Jesus Christ after his call he was very industrious to do evil before his call and this made him after his call as he saith himself I was in labours more aboundant then they all And so Mary Magdalen who before her calling was a vile woman one that was a common harlot a woman out of whom Jesus Christ cast seven devils and yet this woman after her calling she laboured to be more eminent in godly sorrow then any woman before or since she washed Christs feet with her teares and wiped them with the haires of her head The like of which you do not read of any woman in Scripture And this was a very good sign when your notoriousness in waias of sin before calling shall lay such an engagement upon you to become more eminent in grace after calling this is a very good encouragement or evidence that you are within the compasse of Gods election and therefore you have no cause to be discouraged Suppose before the word laid hold upon your conscience you were guilty of filthy sins not fit to be named in the congregation if you will the more honour God and praise God now and walk more humbly and labour to excell each other in grace now as you did in sin in times past This is a great sign that you are in the compasse of Gods Elect ones Thirdly you that have been scandalous in your lives before calling for your comfort know that God in his eternal counsel doth commonly make the profane and wicked and the worst of men the objects of his election rather then civil honest men rather then men that are of an honest and civil and moral conversation here in this world And the Lord doth it upon this ground the more to magnifie the freenesse and the riches of his own grace in electing men to life For should God only chuse moderate and civil honest men in the world men would be apt to think it is that mans morality and that mas civility that was the motice which provoked God to elect them and therefore God to overthrow these thoughts he lets electfon runne rather unto men that have been notoriously grosse and sinful in â—heir lives then other men Manasseh a notorious bloody man yet falls within the compassâ— of Gods election when many a civil man is left out Maâ—y a common harlot yet chosen when many a modest chaste woman was cast into hell Matth. 21.31 32. That Christ urgeth a parable of two men One that said he would go and follow Christ but did not and the other said he would not go but did now which of these twain did the will of Christ and they said the first And Jesus said unto them Verily I say unto you that publicans and harlots shall go into heaven before you But you will say was this common this was onely one single time therefore mark the next words For Johâ— came to you in the way of righteousness and you believed not but the publicans and harlots believed in Christ John came preaching and you would not believe you Phrisees strict moral men that did not flie out into such scandals as other men did you would not believe saith Christ but Publicans men that were most addicted to extortion and unconscionable gain they imbraced Jesus Christ when moral men would not This therefore should be another comfort for you that many times election runns rather to the profaner sort of men then to men that are civil and righteous dealing men here in the world and this God hoth to magnifie the riches of his own grace Fourthly that it is no matter what you were before your callâ—ng if you are a repentant and holy people after your former miscarriages shall no way prejudice your future blessednesse 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Neither Fornicator nor Idolater nor Adulâ—erer nor envious nor thiefe nor covetâ—us nor reviler shall enter â—nto the Kingdome of Heaven and such were some of you c. Here you see a Catalogue of vile evils heaped together and such wâ—re some of you but now you are washed now you are sanctified â— So that no matter what you were before conversion though guilty of great sins so you are now a reformed people now a sanctified people Titus 3.3 We our selves were sometimeâ— foolish disâ—bedient decieved serving divers lusts and pleasures and living in malice and envy c. You were so but after the kindness love of God appeared to you after they were converted they were not so So that these four particulars wil clearly take off this objection that no matter what you were before conversion if you are now a repentant people and bewail your evils and reform your waies your former ill led life will be no hindrance at all to your election Indeed this I must needs say that you that have been most notorious in sin God expects this at your hands that you be most eminent in grace most deep in humiliation most eminent in godly sorrow though your former evils do no way prejudice your election Secondly if the devil cannot fasten this upon you he will come upon you with this assâ—ult viz. your frequent falling into scandalous and foul and grosse enormities after you took upon you a profession of Jesus Christ And this the devil will lay close happily sin before conversion was not so great but now since you have followed Sermons and since you have professed Jesus Christ since that time you have fallen foulely into grosse and scandalous sins and surely this is inconsistent with grace and cannot befal persons within the compasse of Gods election And I confesse this is both sad and hazardous yet I shall lay down three things to uphold thee that yet for all this thou maiest be within the compasse of Gods election As First that divers persons that were within the compasse of Gods election have fallen foulely into grosse sins after their call Lot after he was called fell to be incestuous and fell to drunkenesse David after he was called fell into Adultery Peter after he was called fell to a denial of Jesus Christ Yea you read of Solomon 1 Kings 11.9 That his heart was tuâ—ned from the Lord after the Lord had revealed himself unto him twice After God had revealed himself to Solomon and converted him
