will and can fit any ground to bring forth a good crop not but that the Lord can go against the stream and throw down strong Towers and break through Walls of Steel and Brasse I go not about to weaken the hand or to shorten the Arm of the Lord Is there any thing too hard for the Lord Gen. 18. 14. But the Lord worketh by means of his own appointment and hath no other bonds than what he hath been pleased to put upon himself I speak now not of the skill but of the will of God not what he can do but what he doth do not of his extraordinary power but his ordinary providence in Spirituals not of his special and unusual operations but of his general and more common dispensations The Lord can do more than he will or doth do Nor do I mean that all of the middle sort and ranke are called but amongst them doth God pitch his Tabernacle more than among others nor by the middle sort do I mean those that are next Neighbours to the wealthiest but rather those that dwell upon the Borders of meannesse and so for wisedom and nobility they think themselves too high to put their shoulders to the work of the Lord and would be ready to think God were beholding to them for their service Doth not the Scripture and experience manifest this all along Doth not Christ himself speak the same I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Matth. 11. 25. The Disciples of Christ were not rich nor ragged were not the Wise ones of the world nor the witlesse ones This that I have now laid down doth not dash nor jarre with what we spake in the former Head The temperate Zone is most inhabited by converts and changed ones Grace loves to make it's nest in this climate to hatch and brood in this Region Oh then that the rich were lesse careful the poor more cared for and all more contented with mediocrity CHAP. X. IX The time of effectual calling when God doth call 1. MOre generally In the time of this S. 1 life while we have a natural life we must have a Spiritual life if ever we have any As Christ saith so must we I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work John 9. 4. This life is our Market our fair day when this life is ended time is no more with us but hath taken wing and is fled away This is Gods Preaching day now he speaks pleads calls invites when life is done then is the glasse out the time is spent the Preacher ceaseth and never shall we hear him again in that way Therefore to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3. 7 8. Those that live not now shall never live those that die not now shall never die I mean to grace to sin Those that are not effectually called now shall never be Now is the day of grace the season of Salvation the acceptable time in this sence as well as otherwise 2 Corinth 6. 2. And care you not though you Quidam antè desierunt vivere quà m inciperen◠die before you live how shall you then live when you die after this life there is no Sacrifice for sin no grace to be had no calling voice to be heard Therefore whatsoever thine hand findeth to do for thy Soul do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisedom in the grave whither thou goest Eccles 9. 10. We may now and we will not we would hereafter and we shall not when this life is ended we may say the Summer is past the Winter is come the time of the singing of birds is gone and the voice of the Turtle is heard no more in our Land the time of this life is the time of our marring or making for ever 2. More especially In the time of youth S. 2 The Lord can convert and bring home to himself at all times in middle age in old age at the very last as the Thief upon the Crosse you know the saying One that none might despaire but one that none might presume The Lord is tender hearted and ready to reach out Conversio nostra semper inv niet Deum paratum Aug. Ezek. 18. 21 22. Nunquam sera conversio vera R. Jun. his Armes of love to a returning mourning believing Soul whensoever True repentance is never too late but late repentance is seldom true but for any upon this account to run on in excesse of riot and to resist the Holy-ghost is most desperate and sad and yet many do thus presuming upon the last but as one saith wittily this is as if a man should break his neck willingly to trie the skill of the Bone-setter The time of your youth is the choice time therefore saith Solomon Remember thy Creatour now mark now in the dayes of thy youth and illustrates it by the contrary Eccles 12. 1. c. Some have observed the time of effectual calling to be between the years of eighteen and thirty most commonly Though but few can speak punctually as to the particular time and means of their conversion as a parted pious man observeth yet I do believe Master Baxter of Baptisme Jer. 2. 2. that most Saints experience saith that the Lord wrought upon them in their younger dayes and therefore the Lord tells his people he remembers the kindnesse of their youth though youth there may be otherwise understood and this early conversion is meant of those that sit under the dewes of grace the distillings and droppings of Heavenly Doctrine as for Heathens and such who never heard of Christ and his Laws and their sins when they come under the sound of the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel though in old age their conversion may be more likely because they never had the means before I limit not the Holy one of Israel if he can convert at all times yea even then when thou hast worn up thy body and yet will not and doth not use it What is that to thee Follow thou his present call as Christ said to Peter in another case Prize John 21. 22. then your youthful time when those dayes are gone you shall never see such dayes again You may be twice a Child but you can never be twice a young man The morning Aurora Musis amica is observed by Schollers to be best for study The morning of our age is the best time for Spiritual study for studying the condition and state of our Souls The spring of youth is the best time to take Physick Heavenly Purgations in for the working out of sin the cleansing of our Soules the making of our Spirits whole It is the best time for the digging up the Garden of our hearts then doth the Lord sow
which is not till the next 2. Secondly in nature As the shooting of a Gun with a Bullet and the killing of any one thereby may be together in time at the same instant yet the shooting is before the slaughter in nature as the cause thereof These things I lay down as preparatives now briefly to the purpose The habits of faith and repentance are planted and set in the heart at one instant there is no difference of time there 2. Repentance from the tenour of the Law Am. med de vocat Thes 31 32 33 34. Buc. lae 30. goeth before justifying faith in time and I think in nature too 3. Gospel repentance followeth justifying faith in the act and dependeth upon it 4. Repentance viz. Gospel is usually first seen because one cannot well perswade himself that he is reconciled to God in Christ till he perceive he hath parted with his sins nor conclude he is pardoned till he saith he is purified nor that Christ and they be united till their souls sins be divided nor that they have put on Christ till they have put off their sins 4. Ob. In the next place the question shall 4. Ob. be whether conversion or effectual calling be S. 4 by the Preaching of the Law or Gospel Sol. Master Burges shall answer this query Sol. Vindiciae legis Lect. 20. and unty this knot I shall give you the short notes of what he delivereth more largely 1. The Law could not work to regeneration were it not for the promises of the Gospel the question is not whether conversion be vi legis by the power of the law but whether it may be cum lege with the preaching of the Law 2. Howsoever the Law may be blest to conversion yet the matter of it cannot be the ground of our justification and adoption 3. The Word of God as it is read or preached worketh no further than objectively to the conversion of a man if considered in it self 4. Whatsoever good effects or benefits are conveyed to the soul by the preaching of the Law or the Gospel it s efficiently from Gods Spirit Thus far this worthy man It is unsafe to exclude the Law though we Am. de voc cap. 26. Thes 12. v. conclude the Gospel is the chief Between the hammer of the Law and the cushion of the Gospel is a flinty heart most like to be broken by the hand of the Spirit we may suppose the Lord speaking in this case as in Zech. Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord 4. Zech. 6. v. The Spirit is the supreme chief Though they be different in their constitution yet they agree in one as to the work of conversion They are all good though in several respects We may well say precious Law more precious Gospel most precious Spirit if the spirit did not move them neither the upper nor nether milstone would turn as neither must be taken for pledge for they cannot work alone so joyntly and together they cannot act without the spirits assistance the Law sheweth the sore the Gospel the salve the one teacheth of sin the other of a Lex data est it gratia quaereretur Saviour the one sheweth the harming curse the other the healing crosse the one mans misery the other Gods mercy but it is the spirit that setteth home these things and openeth the eyes to see them anointing them with spiritual eye-salve the Law may be a preparative hut the Gospel is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1. 16. when the soul by the Law set only the spirit which is the master builder is driven to fear it is the more likely by the Gospel to be drawn to faith and when it seeth it is lost in it self it is thereby provoked to long for Christ the Law treateth of transgression condemneth our courses revealeth wrath thundreth threatnings but the Gospel propoundeth promises breatheth benedictions holdeth out happiness sheweth salvation whereby the spirit draws the heart to Christ CHAP. XIII XII A few plain and familiar reasons are to be given in IN the next place according to the propounded method I am to lay down some demonstrations of the doctrine and they are these ensuing which are as four pillars to support the point and a quaternion of mediums for the life-guard of the position formerly laid down and hitherto treated of 1. Conjunction of the means and end 2. Union to Christ 3. Distinction present and future 4. Application of the means Conjunction of the means and end the S. 1 Lord calls in to himself those whom he laid Rea. 1 out for himself for as he predestinated them to the end viz. happiness so also to the means In rebus quas Deus vult ordo quidam concipitur prius vult finem quam media Ames Med. cap. 7. Thes 40. 51. Ordinatio primum finis deinde mediorum Pol. Synt. lib. 4. c. 6. Non causa regnandi sed via ad regnum viz. holiness the means and the end lying in the same womb of predestination there is a concatenation of them in Gods counsel a twisting of them together in Gods thoughts and when he decrees the one he determines the other In the book of his eternal thoughts with the pen of his certain decree the Lord first sets down the matter of his intention then the means of the execution In the certain register of his thoughts in reference to his peculiar people he first enters his will and then enrols his work Their inheritance shall be glory and the way to it shall be grace for though holiness be not the cause yet it is the cause-way to Heaven who so looks into the way of erfectual calling shall find it a beaten road to Heaven and may perceive in it the prints of the feet of Abraham Isaac Jacob David Samuel and the rest of the spiritual travellers in their journey to the Holy-land thē Lord intends to bring his people into Canaan and with all hath laid out the way and means he intends to bring them into the Heavenly City by the narrow gate of converting grace If it be a part of the wisedom of the children of this generation to think of the means together with the end shall we dare to think that the Father of Light the All-wise God hath not his counsels richly damasked with sapience prudence intelligence beyond the rule of the actions the reach of the conceptions of man I think we may safely say that the Lord hath not determined for ought that we can find in his word that any should commence and take the degree of a glorified Saint in Heaven without undergoing the task and services that belong to Christs school on earth The Apostle telleth the Ephesians that God had before ordained the path of holiness for them to walk in 2 Ephes 10. v. God hath but one way to Heaven wherein all must walk that would come thither supporting themselves