it be true or no there may be an external Call when there is no inward calling by the operation of the Spirit upon your hearts In the managing of this Point I shal shew you these three things First What effectual Calling is Secondly Why you are required to put forth a great deal of diligence to make your Calling sure to your souls Thirdly By what Characters or Discoveries you â—ay be assured in your own hearts that you are effectually callâ—â— First What Effectual Calling is You say we must make it sure therefore what is the nature of it For answer you may take this description of it Effectual Calling is the fruit of Gods Election whereby God of his free grace works a wonderful change in the heart of an Elect person by the inward operation of the Spirit accompanying the outward Ministry of the word by vertue of which the soul is brought from under the dominion of sin and Satan into a state of grace and so made meet for the enjoyment of God in glory Now I shal not take this apart but commit it to your memory and judgment to apprehend Onely in this description there are laid down foure differences to distinguish effectual Calling from that ordinary or outward Calling that wicked men have by the Ministry of the word As 1. Effectual Calling in the description is said to be a fruit of Gods Election but outward or general Calling is a fruit only of common providence God by an over-ruling providence sends the Gospel among a people and thereby calls them to an outward compliance and conformity but effectual Calling is a fruit of Gods Election 2. It is said in the description that Effectual Calling it changes the heart whereby God works a wonderfull change in the heart but an external Calling no way reacheth the heart onely worketh some kind of civil or common alteration in the life 3. It 's said Effâ—ctual Calling is wrought by the inward operation of the Spirit accompanying the outward Ministry of the word whereas an External Call is onely by the word but no inward saving worke of the Spirit at all 4. It 's said of Effâ—ctual Calling that it is from the Dominion of sin but External Calling is onely from the external acts of sin Indeed by an external calling the word may have that power over a man as to restrain and keep in the visâ—ble and external actings of sin but it no way works upon the inclination to take off the affection from sin whereas the effectual Calling works upon the heart and works to the subduing and destroying of the power of sin as well as the actings of it Secondly Why doth God require that we should put forth such great diligence in making sure that we are effectually called by the Spirit of Jesus Christ in the Gospel There are three Reasons why this should be First Because there are many professing the Gospel that do harbour ungrounded perswasions that they are effectually called when they are not Now if any men be deceived why may not you And if any are apt to be deceived about this matter have not you great cause to be diligent lest you are deceived also The Jewes of old they boasted of their Calling and said We have Abraham to our father but Christ confuts that If you were Abrahams children saith he you would do the works of Abraham but you seek to kill me which Abraham did not But then they go higher John 8.46 they were effectually called For God is our Father No saith Christ You are of your father the Devil Thus many men run into these grosse mistakes to beleive they are effectually called when they are not Many are called outwardly that are not called effectually Matth. 22.14 And therefore it concerns you not to be deceived in this great businesse Secondly Because there is this natural aptnesse in all of us in things that are of any value concerning the body you will be sure to make sure of them It may be if you have Brasse and Pewter or baser Mettals your Kitchin shall serve for that but things of greater value as Pearls and Diamonds they must be in the Closet and in a Cabinet in that Closet you will be sure to ensure them Why how much more should you ensure this great and precious Jewel of Effectual Calling that so much concerns your immortal souls When you buy Land you will be sure your Title is good to draw up your evidences so as to be firm in Law You know Merchants if they venture a great or most part of their estate at sea where happily there may be hazard in the Voyage they will run speedily to ensure a great part of their Commodities Beloved this should you do this body of yours is the Ship and the Merchandize and Freight in this Ship is your souls and this Ship is going a great Voyage to Glory Glory is the Port whither this Ship is to come you shall meet with many dangers in your way haply with storms and tempests of temptation yea haply you may run upon the rocks of presumption or quick-sands of despair O now run to the ensuring Office what 's that why run to seek the Testimony of Christs Spirit in your own spirit by the word to evidence unto you upon good ground that the Ship shall be safe and the Commodities brought secure to the Haven that Ship Body Soul and all shall come safe to Heaven Beloved if men will thus ensure their Estates you have much more reason to ensure your souls For believe it if you make not sure your souls if you suffer shipwrack ye are â—urned Bankrupts presently Bankrupt to God you lose him for ever It is said of an old Usurer That when any man came to borrow money of him he would hardly trust one in twenty and being ask'd the reason Why he would do so O saith he it is good to be sure Why Beloved shall a Usurer in all his wayes be so secure and so heedful in all his disbursments that he could say It is good to be sure and may not I much more say to you It is good to be sure of Heaven it is good to be sure you are effectually called by Jesus Christ it is good to be sure that you are Christians in truth not in name onely that you are Christians in Deed not in Profession onely O it is good to make your Calling and Election sure Thirdly Christians should labour to assure this because the more assured you are of your Effectual Calling the more it will heighten and increase your inward peace and Comfort 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory It is very observable that in all the Epistles of the new Testament where the Apostle speaks of their effectual calling to be Saints in the very next verse he salutes them with these words Grace and Peace be towards you 1 Cor. 1.2 You are called to be Saints