upon the staffe of Christs merits If you look but in the index or table of the volumes of eternity you shall find calling as well as crowning holy as well as happy gracious manners as well as glorious manfions It is the madnesse of the world infatuated by the delusions of the devil to conclude the excusablenesse of their sinful neglect of good their wilful departure from God from the premises of the infallibility of Gods purpose or to build their presumptions or desperations upon the unseen foundation of the everlasting decree in the mean time crossing apparent commands and manifest prohibitions whereas the decree of the means and the end were born in one day and printed together in Heavens presse bearing the date of the same year To say one may live as they list because Gods decree is certain and more unalterable than the Laws of the Medes and Persians is an inconsequence of a desperate consequence To think that we may be born into the sea of eternal joy though we swim with the tide of the sinful world if we be elected that it is impossible to avoid the gulph of perdition though striving against the stream of a natural condition bladdered and supported by the spirits special grace if we be reprobated is such logick as the topicks of divinity afford no medium for because we sinfully Male dividere benè conjuncta divide what God in his righteous and wise ordination hath coupled together we find the end and the means linked together in the text It is a golden chain and pity to break it nay in our thoughts to separate them or by our actions to endeavour the violation of them can be no lesse than high treason against Gods cabinet counsel The Lord finisheth his intentions by his own fixed means and therefore whom hee hath appointed to the weight of glory he will acquaint with the work of grace Union to Christ They shall be effectually S. 2 called that so they may be united to Christ Rea. 2 without whom they can have no glory Christ is the foundation of spiritual and eternal mercies in him are the treasures of all soul-good things He is the pillar of peace the basis of blessedness the bottom of bounty and root of rest he is laden with Heavenly fruit and those that have ought must hold of him so that the soul may say All my springs are in thee Psal 87. 7. spiritual life pardon of sin acceptance with God right to Heaven come from the vertue and merit of Christ but they come from Christ not in the common notion but from Christ in special union to him all Christs favours run to the soul in the channel of spiritual union It is not Christ without us but Christ within us that is the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. we must be Christ friends before we can have his favours we must be married to him before we can have much from him he must be in our hearts before we can get to Heaven we must be linked to him before we can live with him For all the fulnesse of Christ empty cisterns shall never be filled without union to the fountain for all his riches they shall continue poor that will not come near him now in effectual calling as we have already shewed the soul is united to Christ and made one with him That Christ is a redeemer and thou a wretch is no great matter unless the Saviour and the sinner meet That Christ hath purchased Heaven and thou hast deserved Hell will be little matter of comfort unless thou canst make out that thou art Christs that Christ is thine All is in Christ but that is nothing to thee unless Christ be in thee If God give thee not his Son he gives thee not Omnia habemus in Christo omnia in nobis Christus his love if thou hast his Christ thou hast all How shall he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8. 32. And excellently doth Paul shew the order of interests All are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. without union no communion without a part in Christ no participation of Christs without coming into his bosome no carrying away of any of his blessings People do but cheat their own souls with a fallacy when they think to attain to the enjoynment of God in Heaven and never have communion with Christ on Earth when they think to arrive at the haven of blisse and never embarque themselves in the vessel of Christs merit Christ hath said that he is the way the truth and the John 14. 6. life and it is most certain that he is the true way to life eternal Souls must be incorporated members of Christs body before they can be enfranchised Citizens of the new Jerusalem Christ is already lifted up into glory and draws none after him but those that are tyed to him by the band of faith Distinction present and future The Lord Rea. 3 will call in his predestinated people that so S. 3 there may be a difference in the tempers and dispositions of men as well as in their ends though the grave be common to all yet the ultimate and last end is distinct and several for some shall ascend others shall descend some shall be triumphant in the highest Heavens others shall be tormented in the lowest Hell some shall possesse nothing but weal others shall partake of nothing but woe some shall flourish with a glorious Crown others shall fade by a grievous curse Come ye blessed depart ye cursed Math. 25. 34. 41. The Lord intendeth that some shall shine as the Sun hereafter Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Math. 13. 43. he will therefore have you here to sparkle as stars Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Math. 5. 16. Those whom the Lord will distinguish from others by the life of glory in the world to come he will distinguish by the livery of grace in this world if the end of people be divers then sure their way must be different Alas all both one and other set out together and run the same way till God turn them and take the same course till God do effectual call All are hewen out of the same rock and out of the same quarry no difference till the polishing and refining hand of the spirit passe upon souls Among whom we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath even as well as others Ephes 2. 3. For Sola gratia discernit redemptos à perditis we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient c. Tit. 3. 3. We all come out of one nest It is conversion and a change that makes the difference what
some have that others have not they are beholding to the mint for it and not the mine to grace and not to nature It is the stamp of the image of the King of Heaven that makes any to passe for currant coine more than others those whom God intends to make Princes in his Kingdom hereafter he will educate and tutour by his spirit accordingly Those that run with the wicked unto all excesse of riot here shall in vain expect to be parted from them at the day of the resurrection Those that shall wear Kings Robs in Heaven must wear Saints Robs on Earth Many would fain differ from others at last that delight with them in the self same lusts many long to dye the death of the righteous but they are loath to live the life of the righteous Numb 23. 10. the heires of glory and of wrath are known and distinguished by their coates though both come into the world clad with the same home-spun cloth of natural pollution yet such as are Gods he will change their habit and make them garments of the well-wrought Web of Grace dipt in the blood of Jesus Christ Application of the means the Lord will Rea. 4 effectually call home his chosen ones that so S. 4 they may use all those meanes that he hath appointed to bring them to Heaven by The Lord bringeth to Heaven though not for nor because yet in the use of his own instituted means Therefore are we exhorted to labour to enter into the rest Heb. 4. 11. there are many rounds and steps in the spiritual ladder whereby souls must ascend to Heaven There is pious prayer right repentance hearty hearing serious searching much meditation filial fear careful caution none of which can be used and managed aright without a principle of grace no hand can well handle spiritual weapons but that of a Saint Though but one way yet many means to Heaven the working word sealing Sacraments feasting fasting which none can use spiritually but Saints No Heaven without faith they could not enter in because of their unbelief c. Heb. 3. 19. and to whom is it given to believe but to the effectually called There must be enduring in holiness or no entring into happiness he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved Math. 24. 13. and can they hold out in the wayes of grace that never set foot in Regnum coelorum vim patitur Luke 13. 29. them There must be a striving and pressing to get into Heaven and can they strive who have no life and is there life till conversion There must be a running in the heavenly 1 Cor. 9. 24. Psal 119. 132. Curramus sequamur Christum 1 Tim. 6. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 1. race and can they run the way of Gods commandements who never had enlarged hearts There must be a spiritual fighting which cannot be without a saving faith There must be a resisting of sin which cannot be without relying on Christ There must be an exact imitation of Christ which none can attain to but those that have effectual vocation from Christ Gods people cannot win Heaven and wear Math. 20. it yet they must labour in the vineyard and though they cannot work for it in the way of causality yet they must work before they come to it in obedience to Gods command It is true Heaven is not the wayes of the best performances and duties yet religious and gracious actings are the way to Heaven Though meanes have not a dram of merit in them yet the neglect of them bars and shuts up Heaven gate what God hath appointed as precedents of glory cannot be slighted withsin and danger and can any do them to acceptation without the spirit of sanctification operations must have suitable essences means must be trodden as the path to Heaven and the soul must have life before it can foot it in his way as a late worthy divine first treating of the new birth in the Mr. Ambrose his prima media c. next place layes down the means duties and ordinances wherein a Christian is to walk as in the path that leads from his new birth to everlasting life The second Part. CHAP. I. XIII The use and application of the whole THus I have done with the doctrinal part I come now to the applicatory part by S. 1 the help of the Lord I have run through these heads and now by the same help I shall endeavour to apply them to the heart I have hitherto been as it were building and rigging the ship in the Dock of explication it is time now that we launch it forth into the Sea of application that spiritual doctrine may be useful ministers must be careful that they be not useless the arrowes of the Almighty taken out of the quiver of his word must not be shot at rovers but at buts they must not be shot at random in the open aire but must be levelled and directed at the black of sin so have the faithful messengers of the Lord done from time to time when Nathan had first spoken to David parabolically he then speaks to him particularly and saith Thou art the man 2 Sam. 2. 7. and so doth Paul speak first generally and then specially Col. 1. 20 21. Ministers must rise in the practical as well as the comtemplative part of their discourses or else they Dr. Stoughton flye and fall with the lark as one saith If the bread and loaf of life be set forth and the Stewards of the houshold give not every one their portion shall they be advantaged If the leather be cut and the salve spread and not applied and fastened to the sore how shall the cure be done Now the sores and thoubles of the soul are these 1. The dulnesse of the understanding to which we shall apply information 2. The deadnesse and searednesse of the conscience to such we must administer the bitter pills of terrour and reproof 3. The disconsolatenesse of the spirit which must be remedied by the cordial of comfort 4. The deceitfulnesse and unskilfulnesse of the heart which must be rectified by notes and marks of trial 5. The perversnesse of the will and affections which must be healed by the lenitive of perswasions Therefore the uses we shall make of this point shall be these in order 1. Didactical or for Information 2. Catacritical or for Condemnation 3. Elenctical or for Reprehension 4. Paracletical or for Consolation 5. Diacritical or for Examination 6. Parenetical or for Exhortation And the dear blessed spirit be assistant to me S. 2 in my writing and you in your reading oh that these lines might be blessed to thy life Take heed thou loose not thy labour for in so doing thou mayst loose thy soul I shall endeavour to propound to thee nothing but the will of God I pray thee therefore turn not thy back upon it I should be loath for thy sake this book should come
crown and glory of all without this the rest will not concoct well but produce crudities and distempers in the spirit without this Benjamin what are all the rest who could smile at the highest attainments of nature which would prove but fawning flatteries without the presence of this It was the counsel of Jesus Christ to his inceptors his young beginners Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven Luke 10. 20. If we had the devil under our girdle and our selves were not in God's heart if we had never so much power on Earth and had no place in Heaven what would it advantage us If the world were thrown into your bosom and your name not written in God's book could you say you had enough Heraclitus said if the Sun were wanting it would be night for all the Stars If the Sun of righteousnesse hath not risen upon your heart with healing under his wings the glory of your accommodations lies buried in darknesse and yields no pleasure to the eye what satisfaction can there be in the world's goods if thy maker be not thy Husband Which he is to none but those that are effectually Gaudium solummodo verum est quod de creatore concipitur called The blaze of temporal priviledges will soon out if the knowledge of predestination do not maintain the flame If you cannot upon good grounds to wit the right application of Christ which is done in effectual calling make out a real appointment to glorie may it not is it not sufficient to marre your mirth to spoil your sport to damp your delight in things here below if seriously considered and duely thought on Can meat be savoury without this sauce Can drink be sweet without this sugar Though a Sea of temporal immunities should come flowing in yet it is this fair fresh stream that alone can glad the soul What contentment can there be in Remi and Remaliahs son if the waters of Shiloah do not bubble softlie by the door Indeed people like swine like beasts do find and take delight in these huskes and they are as dear to them as their heart and do account their having of these things to be their happinesse but it is because they know not what their state and condition is that they are lost in sin nor what it is to be without some certainty of predestination they not being able to reach in their contemplations things of so high concernment which did they know it would make their hearts to shrink for fear but that is but adverse felicity whose foundation is nothing but bruitish insensibility and that is not to be accounted the joy of a Christian of a man that hath its rise from nothing subjectively but beastlike ignorance and supinesse Haman accounted all his wealth and greatness nothing so long as he could not have his will Esth 5. 13. of Mordecai so maiest thou say and the Lord make thee to say so I have wealth and wit health and honour friends and favour profit and preferment peace and plenty goods and gold meat and mony Lands and Lordships life and liberty but what good do these do me they avail me nothing so long as sin sits in the throne so long as I am not called not converted and know not that I am elect and chosen How can I look upon them with delight when I cannot perceive they are enamelled with eternal love It is most true that Paul saith Vnto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure Tit. 1. 15. 4. The next sable consideration that maintains S. 5 this tragick scene is this that they can take no comfort in the promises propounded The Scripture is a rich mine full of golden promises one of the promises there is worth a In sacrâ Scriptura quicquid promittitur felicitas est world There are peace and pardon grace and glory love and liking salvation and sonship Heaven and happiness promised but only to those that are truly called The Scripture is a treasure of precious promises a store-house of gracious engagements They are spread thick upon the pages of holy writ The Manna of spiritual promises falls there together with the dew of Heavenlie doctrine They both descend and distil together This laden tree is forbidden fruit to thee And as Peter said to Simon Magus so I to thee in the name of the Lord who art in thy sins Thou Acts 8. 21. hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of God It may justlie be said to thee touch not tast not handle not for they belong not unto thee It is for the Saints onlie to sit down at this feast you that are sinners must be excluded Procul hinc procul este profani this Paradise who do you think the Authour to the Hebrews means by heirs of promise Heb. 6. 17. but gracious souls and more plainly doth he expresse himself when he saith that they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Heb. 9. 15. May it not be just cause of sadnesse to thee to think that thou maiest not warm thy self at this fire to think that thou maiest not pluck one fair apple from the tree that there should be so many heapes of gold and sums of treasure and thou not able to say one penny is thine own There is no saving good but by the promises and yet such is thy condition that they belong not to thee How canst thou sleep without this pillow under thine head Doth it content thee to have ordinary mercies by a common providence without an interest in a special promise Promises of mercy favour love good will are not general but particular not to all but to some that is to say to the Saints the renewed the effectually called This is one thing whereby the Apostle aggravates the misery of the Ephesians former natural condition that they were strangers from the Covenants of promise Ephes 2. 12. and not without good Spem merito conconjungit promissionibus de Christo nam absque his quicquid sperant homines frustra sperant Bez. reason adds having no hope Those that hope without book hope in vain Souls do not lay claim to the covenant without you find the condition wrought in you do not challenge glorie for your right unless you can find grace in your heart do not say you are pardoned unless you find your self purified verilie it must needs be very sad if you but seriouslie consider it that there should be so much good promised but none to you because you are still bad He that carrieth a promise in his bosome hath an antidote against all disasters and he that wants it lies exposed even to eternal destruction you had better want any thing than this 5. In the fifth place Those that are not effectuallie S. 6 called and therefore cannot make
yet not the same faith 2. Now we come to speak of those things S. 15 that are more neerly related to effectual calling that are more like unto it then the former but are not it for every like is not the same 1. There may be a feeling of sin and yet S. 16 no faith there may be confession of sin and yet no conversion to God one may be brought so far as to acknowledge their impieties and yet never come so neer as to be acquainted with true piety Many confesse they have done ill who are not careful to do well there may be tongue-confession without heart-contrition Saul said I have sinned 1 Sam. 26. 21. Behold I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly and yet he had no grace One Nil prosunt lamenta si replicentur peccata may sensibly and yet not savingly say they are sinners recognition of sin without reformation of life is nothing many have stept thus far and yet are not got in at the narrow door many can say this lesson perfectly but they must turn over a new leaf before they can be sufficient Schollers This hath too pale a look to have ought of life within 2. One may have disquiet and terror of S. 17 conscience and yet never be effectually called There may be a kind of repenting and yet no kindly returning it may be a stormy day and yet no right showry day there may be an aking and yet no altered heart there may great pangs of spirit and yet no parting with sin There are those that have deep gashes in their consciences and yet do not bleed out their bad blood there are that have been brought into grievous straits and yet were never brought into a gracious state There may be attrition where there is not Attritio nullo modo potest fieri contritio Aquin. contrition many have been sorely amazed in their consciences who were never savingly amended in their conversations one may be plunged over head and ears into the bottome of the sea of vexation and yet never be bathed in the laver of regeneration one may be full of heart-paining dolour and yet never attain to God-pleasing duty Even wicked men may have undergone wearisome days and nights for their sins your conscience hath been all on fire and in a passion hath flown in your face your bones have been broken and anguish and horror hath siezed upon you for your sins you have roared through disquietnesse for your transgressions and have laboured as in the very fire for your abominations your heart hath been lanced it may be in every quarter but put all together and it amounts not to effectual calling Judas was tormented in his mind but never turned in his manners It is said he repented himself Matth. 27. 3. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the anxiety and disquiet that he found in his spirit upon the perpetration of his sin It is a gloomy dark winter with many spirits who never yet saw the spring of grace the water-spouts of trouble for sin may drop and fall upon thine head and yet thine heart be barren and unfruitful in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ 3. One may be afraid and troubled about S. 18 the committing of sin before they do commit it and yet be without a change one may be loth to that which yet they love there may be found some reluctancy in the spirit and yet at last no refusal of the sin It troubled Herod to think of beheading John the Baptist Mark 6. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay he was very sorry but his sorrow was not boyled to a right and due consistency he did fear but yet did fasten on his sin One may go with a sorrowful countenance and slow pace to the acting of some sins and yet have no grace To make a sowre face at the first taste and yet afterwards to swallow down to be squeamish stomached at first and afterwards with the Estrich to digest iron sins is not effectual calling Some startle at sin for present but soon come to settle upon it with quiet security This or that sin may go against thy conscience and yet thy conscience not be right It may be thou art afraid to touch the Snake yet makest a shift to lay it in thy bosome That conscience that never yet saw day may oppose the commission of sin and he that hath no grace may shrink at the thought of some impieties 4. One may love the truth in some sort S. 10 and be a defender of it and yet have no grace one may hold with the truths of Christ and yet not be a Christian in truth Thus it was with Judas and Julian before his apostacy One may stand up for the cause and worship of God with a kind of zeal and yet have no true fire in their brests So did Jehu when he said Come with me and see my zeal for the 2 Kings 10. 16. Lord. The stream may run swiftly and not be fed with a spring there may be an heat for the true Religion and yet no life within one may plead for the truth and not practice the truth those kiss truth many times who are unwilling truth should be King those may countenance the ways of God who never come into the way of grace one may be forward for God's cause and yet may lie Errat quisquis se veritatem cognoscere putat qui adhuc nequiter vivit Job 15. 16. under God's curse one may side with the truth and yet never be sanctified by the truth There may be a work of common vigour and yet a want of choice vertue one may gallop with a natural zeal and be a leader to others and yet gulp down sin as the Ox doth water till they be lost themselves zeal for the truth doth not always grow upon the stalk of grace 5. One may wish happiness and yet never S. 20 will holiness many think all is well if they desire to die the death of the godly though they care not for living their life many long for a good ending that never loved a good beginning and would fain dwell with the Saints in heaven that never forced how far distant they were from them on earth A desire of salvation is many degrees on this side sanctification It was Balaam's wish Let me die the death of the righteous and let my Numb 23. 10. Jude 11. last end be like his upon whom the Scripture sets the brand of impiety He was willing to bed with the righteous but not willing to board with them he would willingly have tasted of their second course but had no desire to touch their first course he exprest his affection to their eternal gaudies but had not appetite to their dayly fare he loved the sauce but loathed the meat Who is there that liveth never so ill but would be willing to die well If this were grace we should have
Vox Dei hominis GOD'S CALL FROM HEAVEN ECCHOED By Mans answer from Earth Or A Survey of EFFECTUAL CALLING In the Explication of its nature Distribution of it into its parts Illustration of it by its properties Confirmation of it by reasons Application of it by Vses Being the substance of several Sermons delivered to the people of Heveningham in Suffolk By J. Votier Minister of the Gospel When thou saidst Seek yea my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27. 8. LONDON Printed by T. C. for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the Bear in Paul's Church-yard neer the little North door of Pauls 1658. To his beloved people the inhabitants of Heveningham Suff. Christian Friends THese Sermons coming abroad into the world I thought meet to command them to visit and salute you where they first drew their breath They have formerly been preached to your ears they are now presented to your eyes the Lord print them upon your hearts I take it to be my duty though I be the lowermost of the ushers in Christ's School yet according to the measure of my talent to try all conclusions for the weal of your souls and how would mine heart be enlarged with thanks to the Lord if my poor endeavours might be crowned with succes and though these things have been communicated to you formerly yet because we are slow to receive and retain divine truths to write the same things that I have spoken to me shall not be grievous and to you I hope the Lord will make it safe Nay though my service for your souls in any kind were doubled yea treble yet should I abundantly rejoyce in the labour of the hardest tasks if thereby through the assistance of the Almighty I might see Satans forts taken and forces routed and sin marching out of your hearts and lives with bag and baggage and the Lord Jesus with the blessed train of his spirit's graces enthroned and set up in the midst of you To which end Iearnestly desire that the Lord would be pleased to bless this all my other labours that you would be pleased to accept of my counsel as in the Book so in this Epistle And that 1. More generally 2. More particularly with respect to the ensuing Treatise 1. More generally 1. Take heed of error and heresie They are reckoned in Scripture amongst the works of the flesh They are the secret underminers of that which is good notwithstanding their well-complexioned face 2. Get knowledge Ignorance is the root of iniquity In times of light to live in darkness is most sad 3. Do not imprison but improve your knowledge To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin with a witness Jam. 4. 17. Knowledge without grace is but like a jewel in a swines snout or a pearl in a toads head 4. Keep close to the Ordinances Keep up in your hearts a love to them Come once to slight and turn your back upon them and you put the reins into the Divels hands 5. Love sound and soulsearching preaching never distaste it it is best for your souls it is wholesome though not toothsome 6. Be much in examination of your selves weigh your selves in God's scales will you know every thing and be ignorant only of the state of your souls 7. Content not your selves with a form but look afte the power of godliness the name without the nature of a Christian will little avail you forget not what I have taught you from Matth. 7. 21. 8. Take heed of the world and the cares thereof Do not so fasten your thoughts to earth as to be strangers to heaven Be not so careful of your bodies as to be careless of your souls 9. Look to your families let Christ come in there Train up your children and servants religiously let your houses be as so many Churches Neglect here is the corrupted spring that sends forth puddle-streams into Ecclesiastical and Civil societies without the service of God your houses will be but the Divels shops 10. In your places discountenance sin and profaness encourage goodness Improve your power estate age c. for Christ's glory 11. Maintain love towards each other follow peace and holiness Love is an excellent grace 12. Be very careful to sanctifie the Lord's Sabbaths publikely and privately They are God's dole days be not unwilling to wait at the posts of his gates for his alms 2. More particularly with respect to the ensuing Treatise 1. Look upon this little piece as an help to bring to remembrance what hath formerly been taught you 2. Take the counsel therein as from your Minister Friend and Lover who earnestly desires your eternal salvation 3. Read it not out of novelty but conscience 4. Pray over it and for me that I may be the better enabled to discharge my duty in watching over your souls 5. Compare it with the Scriptures and so far as it harmonizeth with them embrace it I shall here put a period and conclude not ceasing to be mindful of you at the throne of grace and to make mention of you in my prayers who am Yours in the service of your souls J. V. To his respected Friends the inhabitants of Margarets of Ilkets-hal in Suff. My first Love LOve is strong That providence which brought me amongst you makes me love you that love time and absence have not obliterated but still like the Laurel it retains its greenness I served a full apprentiship with you in the Ministry of the Gospel wherein my design and desire was the conversion of your souls These papers I send after my former pains with you to second what I then taught you The Spirit as principal bless both the one and the other to you I called you often in the name of Christ to come to Christ and I hope it was not wholly without effect on some My love constrains me to call again in this ensuing Treatise which while you are reading I hope I shall be praying that God would prosper it to you Be convinced of the danger of a natural condition I have often touched on this string if it have jarred to you I wish the Lord would so temper your spirits that now it may be melodious I pray that he that succenturiates and is come in my room may reap the harvest of my seed-time and if what was sown and came up then but thin may grow up now to full ears of corn it shall through grace be a cordial to my spirit Love and cherish that light which burns among you Take heed of the infection of error Be diligent hearers and not only so but also dutiful practicers of the Word The Lord prevail with you and effectually call you unto himself that predestination from eternity may be manifested by your timely acceptance of Christ This is and shall be the prayer of Your unfeigned Lover J. V. From my house in Heveningham Feb. 4. 1657 8. To