foolish and Christ weak men uncall'd they have low thoughts of Christ but to you that are called Christ is the power and wisdome of God You will have high thoughts of Jesus Christ if you are effectually called 4. That man that is effectually called he shall be inabled by the spirit of Christ to call upon God 1 Cor. 1.2 To all in Corinth called to be Saints with all that call upon the name of the Lord. There the Apostle joynes called to be Saints with this phrase to call upon God to shew that whoever is effectually called to be a Saint that man shall be inabled by the Spirit of Jesus to call upon God Psal 27.8 When thou saidest Seek my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek Hence ye read Acts 9.11 when Ananias doubted whether Paul was truly call'd or no and Jesus Christ would convince Ananias that he was truly call'd what means doth he use verse 11. do not suspect him but arise saith Christ and go to him into the street called straight and inquire at the house of Judas for one Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth If he were not called he would never go to God in such a cordial way and humble his soul before God for his by past failings and beg strength for time to come and labour to have his peace made with me Go to him for behold he prayeth and therefore all you that have not a spirit in any measure to call upon God and to pour forth your requests in a solemn prayer you have just cause of jealousie to suspect your Call 5. If you are effectually called God hath wrought in your souls an utter detestation and loathing of all the evils that in the former part of your lives before your calling you have committed and were guilty of Hos 14.8 Ephraim shall say what have I any more to do with Idols The interogation imports a vehement detestation of them and indignation against them 2 Cor. 7.11 the Apostle speaks there of repentance the same with calling when men come to have the work of grace in their hearts and this is a branch of it that godly sorrow causeth care and causeth feare and causeth indignation that is if any man be a repenting man and a converted man this conversion will cause indignation that is he will be even mad with himselfe and angry with himselfe that he should be so vile a wretch before conversion as he hath been Thus was Paul he speakes with indignation against the sins he was guilty of before his calling I have been a persecutor I have hal'd the Saints into prison Nay saith he I was even mad against the Church Beloved you will count your sins to be madnesse and count them to be greatly aggravated that were committed before God call'd you Anselm said to his body I 'le tame thee O unruly beasâ— with fasting and prayâ—r We read of one that bit off his tongue in indignation that therewith he had denied Jesus Christ Another Martyr put that hand first into the fire with which he had subscribed a recantation saying Burn thou O hand that didst subscribe to that which might have made me burn both body and soul in hell And therefore you that have no loathing thoughts against past deceit and past drunkennesse and past swearing and past evils suspect your calling You that do not abhor the thoughts of your formeâ— evils your wonted pride and wonted covetousnesse if you cannot look with indignation against these you have great cause to suspect your call For if God have called you he will make you even angry with your selves that ever you have been so vile as you have been Hence it is when God speaks of Israels conversion Isa 2.20 't is said they shall cast away their Idols from them they shall cast away their sins as with indignation against themselves because they have sinned And hence in the Prophesie of Ezek. 20.43 the Prophet tels them that for the evils they had done they should loath themselves in their own eyes their indignation should be so great against themselves that ever they should be so vile against God before their call So David with indignation saith after he had recovered himselfe and brought his heart into a repentant frame so foolish was I and Ignorant Psal 73.22 Now Beloved I would hear appeale unto you I will judge no man let your own consciences passe sentence upon you But let me appeale to your selves Have not many of you before these times been opposers of Religion men walking in ungodly lewd and profane courses of living haply now you are moulded into a form of Profession now you hear the Word speak wel of Ministers now you cry up Government many your plausible wayâ—s and actions you can carry on but what is in your hearts Have you indignation against your past persecution and evils If not belieâ—e it though you go far I fear you may comâ— short of heaven your calling is not real if you have not indignation â—nâ— wrath against your former sins commitâ—ed And therefore O what a sad word is this to all â—nsensible sinners that are men that never had their hearts touch'd with remorse for any evil What a sad word is this to you that have been drunk week aâ—â—er week and sworn day after day and dâ—câ—ived hour after hour and been unclean time after time and yet all these evils never touch'd the heart