spread throughout the whole Man Soul and Body inwards and outwards It is the bringing them out of nature from a Dungeon to a Court from Egypt to Canaan from sin to Sanctity from gracelessenesse to graciousness from the Suburbs of Hell to the City of God The Soul is now led by the Spirits hand from self from natural sinful moral Religious self to Christ who is all in all unto it Now obeying the call of the Spirit who leads it in clean wayes it walkes strictly before the Soul was in the Field of sin now in the Garden of grace before in the common Road of ungodlinesse now in the private walk of Piety before it was Lawlesse now it walks by Rule and Line And what is the end of all this Is it not Peace here and Peace hereafter Blessedness Ps 119. 1. in possession blessedness in reversion Happiness and Holiness are Confederates are Twins But more than this it tends to Gods glory Doth not Paul Doxologize praise give thanks for this Col. 1. 12. Gods glory is the great Matth. 5. 16. high end of grace and blessed God who hast happily Married these things and art pleased that thy glory should stand in conjunction with the good of goodlesse Creatures Thus have I descanted upon this blessed Work an Embleme whereof in a good measure you have in the Parable of the prodigal Son CHAP. IV. III. The parts of this calling And they are two 1. Tendring Or 1. Reaching out 2. Taking Or 2. Receiving in 1. THere is a tender or offer of Christ and S. 1 grace God lifts up his Son upon the pole of the Gospel Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come come ye buy and eat Christ comes and woos and invite's to himself John 1. 11. He came unto his own and his own received him not When he was on Earth he made as gracious Offers as could be John 7. 37. Jesus stood and cryed because he would have all hear and what was the matter why even this If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Would it not melt a stony heart to take notice of such an Invitation Neither is Christ silent since he went to Heaven Revel 22. 17. And let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the Water of life freely These Words were spoken to John by Christ since he left Earth Is not this able to dissolve a Rock Doth Pro v. 9. 3 not Wisedom dayly send forth her Maidens to call in Souls God comes to Souls with Christ grace Holiness a new heart and saith what doest want what wouldest thou have doest blush at the thoughts of thy condition I have that will fit thee there is nothing can help thee but Christ and grace here they are I pray thee take them Here is all in my Son accept of him and say not nay to embrace my Offer is my desire your duty it will much please me and pleasure you to take my tender how many Motives in Scripture doth God use to force this his precious kindnesse upon us Is not the Gospel for this very end to invite call allure yet the Preaching of the Law is Ames 1. lib. Med. 26. c. 12. 12. Thes Rom. 7. 7. useful thereunto and ordinarily precedes and goes before that so people seeing the worst of themselves may the better apprehend the worth of Christ and knowing their own poverty may the better know the price of Christ that understanding the nature of sin they may be brought out of conceit with themselves and be willing to be made gracious then doth the white of grace most appear when the black of sin is set by it and the excellency and need of goodnesse when we see the danger of our own badnesse a sence of distresse put 's on to fighing for deliverance and what Saints experience almost tells them not that conviction is Mid-wife to conversion 2. There is taking or receiving The former S. 2 was Gods Act this latter is the Soules Conversio ad bonum non homini sed Deo adscribenda Aust Ep. Phil. 2. 13. Bov. 1. 24. yet not so the Soules but that it is beholding to God for it It hath not such propriety in it but that it depends upon Gods efficiency It is he that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure God hath reached out his hands in offering and now the Soul reacheth out it's hands to accept The Soul now giveth consent and no longer saith nay now Christ and the Soul are made one and of his fulnesse doth it receive John 1. 16. grace for grace Now it drinks an hearty draught of the Waters of Life now it opens the door of it's heart and let 's in Christ and grace who have stood knocking there a great while and bids them welcome with a kisse of hearty and sincere Love John 1. 12. As many as received him Now the Soul receiveth Christ now the womb of it's heart is not capacious enough to receive now it 's stomack is come down and fall's to feed heartily upon Spiritual viands the bread of life John 6. 56. He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Now it admires the gracious condescensions of the Lord and blames it self for being stubborn so long Now it is willing to open it's mouth wide yea that it's heart be opened that it may be Psa 81. 10. filled with good things It hearkeneth inwardly as well as outwardly The Lord hath opened it's ear and it is not rebellious now it yeelds stoopes submits to and closeth with God in his grace it answeres Gods call and saith Lord thy Face will I seek Ps 27. 8. and subscribes for God Isai 44. 5. CHAP. V. IV. What is done in this effectual calling or what parts are wrought upon THe whole Man is altered but principally these two Cardinal parts or faculties which are as King and Queen to the rest 1. The wit Or 1. The Head 2. The will Or 2. The Heart 1. The Head is changed before it was an S. 1 Head of Brasse now an Head of Gold before it was night now it is day with it now the bright morning Star appeareth in the Horizon Revel 2. 28. of the Soul The ruddy morning is come and the Sun putteth forth his head Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye Light in the Lord. So dark is the Soul while in the Womb of nature that it is darknesse it self in the abstract a greater darknesse than that which God sent as a sore Judgement upon the Egyptians for that was felt but sinful Souls Exod. 10. 21. feel not nor perceive this darknesse Ephes 4. 18. Their understanding is darkned and there is ignorance and blindnesse in them but now God makes a Window in the Soul and let 's in enlightening beames
of Prison out of the stocks that their shackles are undone their manacles filed off the Chaines of their captivity loosed and their Souls set in a large place such may say with David in Psal 4. 1. Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distresse Thou didst visit me when I was in Prison and redeeme me when I was a Galley-Slave Galat. 5. 13. Ye have been called unto liberty What contendings what pleadings what strivings in the world for liberty till people Liber est aestimandus qui nulli turpitudini servit Cic. bring themselves into bondage again It is in truth and indeed in Christ in grace The Soul that knows what sin is cannot but exceedingly rejoyce at its redemption and keep Holy-day in remembrance of its deliverance from Egypt and the House of bondage and sing songs of praise to that God that Christ that Spirit whose hand brought it out of thrall here is Freedom yet service but the service is no diminution or lessening of the Freedom for it is such service as is not in the world It is liberty to the fall to the heigth 3. Fellowship with Christ All that are called S. 3 are called to this By whom ye are called unto 1 Cor. 1. 9. the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ What an high dignity is this that poor Worms dust and ashes should be advanced to communion with Christ How do Men of parts and greatness who converse with the sages and honourable ones of the world think themselves to move in a higher spheare and orbe than others How much then is that Man advanced to a condition above others whose converse is with Christ who is full of wisedom and glory converted ones have Fellowship with Christ in a moral sence as one Friend converseth with another or with any delightful and suitable object they speak to Christ by supplication Christ speakes to them by Predication by Preaching inward and outward though Christ and they be as far distant from each others as Heaven is from Earth yet is their conversation Phil. 3. 20. in Heaven with him as the Queen of Sheba 1 Kings 10. had communion with Wise Solomon by questions to him and answers from him so hath the Soul of a Saint with the true Solomon Jesus Christ who is the wisedom of the Father Faith and desire are the feet of the Soul which bring it from far into the presence of Christ and when there it sits down at his feet to hear his wise sayings and with humility and modesty to propound the cases of its tender conscience and with admiration saith as she Happy is my Soul happy are all thy Servants which stand Verse 8. continually before thee and that hear thy wisedom the Soul is carried up to Heaven in the fiery chariot of zealous and fervent Meditation and with Christs gracious leave sits down by his Right hand and talkes with him of all its sins and all his loves of all its miscarriages of his peerelesse mercy of its meaneness and insufficiency of his merit and all sufficiency of its desert of Hell and his desire to save it of its perversenesse of his patience of it's frowardnesse of his forwardnesse of its standing out rebelliously against him when time was of his coming into it powerfully yet sweetly in conversion and thus goeth on till silenced with wonderment and then Christ takes the Soul and leading it by the hand sheweth it all about his banquetting house and displayeth Cant. 2. 4 5. his banner of love over it openeth his flagons giveth his Apples to it smileth upon it unbosomes himself and tells the Soul of his Fathers and his compact from Eternity for its Salvation and shewes it its name written in Golden Characters upon his never dying ever yerning heart shewes it the glory of its future mansion and walkes with it from one end to the other of the streets of the New Jerusalem upon the firme pavement of purest love opens the record and roules of Heaven and shewes it it's debts and scores crossed with red Lines of his own heart blood and tells it of his former suiting and wooing it and how he wan upon it's heart and made it pant and long for him till it was sick of love he tells it of the kindnesse of it's youth and of the love of it's espousals How it went after him in the wildernesse Jer. 2. 2 3. in a Land that was not sown and left all for his sake then it was Holinesse unto the Lord and the first Fruits of his encrease And saith well done my dearest spouse that thou keepest thy Garments clean thine Heart entire for me And as for thy backslidings under which thou labourest over which thou mournest against which thou strivest I have seen them and will heal them Thus do Christ and the Soul by the help of his Spirit maintain an Holy Dialogue between them Oh the sweet entercourse and discourse that is between them that the Soul saith let us build Tabernacles here what gracious heart doth not dance within at the thoughts of this Fellowship and may not say truely my Fellowship is with the Father and with 1 John 1. 3. his Son Jesus Christ whereas the converse of the wicked is with their sins and sinners like themselves these are the subject of their thoughts the Center of their Meditations and the object of their Souls delight the drunkard converseth and hath Fellowship with his Cups the unclean person with effeminate ones the covetous Man with the World and every sinner with his Dalilah but the Christian with his Christ Then in the next place they have communion with Christ by way of Partnership as the word signifieth that which is common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this I think may be called a forensical and civil Communion with Christ by way of Analogy and proportion Christ is the Souls his Divinity his humanity his natures person are the Soules All Christ all of Christ all in Christ are a believers for by Faith are they united to him and made one with him and so must partake of the fatnesse of the true Olive when it goeth into Christs Treasury Christs Ware-house and seeth his spotlesnesse his Righteousnesse his sufferings his death his Resurrection his ascension session at his Fathers Right hand it may say these are mine and common to me with Christ Christ is the subject of them and I the object of them the vertue and benefit of them is for me And of his fulnesse do and shall I receive grace for grace John 1. 16. As Husband and Wife may challenge an Interest mutually in each others person and property so may Christ and a believing Soul Oh the happiness of a converted Soul as Ahasuerus would Est 6. 9. have Haman proclame before Mordecai so may we say in this case Thus shall it be done to the Man whom the Lord delighteth to honour with the grace of effectual calling This is