Truly you have grâ—at cause to fear that God hath not yet â—ffâ—ctually called you by Jesus Christ 6. The man that is effâ—ctually callâ—d his spirit is brought into an obediâ—ntial frame to yield obedience to the commands of Jesus Christ if God call you by his Spirit he will not leave you to the exorbitancies of your own wayes and will but he will bring you to a yeeldingnesse of heart to all his commands Rom. 15.6 We have received grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith among all Nations among whom you are also the called of Jesus Christ The Apostle did not alone receive grace for obedience but the same was among them also You receive grace for the obedience of faith So that now if you are the called of Jesus Christ the Lord hath this work upon you he doth bring you to the obedience of faith that is he doth work in your souls a yeelding frame to obey all the commands of Jesus Christ and therefore any of you that stand out with stoutnesse of heart against Jesus Christ let Christ say what he will you will do what you list let him command what he will you will do what you please you that stand out thus with gainsaying of spirit against Jesus Christ you have great cause to suspect your Call Again 7. A man effectually called by Jesus Christ he will be mis-called and reproach'd by the men of the world John 15.19 If you were of the world the world would love his own but because you are not of
in heaven 3. God calls thee from bondage to libertie In the time that thou art uncalled thou art in bondage 2 Pet 2.19 they are the servants of Corruption c. in bondage to thy lusts and bondage to thy Passion and a slave to the world thou art in bondage under the Law under the curse and rigour and condemnation of it but now Jesus Christ if he have called thee he hath called thee to liberty Gal 5.13 You are called to liberty only use not liberty as a Cloak to wickedness Before calling 2 Tim. 2.25 you are in Sathans snares but after calling you are set at liberty you are freed from the guilt and freed from the bondage of your sin 4. You are called from a condition of estrangednesse into an intimate familiaritie and fellowship with Jesus Christ Before calling you are Strangers from the life of grace Ephes 4.18 You are without God in the world strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel Ephes 2.12 But when God calls you he cals you from the condition of a stranger and brings you into friendship and fellowship with Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom you are called into the fellowship of his Son You who were without Christ before calling being called you enjoy neer familiaritie with his Son 5. You are called from Sathan unto God Acts 26.18 He hath sent forth his word among you to bring you from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan to God Sathan who was thy lord and was thy master and ruler thou art now from under his clutches and brought under the dominion and subjection of thy Goâ— 6. When God effectually calls thee thou art brought from a state of enmitie against God to a state of amitie and reconciliation towards him and Jesus Christ and all the things of God Col. 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts for to this ye are called and be ye thankful God hath called you to peace he hath not called you to wrath Before Calling God and thy soul were the most inveterate enemies in all the world After Calling God and thou are of enemies become the greatest friends You are called to peace therefore be thankful 7. You are called from state of shame to a state of glory Before you are called you are vile shameful creatures in Gods sight when Gon cals you he cals you into a condition of glory 1 Pet. 5.10 Who hath called us to his eternall glory and 1 Thes 2.12 Since thou wast precacus in my sight and I have loved thee thou becamest honouâ—able Isa 43. 1 Pet. 2.6 To you that beleive Christ is precious or as it is in the Greek he is an honour to you Jesus Christ when once you are called to a believeing state he is not onely precious to you and prizâ—d of you but he is an honour to you This then you are to consider that uncâ—lled you are in a shameful condition â—o badg of honour lies upon you but when once you are called by Christ he becomes an honour to you 8. And lastly which shall be accomplished in the end you shall be called from earth to heaven and from the grave to glory this shall be your call after death Now put all these Eight together To be called from ignorance to knowledge from sin to grace from bondage to liberty from estrangement to fellowship with Jesus Christ from a state of enmitie to a state of amitie and reconciliation with God and man from shame to glory and from earth to heaven and should not this mightily highten your joy and greaten your praises in magnifying the grace of God in your hearts Secondly Again The consideration of this As From what and To what so For what you are called should greaten your praises Now for what are you called You are called meerly according to the purpose of his own grace neither foreseen works nor good education nor grace in you none of all these were motives in Gods brest to call you And hence you may see it was nothing in you because there were many things in us might move God not to call us We have often withstood his call we have often strangled the motions of his Spirit in our hearts we have often carried gain-saying hearts to the wooings of the Ministers of Christ So that it is nothing in us but meerly his own grace that conquers our unholinesse and conquers our unwillingnesse and overcomes that stoutnesse of that is in us meerly the grace and goodnesse of Jesus Christ Now summ up all these together and revolve them in your hearts and you will see what great cause you have to live in magnifying of Jesus Christ SERMON IV. 2. Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure IN the prosecution of these words the Doctrine I drew from the first particular dutie injoyned was this That Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ In the handling of which I have gone over several particulars I now come to lay down some Propositions or Conclusions about Effectuall Calling and I shall name twenty in all First Ten sad Conclusions to all those men who are not effectully called Secondly Ten consolatory conclusions to all those men that are effectually called by Jesus Christ and mixing conclusions procuring terror to the wicked and such as procure comfort to the godly one tempered with the other may be good to both I begin with the first 1. The first sad Conclusion I shall lay down is this That there are many men in the world that are called outwardly by the word unto a profession of Christ that are not called effectually by the spirit to a possession of Christ My meaning is this There are many men have the word of God working much upon them to the changing of their lives altering there course and new moulding of them into an external profession that yet notwithstanding all this never had saving grace wrought upon their hearts which is effectual calling Many are called but few are chosen saith Christ Matth. 20.16 And this is a dreadful Conclusion to all you that are professors that have not a saving work upon your hearts to you that flock unto the ministry of the word yet are not called thereby 2. That they who are called outwardly by the preaching of the word to a profession Christ and yet not called inwardly by the spirit they shall endure greater damnation and greater torments in hell then those that never heard a word of Jesus Christ Matth. 8.12 Many shall come saith Châ—ist from the East and from the West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaak and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven and what then but the children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into utter darkness where shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth Now who are meant here
20. When Christ called a companie of men there to come to him what excuse have they Saith one I have bought a yoke of oxen and I must prove them I have bought a Farm saith another and I must manage that I have marria wife and therefore cannot come saith a third All these were lawful callings and yet these callings kept them from Heaven and kept them from Jesus Christ You read Acts 24.25 When Paul did startle Felix's conscience by a powerful Sermon of judgement to come Felix's heart trembled but mark now how did Felix put off the power of the word Why Now saith he I am not at leasure but go thy waies and in convenient time I will send for thee to speak of this matter As if he should say I am now to go about some other business about the affairs of my Kingdome and cannot have leasure to hear thee now and so by some outward imployment he justled the power of the word from his heart and had not convenient time to imbrace Jesus Christ Fourthly Consider this That this plea of yours in making your callings an excuse to neglect your effectual calling it is the only way to provoke God to curse and blast all your outward callings to you and to engage him to curse all you put your hands unto Hagg. 1.6 9. Because they neglected Gods Worship and Gods Ordinances Therefore saith God you shall have much but it shall come to nothing and what you get you shall put into a bag with holes You shal lose all you get and all you sow and all you labour for because you would not look after Gods worship So Micah 6.13 14. I will make thee sick in smiting thee and desolate because of thy sins Thou shalt eat and not be satisfied thou shalt sow and not reap thou shalt tread Olives and not anoint thy selfe with oyle and make sweet wine but shalt not drink it For the statutes of Omri are kept and all the manners of the house of Ahab and you walk in their counsels As much as if the Lord should say You wil not hearken to my Statutes and to my Counsels but Omri's statutes and Ahabs counsel you wil hearken to Therefore now you shall eat and not be satisfied sow and not reap That is God wil curse what you have and what you doe because you wil not hearken to Gods cal and counsel So Deut. 28.38 to 46. Thou shalt carry much seed into the field and gather but little the Locusts shall consume it ther 's one curse And shalt plant Vineyards but shalt not drink the wine nor gather the grapes the worm shall eat them another curse Thou shalt have Olive-trees throughout all thy coasts but shalt not anoint thy selfe with Oyl for thy Olives shall fall there 's a third curse Thou shalt beget sons and daughters but shalt not enjoy them all the trees and fruit of the Land shall be consumed Now what 's the reason of all this that God should thus blast their callings and their comforts to them Verse 45. Yea all these curses shall come upon thee and pursue thee and overtake thee because thou hearknedst not to the voice of thy God to keep his commandements and his statutes which he commanded thee Here is the reason they would not hearken to God nor obey God and therefore God would blast their comforts to them Now then Beloved think of this you that make your callings a plea why you cannot hearken to the call of Christ this plea is a great provocation to engage God to blast and to curse your very callings to you Fifthly Take this consideration that God will the more blesse you in your callings and prosper you in the work of your hands the more consciencious you are in hearkning to the call and invitation of Jesus Christ And the reason is because Godlinesse hath not onely a promise of the life to come but of this life also 1. Tim. 4.8 And Mal. 3.10 11 12. Bring yea all the tythes into the Store-house that there may be meat in my house that is saith God Use all means