of Christianity but the fire and heat will soon take off all this Paint your Blossomes and Buds will fall with an easy gust you will go back by as many degrees as ever you went forward and though a Saint to seeming in youth yet in old age you may turn Devil yea sooner too and so make good Sancti juvenes Satanici senes the Devils Proverb if you be onely called and are not also effectually called artificial Religion and made Piety is never durable or long-lived rootelesse flourishes will soon be saplesse and hang their heads if the Garment of your Profession be not made of the Sempiterno and Perpetuano of true grace it wil soon wear out If you put not the woofe of an inward work to the warpe of an outward shew you will never make strong Cloth fit for a Saints back The power of Godlinesse will stand where the forme dareth not shew it's head True Saints prove Standers when others turn starters This is your happinesse ye Children ye Sons and Daughters of grace ye shall hold out and continue Let not this breed security and sloth in you but rather confidence and courage and caution Let 1 Cor. 10. 12. him that standeth take heed least he fall If you would stand take heed you do not fall if you would not fall take heed that you stand if you would be sure you must not be secure 10 Glorification The last effect or consequence S. 10 of effectual calling is glory and happinesse in the highest Heavens this I put in the last place as the greatest of all what can be said more than glory enjoyment of God beholding his face for ever And this belongs onely to the effectually called as in the Text Verse Whom he called them he justified and whom he justified them he glorified They shall as certainly be glorified as it were done already and this Peter also teacheth when he saith Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. Here he speaketh of being begotten again which is all one with effectual calling and by that Inheritance incorruptible reserved in Heaven is meant no other than glory It is undefiled and therefore suitable to them it is incorruptible and cannot perish and therefore they need not fear it shall decay or be lost during their stay on Earth while they are at home in the body and absent from the Lord gracious ones shall be glorious ones Holy ones shall be happy ones The effectually called shall be Eternally crowned Those that have Sanctifying goodness in possession have saving greatness in reversion All the rest of the consequences of effectual calling before mentioned are not enough the Lord will also give Heaven as the perfection and accomplishment of them all He hath given grace and he will give glory and no good Ps 84. 11 12. thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly O Lord God of Hosts blessed is the man that trusteth in thee that is called by thee The Lord called them to make them fit for Heaven for by nature we are as contrary to Heaven as to the way thereunto though we little think it and therefore have it they shall Giving Col. 1. 11 12. thanks unto the Father you see neither Peter before nor Paul now quoted can mention it without Doxology and we should imitate them Which hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light what is that but Heaven and how did he make them meet why that followes Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us unto the Kingdom of his dear Son Colos 1. 11 12. What is delivering from the power of darknesse but the bringing of a Soul out of an Estate of nature which is done in effectual calling But as for you that are in your sins for all your challenge Heaven glory is none of yours this Scepter shall never be put into the sinful hands the Crowns of this Kingdom shall never circle the heads that are void of the right knowledg of Jesus Christ unrighteous ones shall not enter in at the Gates of the new Jerusalem living and dying in your sins you shall ever be excluded and shut out let the serious thoughts of it daunt thy Spirit and stop thy course Heaven is not for all Aula coelestis non suscipit nisi Sanctos pios onely for some it is the City House Mansion onely of the Saints amongst the Sons of men onely converted ones shall be Courtiers there CHAP. IX VIII The subject of effectual calling or whom God doth call IN the next place according to the method propounded I am to shew you who they are who the Lord doth thus call for they are not all but some not many but a few and this I shall comprize under three heads 1. His Elect Those whom the Lord hath S. 1 predestinated and elected to glory those he calleth to grace whom he hath chosen for himself those he calleth to himself Election was Praedestinatio est causa gratiae gloriae Aqui. therefore Vocation shall be Vocation is therefore Election hath been The one goeth before the other certainly followeth after whom he had in his heart by Eternal Predestination those he bringeth to his hand by timely regeneration The Text speaketh this plain Whom he did predestinate them he also called And v. 28. foregoing To them that are the called according to his purpose God Elected but some and therefore doth effectually call but some he calleth homeward many he calleth home but his chosen he calleth into the bosome of the Church even those that are rejected into the bosome of Christ onely those that are elected He calleth not all in the world but some out of the world Election and effectual calling though they keep not time yet they keep Company what the number of the one is that is the number of the other The calling of God hath it's bounds it's limits out of which it doth not passe The Lord saith to it as to the waves of the Sea hitherto shalt thou go and not further It is not tied to place Countrey manners parts gifts or the like but onely to the Elect whosoever are not Elect shall not be effectually called whosoever are Elect shall be effectually called The Lord knoweth who are his and he will find them out First their names are written in God's Book then God's grace is wrought in their hearts God first marks them and then moulds them First registreth them and then reneweth them first takes their names then turns their natures multitudes there are whose names are not in Heaven multitudes there are who shall never attain to true grace we may suppose
the seeds plant the slips of grace There is a latter spring but that is not so good In youth are the white houres the Golden seasons Marriages are most in younger time so are Spiritual Contracts with Jesus Christ David was good when young Daniel a young 1 Sam. 17. 23. Dan. 1. 3. 4. 1 Tim. 4. 12. 1 Sam. 2. 18. 1 Kings 4. 3 13. 2 Kings 22. 1 2. Discipulum minimum Christus amavit psurimum Eccles 3. begin Psal 92. â—3 1 Pet. 2. 5. Nullum tempus occurrit Regi Prophet Timothy a young Preacher Samuel began with God betimes Abijah good when a Child so was Jofiah John the youngest of Christs disciples and most beloved for he leaned on Christs bosome There is a season for every thing under the Sun saith Solomon then certainly for grace and Soul-affaires there is a time to be Spiritually born to be planted in the house of the Lord to kill the heart of sin to heal the hurt of the Soul to be built up a Spiritual house to lament for sin to laugh in a sence of Gods love to embrace Christ and refrain from embracing sin to love vertue to hate vice It is true as no place so no time can prescribe against the King of Heaven and Earth yet in this season doth the Spirit usually breed and bring forth its young This is Gods more common order which he can alter when he pleaseth and this time he seemeth to take for these reasons 1. The excellency of firstlings 2. The probability of a change 3. The necessity of service 1. The excellence of firstlings The Lord doth S. 3 this that he may have the first Fruits in which he delighteth First fruits are savoury meat such as the Soul of the Lord loves the first of our Estate our health the first of the day the first of Prov. 3. 9. the week the first of our life the first in regard of time in regard of dignity is to be the Lords In the time of the Law the Lord challenged the Exod. 34. 19 20 23. first of men of Beasts of the Fruits of the Earth How welcome is the Primerose to us because it cometh forth early ye creamy mornings and not the flotten afternoons are of great price we are loath to take into our services of those that have been worn up in others imployments and will the Lord think we accept of our drie bones when the Devil hath sucked R. Jun. out the Marrow as one saith wittily and yet this is the way of the world the common course The first and best not last and worst is to be given to God The morning rather than the evening the Spring rather than autumne Monday rather than Saturday our flourishing rather than our fading dayes are to be devoted to the Lord and such Sacrifices smel sweet in his nostrils The Lord loveth to be served in the first place to have the chief of our strength the choice of our ability The Lord 1 Cor. 7. 36. looketh upon it as uncomely behaviour to himself that we passe the flower of our age and never seek for Marriage with himself It is dearly delightful so purely pleasing to begin with wisedom when we begin with the world that a gracious promise is made to it I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me Prov. 8. 17. An early new heart is a rich Pearl timely grace finds great grace in the eyes of the Lord. God calleth and careth for early Piety the Blossomes Buds Fruit of Godlinesse in younger years is grateful to him a young man or woman green all over and putting forth the tender shoots of grace is Jehovah's darling a youth Saint or a Saint youth is the Benjamin the Son of the right hand of the most high his dearest Joseph as the apple of his eye written in his heart and wrought on the palmes of his hand by the engravings of love such indeed are his chosen his choice ones his loved his loving his lovely ones Thus then you see God is in love with early goodnesse to give grace at all times lieth in his hand to receive grace betimes lodgeth in his heart 2. The probability of a change This is the S. 4 second reason Young ones are more likely to be wrought upon grace in youth is most like to be grace in truth soon grace is likest to prove sound grace and early goodnesse hath a probability Quo semel est imbuta testa c. 2 Kings 22. 19. to become ever goodnesse the twigs of youth are more tender when the grown boughes of age are more tough young ones are more plain and simple when old ones are more plicated and subtle The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17. 9. These words are a fit measure for the hearts of all for young hearts and old hearts are hard and naught but yet the older they grow the worse they grow and the more unlikely to be mended as the expression of the Holy-ghost doth warrant Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Jer. 13. 23. It is true the spirit of God knoweth the things of a man as well as his own spirit yea more of man than man doth of himself and hath line and lead wherewith it can sound and reach the profundity Jer. 17. 10. of wickedness and hath a clue wherewith it can find a way into the midst of the intricate labyrinth of mans deceitful heart notwithstanding all the windings and turnings that are in it The Lord hath a fountain wherein he can wash Black-moors white he hath soap and nitre wherein he can take out spots of the deepest stain yet aged inveterate customary sinners contract more rust more filth which calls for more rubbing more filing A tree long rooted may be pulled up yet with more ado than a plant of a years growth As Mr. Bridg. a godly Man illustrates this by Christs raising to life several that were temporally dead as Jairus his daughter to which sinners of the Matth. 9. 25. Luke 7. 14. lower form may be resembled and the widdows son of Naim who was carried forth to be buried to whom may be resembled such sinners as have broken out into more notorious wickednesse and have stood in the way of the ungodly and Lazarus who was laid John 11. 41 42. 43. in his grave and nigh unto stinking to whom may be resembled great sinners that have continued in their sins a great while all these Christ raiseth up one as well as other but with various dispensations the first with a touch of his hand the second with a work and a word a touch and a call the third and the last in a more solemn manner first speaking to his living father then to his livelesse friend and that not with a low but