and take all care that there may be meat in my house that Ordinances may be on foot that my worship may be maintained and what then And if you will take care of his Ordinances God bids you prove him and try him if he will not take care of you ver 11. Mâ—rk the words Let there be meat in my house and prove me now saith the Lord if I will not open the windows of heaven and poure forth a blessing upon you and there shall not be room enough to receive it A strange blessing that if men wil take care to have meat in Gods house have a care of Gods ordinances God would open the very windows of heaâ—en and make the earth so fruitful they should not have room to receive Gods blessings And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and all Nations shall call you blessed and call you a delightsome land Here now you see if you will take care of Gods Ordinances and imbrace his cal God wil blesse your outward calling the more and give you in a more abundant increase if you imbrace the cal of Jesus Christ 6. You that urge your outward callings as a reason why you cannot hearken to the cal of Christ take this for answer that if truth were known it is not the urgencie of your callings but the obstinacie of your wils and the slugishnesse of your spirits is the cause you do not give entertainment to the cal of Jesus Christ If it were mens callings urged them they would not take pleasure in sin therefore it is not their callings but the badnesse of their hearts they do not love Christ and love his waieâ— but think it too industrious a work to labour for conversion and therefore they make this plea. John 5.40 Ye will not come to me that ye might have life When will is wanting saith Doctor Preston any vain excuse wil be pretended When wil is wanting to walk in the waies of God any groundlesse pretence wil be made to excuse their negligence And thus much to take off the second suggestion that men have callings to follow in the world and therefore they haue no leisure to look after their effectual calling by Jesus Christ 3. Sug. Thirdly The Devil suggests if you give entertainment to the cal of Jesus Christ this wil expose you to a great deal of povertie and persecution in this world and therefore you must not hearken to his cal And he wil urge Scripture for this First for poverty the Devil wil urge Matth. 8.19 20. Christ said the Foxes have holes the Birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath no where to lay his head The Devil wil urge this Scripture and tel you you are exposed to poverty want and beggery if you follow Christ And this we read in history likewise of Lucius the fiâ—st
to be poor in faith and to be such a beggar as not to be endowed with one dram of grace and then you are beggars indeed As we say he is a poore man that God hates He that hath not Christ and hath not the treasures of heaven in him he is exposed to worse poverty a thousand times then he can be for imbracing the cal of Jesus Christ Rev. 3.17 Yea and he is exposed to worse persecution also that for fear of persecution neglects Jesus Christ Psal 83.5 The Lord will persecute them saith David with fury and wrath speaking of wicked men All persecution from man reaches but to the body but this from God reaches to the soul 7. And then lastly This should not hinder you from following Jesus Christ considering that though you should be poor and should be persecuted yet heaven wil make you amends for all Heb. 11.35 Heaven wil make amends for povertie when you are endowed with all the riches of Christ and Heaven wil make amends for persecution when there the weary shal be at rest and there the troubled shal be at ease And thus much be spoken of the third suggestion of the Devil that if you entertain the cal of Jesus Christ you shal be exposed to much povertie and persecution here in the world SERMON VI. 2. Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure THE Doctrine I am yet upon is this That Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ In the prosecution of which I have resolved one case of conscience and am yet upon the second case namely what suggestions the Devil doth use to keep men off from imbracing the cal of Jesus Christ I have laid down and answered three already 4. Now there is one suggestion more When the Devil sees either of these wil take place then he comes in with a fourth to disswade men from imbracing the call of Christ and that is this Why saith the Devil if you wil entertain the call of Christ you wil abridge your selves of all the joy and comfort of your lives you wil never have merry daies while you live upon earth You see men that pretend to be converted and doe hear Sermons what lumpish and melancholy men they are not so jocund and jolly as others are that walk not so precisely if you follow Christ and his Gospel this wil casheer all your merry daies and this wil put you into a sad temper all your jovial daies are gone Therefore to take off this aspersion that the waies of Christ are sad and melancholy waies which hath been an aspersion that from age to age and generation to generation hath been as a Gin the Devil hath used to keep men from Christianity And I remember it is one of the greatest Engines Antichrist useth to support and uphold his Kingdom The Papists to deter men from Christianity and the Protestant Religion they would hold their Disciples in hand with this that the spirit of a Calvinist is a sad and lumpish spirit and therefore they would disswade all Nations from turning to their Religion and this the Priests were to tel in all the Churches of Rome how sad and melancholy they were that turned to the Calvinists religion and this did mightily stay the people from imbracing the truth And this aspeâ—sion hath passed from hand to hand and is many times prevalent upon the spirits of men that are of the true Religion that they must not be too forward in the practice of Religion fearing lest this should work melancholy and sad thoughts in them Now to take off this I shal onely urge four or five heads briefly First Whereas you say they are melancholy sad that are called by Christ to a profession of his waies I would answer thus That they of all people in the world have most cause of mirth gladness and they are the most truly joyful people in the world That they have most cause of rejoycing is apparent When the Disciples came triumphing that they could cast out Devils heal the diseased and work Miracles O but saith Christ Rejoyce not in this but rejoyce that your names are written in the book of life Luke 10.20 As much as if Christ should say All the endowments and extraordinary gifts of the spirit they are no such grounds of joy if you had them all but here is your joy and cause of rejoycing that your names are written in the book of Life that you are in Christ and your souls shal be saved And so Paul tels us Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes again I say rejoyce The Apostle would not speak it to them with a single command but doubtless his expression to shew that they that are people that have their sins pardoned that have their souls reconciled that have a title to glory whose names are written in the book of Life these of all men in the world have most cause of joy and gladness And they have not onely most cause but they doe most truly rejoyce and have more real joy in their hearts in one day then the wicked can have all their lives 1 Pet. 1.8 They rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory What joy you have in the world the tongue is able to speak of it but the tongue is not able to speak of that inward joy that godly men have in their hearts upon the apprehension of the interest they have in Jesus Christ Psal 4.6 Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance And Thou shalt put more gladness in mine heart c. Prov. 14.13 A good conscience is a continual feast Men are never more merry then when they are at a feast godly men they carry clear consciences about them and that makes them as joyous and pleasant as if they were alwayes at a great and sumptuous feast Indeed this is true they do not rejoyce with such exorbitancies of joy as wicked men do Wicked men rejoyce in sin that they cannot do wicked men rejoyce in their lusts in their drunkenesse and their adulteries and wayes of sin that godly men dare not do Such a rejoycing as this is the foundation of sorrow This rejoycing like the Prodigal in a riotous course of living is the foundation of sorrow and will meet with you when you are to die Secondly Grant this should be true yet consider that this sorrow that godly people have it is such a sorrow that they shal have no cause to repent thereof but it is a foundation of future joy to them 2 Cor. 7.9 10. I rejoyce saith the Apostle in that I have made you sorrowful What rejoyce to see them a sad people Yes for the sorrow I made you sorrowful with was a sorrow never to be repented of you wil never repent of that sorrow and therefore Paul would do it because it was a
not elected p. 205. seq C A Twofold Calling external and internal p. 3 Why Calling set before Election p. 4 Vse diligence to get assurance of our Calling p. 23 see assurance What effectual Calling is p. 21 22 Signs of effectual Calling p. 24. to 37 Gods method in Calling a sinner p. 24. seq Mistakes about it ibid. Who are most terrified in their Calling p. 28 We should resemble him that calls us p. 38 Not blemish our high Calling ibid. How great a mercy our effectual Calling is p. 39. seq Ten sad Conclusions to those that are not effectually Called p. 44. seq Many call'd to profession who are not call'd to possession of Christ ibid. To be called outwardly and not inwardly brings heavier condemnation ibid. Many presume they are called when they are not p. 45 Self-conceited persons most unlikely to be called ibid. That others are called and we not much aggravates our sin p. 46 The Word preached the ordinary means of calling a sad Word to whom p. 47 Those that have long enjoyd the Word and are not yet called are never like to be p. 48 Poor and mean persons most commonly the objects of Gods Call and why p. 49 50 Consolations to the godly and what need they have of it p. 51 Christ cals us before we look after him p. 52. When he leaves our betters p. 53 Most sensible of our own vileness and need of Christ most likely to be called p. 54 An elect person may live long in sinne before he be called ibid. A man may be called and yet not know it p. 55 yea though he knows not how nor when ibid. Those that are once call'd shall never fall away p. 56 Nothing shall hinder our calling when Christ hath a mind to call us p. 57 Cases concerning effectual calling ibid. Whether a man can resist his own call ibid. A twofold call significative and operative ibid. What temptations Satan suggests to hinder a call p. 58 Young men should not neglect the call of Christ p. 60. seq Our wordly callings should not cause us to neglect our effectual calling by Christ p. 65. seq The poverty of Christians hinders many from imbracing Christs call p. 69 Antidote against this ibid. Fear to be deprived of all comfort and mirth p. 73 This hindrance removed p. 74. seq By what delusions men are perswaded to think they are called when they are not p. 76 Hearing the Word with delight not alwaies a signe of effectual calling ibid. Nor all love to the godly p. 81. seq Nor every change of life and conversation p. 86. seq Nor to be reproached by wicked men p. 88 Why those that are effectually called do sometimes doubt of their calling p. 96 want of great terrors and deep humiliations no ground to question your calling p. 97. seq Nor that we were not called by preaching the Word p. 99 Weakness in knowledge may stand with sound calling p. 105 What defects