naked to their Eternal shame without the intervention of special grace so long as you keep in the walk of sin in the road of nature Christ and your Souls are far asunder Oh that the Lord would cause the scales to fall from peoples eyes that he would change their Note and turn their time and make them say Oh that Christ were mine which may be instead of saying Christ is mine which is not 4. The pedigree of grace In the next place S. 4 we may take notice of the original of grace whence it comes for the doctrine saith God doth effectually call It is then not an earth but heaven-born thing If we enquire for the descent of it we must ascend above the Stars It is a beam of the eternal Sun a spark of the eternal fire a dropling of the everlasting fountain It is Gods hand that sets this slip in Gratiâ Dei non nostra potestate in melius mutamur the garden of the heart It springeth not from natural inclination but from the Almighty his operation It doth not rise like water fetched by pumping but falls like pearly precious dew from Heaven It oweth his being not to humane acquisition but to divine infusion The Lord hath often told us thus much in Scripture and yet we are ready to sacrifice to our own nets This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts Heb. 8. 10. This is but the copy of an old grant which we have in the 31. of Jeremy and the 31 32. verses c. and in the 36. of Ezek. 26 27. verses where you have the word I five times in two verses and who is it that speaks thus but the Lord mighty and powerfull Who can do it as well as say it and who doth do it wherever it is done This gift cometh from the bonity and bounty of the Lord If any soul can make out the truth of grace within let it say It is not in Rom. 9. 16. him that wills nor in him that runs but in God that sheweth mercy and when it is prostrated on earth upon its knees with humility let its heart be elevated to Heaven with gratitude I think this might well be the Embleme of a Christian a large heart wide open to Heaven the deaf ears perforated breathing forth flames of zeal written on both sides with Scripture truths an hand in the clouds as from Heaven hovering about it with this Motto which was Paul's By the grace of God I am what I am 1 Cor. 15. 10. The store of grace that Saints have comes out of Gods treasury their rich cloathing from his Wardrobe their currant coine from his Exchequer their choice flowers from his Eden The Apostle useth this as a means to fetch off the Corinthians from glorying in men and to fix their thoughts upon God when he saith I have planted Apollo watered ministerially but God gave the increase yea and the beginning too magisterially 1 Cor. 3. 6. The will and the work are both of Gods good Phil. 2. 13. pleasure for who is sufficient of themselves to think so much as a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. Heb. 12. 2. Incassum laborat in acquisitione virtutum qui eas alibi quam in Christo quaerit It is the Lord that is the α and the ω the author and finisher of Faith The Lord Christ not excluding his Father but the Lord and his Christ They are not to be regarded that slight the means and God may justly reject those that eye the means onely and forget himself which are nothing without his acting It is most true that of him and through him and to him are all things Rom. 11. 36. 5. The dependency of mans salvation S. 5 Then all that concerns mans salvation is from God and his grace for effectual calling which is the first work is from God and his gift Until effectual calling no justification no adoption no growth nor perseverance in grace no assurance no glory nor Heaven They are all entailed upon effectual calling are the inseparable concomitants thereof Therefore if we owe the one to the Lord Causa causae est causa causati we are beholding to him also for all the rest not only the foundation but the superstructure not only the bottom but also the top-stone of spiritual temples are of the Lords laying The whole of salvation is to be ascribed to the Lord By grace ye are saved Ephes 2. 8. Conversion is the first distinguishing and changing work that passeth upon a man or woman without which they could not be fit and meet for any after favour now if that first Col. 1. 12. work whereupon all after works do depend have its dependance upon and its being from the Lord and his grace then certainly all the rest must depend upon the Lord All that souls have from the beginning to the end from the first to the last comes from the womb of Gods grace the upper rooms as well as the lower are of his building There is not the least ingredient that goeth to the making up of a mans happinesse but is to be found in the Lords Paradise every stair from the cell of nature to the chair of glory is of the Lords own laying There is not the least iota or title in the Alphabet of Salvation but is written by the finger of God We cannot say that ought from a change to a crown is our creature for all is framed and fashioned by the hand of the Lord So that it may be truly said to every Saint What hast thou that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4. 7. Grace is by the Lords gift conversion by his call pardon from his pity sanctification from his Spirit perseverance by his power glory of his own grant The whole fabrick and building leaneth upon the arms of the Almighty that the Lord may say I bear up the Pillars thereof The Fathers will the Sons worth and the Spirits work are the three supporters of salvation and founders of mans felicity the one purposeth the other purchaseth and the last perfecteth All must be set upon the Lords account The Text speaketh it plain It is he that predestinateth calleth justifieth and glorifieth The first middle and last things of a Christian do live move and have their being in the Lord so that when we go to take our pen and set down our spiritual receits we may well say Inprimis for Predestination item for vocation item for justification sonship and glory and all these received of the Lord the most higst possessour of Heaven and Earth and my most gracious Father and may add all our spirings are in thee Let us not give Gods glory Ps 87. 7. to another let all go in his name for all is from his grace and power though some be first others
you may haplie make shift to passe the corps du guard of man and so to say the word that none can gain say you yet God can perceive your lisping and when you come to the passages of Jordan that lead into Judg. 12. 6. the heavenlie Canaan and shall say Lord let me go over and open unto me The Lord will say art thou not a sinner a rebel and an unbeliever and though thou say nay yet the Lord will find thee out and bid thee say Shibboleh which thou canst not do but instead thereof will say Sibboleh Thou canst say outward calling but not inward calling thou canst say common grace but not special grace thou canst say I am a Christian but thou canst not say I am a Saint There thou stammerest and stutterest and art not able to speak right Be not deceived God will not be mocked And is Gala. 6. 7. it not a most doleful and direful condition for a man to be in wherein he cannot say upon sufficient grounds my name is written in Heaven I am one in the Catalogue and list of the elected and chosen of God Whom the Lord chuseth he chuseth to holinesse to sonship now if these things be not in Homo praedestinatus est esse filius Dei Aquin. thee what hast thou to say for thy predestination It is true Gods people are many times under dark dispensations and their condition so clouded that with Paul and his company neither Sun nor Stars for manie dayes do appear Acts 26. 20. to them so that their hope of being saved is taken away but yet their condition is far distant from thine For they have the root though not the branch the habit though not the act Though they cannot through impediments yet they ought by Gods commandment to conclude his eternal loving thoughts towards them yet withal they have such a glimmering and see so much of land and discover the coast though but in a small measure that if put to their choice they would not exchange conditions with thee but as for thee that art in thy sins thou hast no right neither oughtest thou to conclude any such thing to thy self 2. If such do conclude they do but delude S. 3 themselves onlie Saints can make right syllogismes in this matter for mood and figure because themselves through the grace of God are in a good mood and they have the figure and image of Jesus Christ upon their hearts others can make paralogismes as the Apostles Jam. 1. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word is and are good or rather bad at fallacies which is the way of disputing altogether in the devils Schools and what a desparate thing is it for a man to cheat and bear false witness against himself in things of so great moment when he is forbidden such demeanour towards his neighbour in the ninth commandement Friend and Christian Reader you are full of conclusions and do abound with determinations of his kind yet wanting the inward and saving workings of the spirit you do but cozen and deceive your selves If you say you are chosen and are not called if you say you are purposed to life and are not prepared for life that your name is registred in Heaven and not your nature regenerated on Earth If you think you are the object of predestination and not the subject of sanctification you do erre in your thoughts and greatly mistake Hath your hope for Heaven no other staffe to lean on but the broken reed of Egypt Will that building last that hath no other foundation than the sand Hear what Paul saith If a man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceiveth himself Gal. 6. 3. It is universally true in divine moral civil and natural things and very applicable to our purpose He that thinketh himself to be something in regard of predestination and is nothing in regard of effectual vocation deceiveth himself yet there is nothing more common with people than thus to do and this is the misery and the mischief of all that people will not be beaten out of these thoughts and sayings though there be not the least of reason for them To run upon mistakes in temporals may be great detriment but to do it in spirituals is like to prove grievous damnation Is thy condition ever the better for such conceptions Is it sufficient warrant for hopes and confidences to have nothing but the hand and seal of Satans delusions There is nothing will bring thee more woe and speaks thy condition more sad than these delusions It may be truly said of thee a deceived heart hath turned thee aside that thou canst not deliver thy soul nor say Is Isa 44. 20. Adulatio fallax crudelis est there not a lie in my right hand Deceitful flattery will prove destructive cruelty bottomless conclusions will prove bottomlesse confusion if the spirit prevent not by Scripture confutation and in the end thou wilt find this course but a counterfeit salve for thy sins a skinning of the sore and the devils breath to carry thee down the more swiftly and easily upon the tide and stream of temptation into the Vitiis semper serviunt blandimenta lenocinantur dulcia delictis gulph of perdition The Lord uncase this deceit for thee and shew thee the hellish and hideous face thereof Rational men will have a reason for what they think or do and should not Christians make the divine reason the basis of all their inward and outward motions It is most unsafe for us to enter into the labyrinth of predestination to pace it with our own feet to make particular applications of it to our selves without the clue of Scripture-reason and doth not that even in the text say Whom he predestinated them he also called If effectual calling say not Amen thy strong conceits have none of the spirit's seal If those that have true grace may have doubting fears concerning their predestination then thy certain thoughts without grace are but a deluding fancy If they may yet suppose their condition sad thou hast no reason to conclude thine safe Christ saith Woe when all men Luke 6. 26. speak well of you and doth not a woe also belong to such who think and speak well of themselves causelesly Deceits of this nature will prove like mountains of snow which with the heat of Gods wrath will dissolve into floods of sorrow 3. In the next place consider what contentment S. 4 can you take in any enjoyment whilest you are unchanged and so cannot make out that you are one of God's chosen What felicity in any temporal favour without this Health is the sauce of our morsels peace gives a rellish to our rest Plenty is a foil to our peace a cheerful spirit within is the quaver of our mirth without our enjoyments like loving brothers are mutual helpes to each other but an interest in God and a sence of that interest is the
ye answered not Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my name as I have done to Shiloh and I will cast you out of my sight Jer. 7. 13 14 15. This reprehension and commination concernes thee as well as them because thou art in the same predicament and condition with them You see the hardness of your heart and the heavinesse of Gods hand go together want of conversion brings woful confusion and such as continue vassals of sin are like to prove vessels of sorrow Is it a light matter in your account not to Eccho to the voice of God from Heaven Is it nothing to have the Lord of life and glory stand and knock at the door of your cottage and you not let him in He hath promised to open to you if you knock Matt. 7. 7. and will not you open to him when he knocks Is it nothing to have God make tenders from Heaven and we be unwilling to accept of his termes Is it nothing for the Lord to complain and say All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people Rom. 10. 21. If you be not past shame you cannot but be ashamed of these things let not the Lord have cause to say Were they ashamed of what they had done nay they were not ashamed at all neither could they blush Oh that you Jer. 8. 12. should make no more account of such a work as this is That you should spend your time and never seek for this Bear with my chiding and reproof the Lord set it home upon your hearts It is out of love and desire of thy good I must not flatter thee Open rebuke is better than secret love faithful are the wounds Prov. 27. 5 6. Magis ama tobjurgator sanans quam adulator dissimulans of a friend but the kisses of an Enemy are deceitful Such as you are must be rebuked sharply You are in much fault your sin is great your condition is sad and not to deal plainly were to destroy thee and my self too That this use may not fall off from your spirit I shall fasten it with three nailes and that I may make it more full and compleat give me leave to lay before you a trinity of considerations which are these 1. Aggravating circumstances 2. Administring causes 3. Astonishing consequences or considerations 1. Aggravating circumstances In the first place S. 2 I shal aggravate the neglect want of effectual calling It is good for souls to view their sins round about and to look upon them not onely in the substantials but also in the circumstantials of them not only in their essentials but also in their accidentals That may be a mole-hill in Tanto majus peccatum esse cognoscitur quanto major qui peccat â—abetur one as it were which is a mountain in another That may be less in one which is larger in another The quantity of sin beareth proportion with the quality of the sinner Not only the absolute constitution of sin but the relative dimensions thereof also are to be taken into our consideration Now these following circumstances do exceedingly greaten and enhance your neglect and slighting of effectual calling and the work of grace 1. The multitude of your calls in regard of 1. The frequencie of the Act. 2. The variety of the agent 2. The altitude of your inexcusablenesse 3. The magnitude of God's providences 4. The lenitude of the spirit 5. The longitude of your life 6. The latitude of your comforts 1. The multitude of your calls You have had many calls many wayes 1. In regard of the frequency of the Act S. 3 You have been often called upon to turn in to the Lord you have been often invited to the marriage Feast The Lord hath repeated his calls and do you renew your resistance The Lord hath multiplied his calls and you have not magnified his grace by your acceptance The Lord hath often called from Heaven and thou hast not taken one step from Earth to meet with him may not Christ say to thee as he said to the Jews How often would I have gathered you together as an Hen doth gather her Brood under her wings and ye would not Luke 13. 