of obedience may stand with effectual calling p. 107 Covenant of grace helpful to assurance many waies p. 116 Calling to profession no sure evidence of Election p. 215 Christ not the cause of election p. 148 D SEveral Doctrines raised p. 5 Great diligence to be used in matters of soul-concernment p. 7. and why p. 8. seq Cautions about thy diligence p. 13. seq In what our diligence is to be imployed p. 17 18 Delusions about our Calling and Election p. 76 p. 216. seq Papists doctrine of doubting uncomfortable p. 100 Vpon what grounds Christians doubt of their calling p. 101 Difference between true assurance and vain presumption p. 130. seq E WHat Election is and how we can make that sure p. 5 Gracious Examples may be a means of conversion p. 101 The nature of Election p. 168 Signs of Election p. 173 Cautions about using them p. 175. siq What guesse may be made of persons not Elected and several sorts of persons under that suspition p. 176. seq Comfortable positions about Election p. 208 Whether Election be universal p. 181 Whether any that is Elect can fall from his Election p. 186 Objections against it answered p. 187. seq Whether men be Elected for faith or works foreseen p. 191 Objections answered p. 194 Whether Gods Election do make men secure and carlesse p. 196. seq Vpon what grounds the godly oft times question their Election p. 199 Sinfulness before calling no ground to question our Election ibid. seq Falling into scandalous sins after calling may stand with Election p. 204 By what delusions men are perswaded they are Elected when they are not p. 207. seq Freedom from a scandalous conversation no sure argument of Election p. 208 It may proceed from other principles p. 209 That God is mercifull no certain evidence that we are Elected p. 213 The Elect very few p. 214 We are not Elected for Christs sake though saved for his sake 216. See Calling and Assurance An Elect person may not express the fruit of Election in many years p. 217 Wicked men enjoy many mercies for the Elect sake ibid. The world continues but till the number of the Elect be accomplished p. 218 F FEw Elected p. 214 Friends of the Elect no prejudice to Gods mercy p. 215 G WE should labour to thrive in Grace p. 3 Of the sin of the Holy Ghost p. 175 H HYpocrites will be discovered p. 45 Hearing the word not alwayes a signe of effectual câ—lling p. 77. seq I WHat Ignorance may stand with Effectual calling p. 105 Christians not alwaies competent Judges of their own estate p. 162 L TImothies love to Paul p. 30 Light into which we are called how a marvâ—llous light p. 31 All Love to the godly no sign of effectual calling p. 81 M VVIcked Ministers may be a means of conversion p. 104 God mercy no ground to believe we are elected p. 213 Pâ—â—â—city of the Elect no prejudice to Gods mercy p. 215 O DEfects in Obedience may stand with Calling and what p. 112 P GOds people 〈◊〉 sâ—attered people p. 2 â—hough they live in different places yet all have the same faith p. 3 The Poore most commonly called p. 49 50 Poverty hinders many from embracing the call of Christ p. 6â— We may be truly called though not by the preaching of the VVord p. â—01 Comfort against want of a spirit of â—â—â—yer p. â—08 seq Difference between assurance presumption p. 131 seq Comfortable promises to dejected soules p. 166 Terror to those that presume on their Calling p. 184 R VVHether a man can resist his own call p. 57 Reproach from wicked men alwayes a signe of effectual calling p. 88 Reading the VVord may be a means of conversion p. 100 S THe evil of Slothfulnesse p. 17 Sad conclusions about calling p. 42 Five things to be searched for p. 162 VVhat Sinnes most damp our assurance p. 159 T TEmptations of Satan to hinder our call p. 60 VVant of great Terrors no ground to doubt of our call p. 110 and who are usually most terrified in their calling ibid. p. 28 Teâ—rour to those that presume of their calling p. 184 W THe Word preached the ordinary meanes of calling p. 47 The Will of Gods good pleasure and his signifying Will 231 Y YOung men not to neglect the cal of Christ p. 60. seq FIMIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answ Certitudo Objecti certitudo Subjecti Answ Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. Doct. 4. Doct. 5. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Reas 1. Reas 2 Reas 3. Rule 4. Reas 5. Reas 6. Vt jugulent homines surgunt de nocte latoones Reas 7. Reas 8. Reas 9. Reas 10. Magna pars vita nihil agendo maxima malè â—oâ—a aliad agendo elabituâ— Sâ—nec Vse 1. Caut. 2. Caut. 3. Causae sineâ— quiâ—us non Caut. 4. Vse 2. Outinam hoc esset laborare Si uâ—uâ— tantum homo damnandus esset caeterique omnes salvandi Ego totis viribus anniterer ne essem ille solus Talis dili gentia â—espicit tantam rem tanta res requirit talem diligentiam Nâ—n mimor est virtus quam quae rerâ—â—atra tueri Doct. 2. Doctr 3. Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. Object Ans Vse 1. Vse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vse 3. Vse 4. 1 Tim. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surgunt indocli rapiunt coelum nos cum doctrinis nostris detrudimur in Geheâ—nam Vse 1. Vse 2. 2 Case Quae fueâ—â—nt inania jâ—ventutis â—â—udia haec uâ—t acerba senectâ—â—â—s gravamina Matt. 19.20 Gen. 6.14 Psal 126. Delu 1. Delâ—s 2. Delus 3. 2 Kin. 12.2 Delus 4. Si quis dixerit hominem renatum teneri ex fide ad credendum se certò esse ex numero Praedestinatorum anathema sit Sess 6. Can. 15. Vse Doubt 3. Heb. 10 35. * The sense of the pardon of their sin shall take away the sense of any outward suffering Si dixeris sufficit periisti Aug. de verb. Apost Serm. 18. Vse Cui incipit dulcescere Christus ei necesse est â—marescere mundum Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri Res dâ—â—icaâ—a est Spiritus Dei Ex quâ— gignimur eo dem nutrimur Vse Q. 2. Nemo tenctur impossâ—ile Vse Q. Q. Q.