34. That how often implieth often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord Christ hath many times stretched out his wing of love and thou hast refused to come under his shelter This is very sad and shouldst thou then hear any other voice then that of Punitione gravi dignus est qui saepius Dei gratiam contempsit chiding and other language then that of reproof Thou art not able to reckon up the many times that God hath called thee In the Canticles we find Return return O Shulamite return return Cantic 6. 13. Four times but this is nothing to the times that thou hast been called The Lord called to Samuel four times before he understood his voice 1 Sam. c. 3. beginning of it but thou hast been called not four but four hundred four thousand yea innumerable times and thou knowest not his language and hast not yet made answer speak Lord for thy servant heareth Thou hast been called in thy non-age in thy middle age yea in thine old age and yet thou art in thine old condition Thou hast been called long ago and of later time Thou hast been called in thy single in thy sociated estate Thou wast called in the time that is past and art called still in the time that is present God hath and doth send many messengers spokes-men to woo thee for himself and thou hast said nay to all The Cock hath crowed not three but three hundred Matt. 26. 75. times and yet thou hast not remembred the words of the Lord nor wept bitterly for thy sins You have been called on the Lord's day and yet not one of your dayes have been spent for the Lord You have been called on lecture dayes and yet you have never truely leaned on Christ You have been called in fasting seasons and yet you have not fasted from sin You have been called on thanks-giving dayes and yet you have not given in your name to Christ You have been called publikely and privately and yet will not be prevailed withall Your callings have been frequent and yet your Zeal is not fervent Your calls have been many but your graces not any Your calls have been several but your faith not saving You have had divers invitations but no dutiful inclinations The dew hath fallen upon you every morning and yet you have not sprouted out The showers have descended upon you continually and yet you have not ascended Heavenward the Heavenly Elatum cor durum expers est pietatis ignarum compunctionis drops have fallen upon you every day and yet your heart more hard then stone hath received no impressions The Lord may complain and say I have shewed thee my wayes and taught thee my pathes
seek to be made good As ever you desire to be made a living Saint so see your selfe to be a lost sinner but the wretched world love and Joh. 3. 19. live in darkness and rather then they will have a true reflextion of their condition they either draw the curtain before the glass or put their hand before their eyes and so farre hath the God of this world infatuated them that they will draw up such conclusions to Conscientia est codex in quo quotidiana peccata conscribuntur which neither conscience if suffered to speak nor Scripture will give consent If you did but search consciences record and Scriptures testimonie sure you could not be of that perswasion whereof you are 2. Of Gods compassion people think that the S. 23 Divine being is all mercie and no justice and that by his mercy they shall be preserved from damnation though through wilfulness they persevere in their abominations This is the last refuge that they betake themselves to and the universal remedie and plaister that they think Vltimum refugium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be healed by It is true the mercy of God is the sovereign salve for the sores of our souls but it must be rightly spread and applied It is the onely balm of Gilead but it must be rightly used Gods mercy is sanctifying as well as saving renewing as well as redeeming delivering from the power as well as from the penalty of sin from the way as well as from the wages of sin and those that have not the first effect thereof cannot expect the latter If it bring not to repentance for sin it will never bring to acceptance in a Saviour The Author Rom. 2. 4. to the Hebrews speaking of mercy of the highest strain even that which comes to souls in the blood of Christ which though it be the pillar and basis of Gods kingdom yet he doth not infer that therfore be we what we will we shall shall be saved but this that we must have grace Heb. 12. 24. 28 29. whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare or otherwise he will be a consuming fire notwithstanding this eminent demonstration of his mercy The Lord saveth none in their sins but saved from your sins you may be To fancie such mercy is but In omni opere Dei est misericordia et justitia to fall down to an Idol for mercy and justice meet together the rising of one attribute is not built upon the ruine of another God is full of pity thou thinkest that he will spare thee though thou be never so full of impietie and therefore you send not forth so much as one thought to look after grace He that made you will not damn you he that formed you will not confound you for your sinnes you think Doe but consult that startling place in Esay It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Esa 27. 11. Gods mercie you see will not advance you to happinesse if you live and die without holiness By such thoughts you make mercy a means to sink you which otherwise might be a means to save you what is this but to turn the grace of God into wantonness Be not deceived God will not be mocked the Lords mercy glorifieth in heaven onely those whom he sanctifieth on earth Though God be mercifull yet you will be miserable without grace presumption of Gods favour without a change on your heart will prove the confusion of your face and if because of his compassion you disobey the call of his Spirit you are like to meet with nothing but condemnation let mercie be a motive to draw you to contrition and not a means to drown you in perdition Every one though their hearts be fraughted with nothing but sin yet they would cast anchor in the mercy of God that they might be saved from tormenting tempests and so long as they think they shall have glory let who so will look after grace if they may be saved through Gods mercy what need they care for Christs Spirit but soul know thus much that though Gods mercy have neither bottom nor bank yet it will not benefit you in reference to glory if you come into and goe out of the world a sinfull wretch Those that confide in Gods mercy against Gods method are like to have a sad come off when it comes to the upshot 3. Sinful procrastinations This is another cause of peoples being without and not looking S. 24 after effectual calling because they defer and put it off to the time to come hereafter they think will be time enough though it be Qui non est hodiè cras minus aptus erit high time at present not considering that duration in sin brings obduration of heart in temporals people are altogether upon the speed and in spirituals altogether upon the slack It is an usual thing for people at 20 to put off repentance and the serious minding of their souls to 30 and when they are come to 30 to crave yet a further day and that the businesse may lie still till 40 and so putting off from one time to another from the Spring to Autumn from the flower to the fall of our age the work is undone for gray heads can find excuses as well as green heads for when they grow old then their senses sinke their memories grow mean their understandings decay and now it is no time for such things even as Thales who when his mother asked Plutarch him in his younger years why he did not marry answered He was too young and after in his elder years she putting the same question to him answered He was too old So the Lord by his Ministers and Spirit asketh people when they will marry be espoused to Jesus Christ they say It is too soon they have good desires to Christ but they would stay yet a while the Lord in patience waits and comes to them with the same query afterwards and then they say It is too late nature is decayed their spirits are spent but they will wish well and they would have God accept of that most put of all to the last and yet then they are as unfit and unwilling as ever and God in justice rejects them who injuriously refused him People are like little children who loathe to have their play spoiled or hindred by wet weather say Rain rain go away come again another day Sinners have sometimes convictions that they begin to melt and be sorrowful and the heavenly doctrine falls upon them in such drops that it begins to wet them to damp their sport to dull their joy and they bid it go away and if it come in old age it shall be welcome and put away the messages of God the calls of the spirit and say as Felix to Paul
to heaven If with your will you be carried down the stream against your will you shall at length fall down into the bottomlesse lake one precept from heaven should be of more force with us than all the patterns we meet with on earth If others damn themselves that is no sufficient warrant for us to do so too Those that are most wise for temporals are many times most fools for spirituals and though one would be willing to take their counsel for the one yet loath to follow their course for the other If we would set our watch let us take the direction of a true Sun-dial and not of others ill-paced watches If all the world should turn their backs on God yet it were thy duty though thou hadst no partner to set thy face toward the new Jerusalem It will be no diminution of sin or mitigation of sorrow that we have partners and confederates if you do as others do you must expect to fare as others fare others Exempla bonae vitae a Christo ab ejus actibus assumere debemus manners must not be our model unlesse they follow Christ and Christ's rule our hearts and lives must be printed not according to the copy of others works but according to the original of the word we must draw the picture of goodnesse not according to the rough draught of other mens ways but according to the exact plat-form of God's will Those that will swim with the world must accuse themselves if they sink with the world To pin our faith upon other mens sleeves is to pinion our wings and hinder us in our flight to heaven Whatever ye do saith Joshua Josh 24. 15. Yet I and mine house will serve the Lord. Though others be loose in their conversation yet we should be fixed in our resolutions Though others forsake God yet let not us forget our souls Other mens practises are too weak a bottom for us to venture our lives in in our voyage through the sea of this world to the holy land It is ill following of others unless we see they be in the way to grace and glory Though we see not others panting after the grace of God in Christ yet let us be pressing forward toward the mark for the price of the Phil. 3. 14. high calling of God in Christ Jesus Let their wisedom be what it will in other things yet here their policy usually fails Though they be never so much above us yet let it be no motive to make us contented without grace Though they satisfie themselves with external yet let us seek for effectual calling Though they fancy all will be well yet dear friend do thou fear all will be a woe without a work of grace 7. Wilful ignoration This is the last cause S. 28 in order that I shall speak to of peoples neglecting and not looking after this work and I can term it no other then wilful ignorance because they have the means though not a due measure of knowledge People are unacquainted with the grounds of Religion which keeps them from the knowledge of their own condition Though the Sun be up yet it is night with many Towns Families and Persons In this light age how many are there that see but little Many are like the Jonah 4. 11. Ninevites that cannot discern between their right hand and their left Catechistical principles are good helps to piety they shew the fall of man and the favour of God the curse by the first Adam the cure by the second How sin came in and how it must be got out They are maps of heaven of earth they portray God and us shew what we are by nature what we must be by grace if ever we would come to glory without the knowledge of our selves as well as of God we shall never come to good which made those that had no other but the Moon-light of nature to direct them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to magnifie that sentence Know thy self Ignorance of our lost state maketh us proud in De ignorantia tui superbia venit spirit and pride doth barricado the soul against grace Those that know not the quality and penalty of sin that know not how all came to be overwhelmed with the deluge of sin and to have the weeds of natural pollution wrapt about their heads and hearts that all are heirs to Adam's sin as well as sorrow those that know not the manner nor means of grace that know not the nature of faith and repentance and their own need of them all which are taught in fundamental principles of Christianity are not like to meet with a change Those that have not learned exactly these elements will hardly be able to spell out a work of saving grace How many are there who have need to be taught the first principles of the Oracles of God and yet scorn so low a work as this but let them know that if they be not well versed in their A B C they will Heb. 5. 12. hardly prove good Schollers in Vertue 's School and if they be not well suckled with pure milk at first they are not like to prove thrifty babes of grace If the foundation be not laid the building is like to prove but a sorry one it were well therefore if catechising private and publike were more in use little knowledge of God and our selves unlesse we get this Horn-book by heart and into our hearts without sound principles no saving proficiency be not too hasty to flie before thou hast got the use of thy feet future works have great dependency upon first works Many soar to the clouds with notional conceptions who never yet cast off the clouts of their natural condition and all for want of being principled But despise not thou the day of small things Grace is a practical knowledge of the nature of faith and not speculative of notions in the fancy Were people better learned in these things it would make them more able to make a right construction of their own estate They are as a glasse to shew us our deformity which if we did see we would more long for conformity to God Pretences to Christianity are little worth where ignorance of fundamentals beareth the sway And thus I have laid before you several causes that keep people in their natural condition and keep them off from effectual calling let us pray Lord by the hand of thy powerful Spirit roll these stones from the mouth of the grave that thy poor creatures may rise to grace I come in the next place to the third general propounded 3. Astonishing consequences There are S. 29 such sad things that do and may follow upon the neglect and want of effectual calling which may startle an heart of stone which if you take down and sweat upon they may through the concurrence of the Spirit conduce to the expelling and working out your great carelessenesse and neglect in
a great harvest of Saints Heaven is the desire of many when hell is their desert most desire the Saints paradise when but few care for the Saints piety many who prosecute their sinful lusts will yet earnestly petition for eternal life and would fain be triumphant that care not for being militant he is no right souldier that would wear the crown but is loth to fight to win the field desires of heaven are Non impetrat a deo bonum quod poscit qui ejus legi non obedit in vain unless there be duty on earth He that loatheth grace may yet long for glory yet such desires pass for current coyn with the unskilful multitude and having such desires they think that all is well with them 6. To take delight in and to be taken with the S. 21 preaching of the word is not grace there are that love preaching and yet care not for practice there are those who never were effectually called that yet may account a Minister in his work as one that sings a pleasant song they are content to hear the word of Ezek. 33 32. God but care not for the work of grace the word may please their fancy and yet not prevail with them for faith they may delight to hear the sound and never desire to understand the sense they may countenance the minister Quaerit anima verbum eui consentiat ad correctionem Mark 6. 20. and not consent to his message Such an one was Herod who feared John Baptist and observed him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly and yet lived in his sins He heard the word but he did not hold it Many are taken with the parts and gifts of a Minister and it is that string that sounds sweetliest in their ear they may hear to fill their table-books and never fill the tables of their heart they may love to walk in the dew and soft showres of heavenly doctrine and yet provide that it shall not wet them to the skin one may delight to wait upon the best means and yet continue in their bad manners to be taken with the word and not taken by the word is not true conversion the word may sound sweetly aloft in the ear and never settle savingly below in the heart it may be musick to your sense and not meat to your soul 7. One may desire the prayers of God's S. 22 people and yet not be a Saint the prayers of the godly may be craved and yet their profession may be carped at Wicked men may beg their requests for the renewing of trouble but not for the removing of their temper they may desire an interest in their supplications and yet never imitate them in their sanctification Wretched Pharaoh desired righteous Moses to pray for him Intreat the Lord that there be no more mighty thundrings c. Exod. 9. 28. Moses was a great man in his books I 'le warrant and yet he was glad to make use of Moses beads Open enemies to godliness may yet be willing to have the help of the godly there needs no grace to make one desirous to have the Saints pass Thus it was with Simon Magus also who desired Peter c. to pray to the Lord for him that none of those things which they had spoken might come upon him Acts 8. 24. Those may crave the prayers of others that never had grace to pray for themselves others prayers and to desire the benefit of them is good but it is not grace 8. Nay even a wicked man may so far S. 23 deny himself as to justifie God in his punishing dispensations one may confess God's justice and yet continue in an unjust estate the heart that hath no grace may accuse it self and excuse the Almighty may lay the blame at its own door and vindicate the Lord's dealings Impunitum non debet esse peccatum and acknowledge its sufferings just because it hath been a sinner and yet never accept of the Spirit 's motions and calls to grace And thus did wicked Pharaoh even acknowledge that punishment did not come till it was sent for The Lord is righteous and I Exod. 9. 27. and my people are wicked Now doth he as it were lie at God's foot who yet had an heart that would flie in God's face one may say they have deserved all that is come upon them and yet never sincerely desire the spirit of grace to come unto them one may say they are wicked in their ways worthy of wrath and yet never open to the Lord nor obey his laws many do thus stoop when they are in the snare and fetters who never knew what it was to be swayed by the soveraignty of grace 9. Yet further may a wicked man go There S. 24 may be an outward solemn mourning and yet no inward saving melting the eyes may open their flood-gates and yet the heart not weep carnation-tears one may afflict themselves on fast days and yet not affect a fast from sin Ahab had not true grace and yet 1 Kings 21. 29. he could grant thus much such was his humiliation that the eye of heaven took notice of it one may lie in sackcloth and yet have sin lodge in the heart there may be a bowing down the head and yet no breaking of the Quando sic poenites ut tibi amarum sapiat in animâ quod ante dulce fuit in vitâ jam tum bene ingemiscis ad Deum heart the outward man may be afflicted for sin and yet the inward stand affected to sin there may be solemnity in mourning and yet no sanctity in the mind one may spend themselves with fasting praying and weeping and not speed the work of grace in their souls the body may be brought down by such means and the soul not benefited nor builded up there may be an heavy countenance and yet no heavenly compliance 10. In the next place there may be a promising S. 25 of amendment and yet grace may never ripen in the heart there may be heat and sap enough to bring forth blossomes but no fruit Thus did Pharaoh and I will let you Exod. 9. 28. go and ye shall stay no longer Here were good words but no good works saying and doing are two things There is a fair tree that hath Natural Histor L. Veruulam double blossomes but bringeth forth no fruit many are free to promise but fast when they come to pay they are trees full of leaves but no apples they will say what God would have and yet do as themselves list like the son in the Gospel that said I go Sir but went Matth. 21 31. not They are very forward for subscription but as backward when it comes to action one may be a Christian in tongue and not in truth 11. There may be amendment in some S. 26 things and yet no grace There may be a partial and yet no perfect
Angels he is like the Soveraign among his subjects the Sun among the Planets there is nothing in him but is a strong motive to love and a powerful invitation to affection 2. His affection to them They consider how S. 72 Christ hath loved them and this kindles the fire in their hearts that they cannot but love him again they have received love from him and this makes them render love to him He descended to earth out of love to the sons of Ama amorem illius qui amore tui descendit in uterum virginis 1 Sam. 14. 45. men and they cannot but ascend to heaven out of love to the Son of God The people expressed their love to Jonathan in standing between him and death because he wrought great salvation in Israel Upon the same account do Saints express love to their spiritual Saviour they say and think it is pity but love should have love he hath laid down his life for them and they think they can give no less then their heart-love to him but thou hast no love to Christ thou wilt not part with ought for his sake thou seest no such greatness in him that he should be liked no such goodness that he should be loved if thou have any love towards him it is but from the teeth and not in truth but common and complemental not cordial 7. Improving assurance The incomes of assurance such have from the Spirit make S. 73 them more dutiful to the Spirit they dare not turn the grace of God into wantonness if they hear a voice from heaven saying Thou art my dear son my pleasant child what vigour and life doth this put into them to make them lay out themselves for God It is marrow to their bones and health to their flesh the joy of the Lord is the strength of Neh. 8. 10. their souls intimations of God's love they use as invitations to a good life when the Lord speaks peace to their hearts they think they are bound to act piety with their hands if God speak peace to them they dare not Psal 85. 8. turn to folly peace of conscience with such is mother to piety in conversation if they have a sense of acceptance with God it makes them seek for more acquaintance with his ways when they have but a sip of this cordial how it fills them with activity for the Lord they desire not this Sun-shine to play in but to work in but as for thee thy confidences putrifie and breed corruption and thy security sin Thou thinkest thou art one Non sperare potest coeleste regnum cui super propria regnare membra adhuc non donatur of God's and shalt be saved and therefore takest liberty to thy self to fulfil the lusts of thine own heart thou hast then no grace yet this is the way of many wretched creatures if they can but fancy the sureness of their condition they fear not the sinfulness of their courses But this warm weather is not the prognostication of the divine Almanack it is one of the Divel's Errata's 8. Hating hypocrisie Such are sincere S. 74 not hypocritical Sincerity was part of Paul's prayer for the Philippians when he saith that Phil. 1. 10. ye may be sincere They have their inside and their outside all of one piece of all things hypocrisie goeth most against their stomacks they are what they would seem to be and they seem as they are As the Heathen said so is it here there must be nothing fained In amicitiâ nihil fictum aut simulatum Tull. and counterfeit in the friendship between God and a Saint Painters call the mixture of colours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corruption because whatsoever is mixed will more easily corrupt saith Plutarch If you be mixed you are naught if you be a linsey-woolsey Christian you are not of the right make God's people are not open Saints and secret sinners they are not all shew they have substance too if they were anatomized their insides would be found as white as their outsides their hearts as well as their hands are washed their spirit beareth a part in all they do the glory of God the salvation of their souls are the compasses they steer their course by glory credit reputation gain c. are not the white that they shoot the arrows of Religion at but it is far otherwise with thee as thou mayst easily perceive if thou take but a transitory view of thy self 9. Resisting custome Like living fish they S. 59 swim against the stream only the fish Elops swimmeth against wind and water so do these They are Antipodes to the world in their carriages And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your Rom. 12. 2. mind saith the Apostle What others are they are not what others are not they are they Contraria juxta se posita megis elucescunt follow not a multitude to do evil they chuse the strait way though they find no company their minds are contrary to the manners their courses to the customes their ways to the works their garb to the guise of the generality of the world Saints are singular other mens practices are no rule for their performances What Christ said of his Disciples then is true of them in all ages ye are not of this world Joh. 15. 19. the world goes west-ward these east-ward the world lies in wickedness these are up and doing the work of the Lord the world is sinfully secure these are seriously seeking the world lazy these labouring the world pursuing their gain these pleasing their God it matters not what crouds there are in the way of vanity these are content to go single in the way of vertue they go cross to the world not from passionate perverseness but from pious principles not from an humorous contrariety but from an heavenly conversion 10. Prizing communion Lastly they S. 80 make the enjoyment of God and Christ their summum bonum their chief good and prize communion with the divine being above all things The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest my lot Psal 16. 5. Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee How did David's desires reach to heaven The participation of God and Christ is the ultimate end of a gracious souls pantings and pains its thoughts endeavours contrivances have a tendency thereunto it makes this the end of its life and liberty the end of its desires and duties the end of its prayers and performances to enjoy its God and Saviour here and hereafter other mens thoughts affections labours are about transitory things and that whereabout men lay out the choice of their intentions and indeavours they make their chief good Thus have I finished this use of examination whereon I have insisted the longer and which I have diversified the largelier because it
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