mock-offer and hence you shall find in Scripture some promise ever annexed unto Gods offer which is the ground of faith Ier. 3.22 This call or offer hath three speciall qualifications first it is inward as well as outward for the Lord calls thousands outwardly who yet never come because they want an inward call to come an inward whispering still voyce of Gods Spirit and therefore it is said He that hath heard and learned not of man only but of the Father commeth unto me Iohn 6.45 The Lord doth not stand at the outward doore only and call to open but the Lord Jesus comes in he comes neare unto the very heart of a poor sinner makes that understand Hos. 2.14 and the Lord makes his grace glorious and his mercy sweet unto the hearts of his Elect Look saith the Lord Jesus how I have left thousand thousands in the world and have had greater cause so to have left thee but behold I am come unto thee oh come thou now unto me 2. It is a particular call for there is a generall call and offer of grace to every one Now though this be a meanes to make it particular yet the Spirit of Christ which is wont to apply generalls unto particulars particularly makes the call particular that the soule sees that the Lord in speciall means me singles out me in speciall to beleeve otherwise the soules of the elect will not be much moved with the call of God so long as they think the Lord offers no more mercy to me then to any reprobate and therefore the Spirit of Christ makes the call particular Esay 43.1 I have called thee by name Iohn 10.5 He calleth all his sheep by name not that the Lord calls any by their christen name as we say as the Lord did extraordinarily call Samuel Samuel and Paul Paul but the meaning is look as the Lord from before all world 's writ down their names in the book of life and loves them in speciall so in Vocation the first opening of Election the Lord makes his offer and call special and so speciall as if it were by name for the soule at this instant feeles such a speciall stirring of the spirit upon it which it feels now and never felt before as also its particular case so spoken unto and its particular objections so answered and the grievousnesse of its sinne in refusing grace so particularly applyed as if God the onely searcher of hearts onely spake unto it and so dares not but thinke and beleeve that the Lord meaneth mee 3. It is effectuall as well as inward and particular Luk. 14.23 Compell them to come in Iohn 10.16 Christs other sheep shall heare Christs voice and those he must bring home for every inward call is not effectuall There came a man in without his wedding garment Mat. 22.6 7 8. whence our Saviour saith Many are called but few chosen but this I now speak of is a calling out of purpose Rom. 8.28 and therefore never leaves the soule untill it hath reall possession of Christ and rests there this call falls upon a sinner humbled not hard hearted hence the call is effectuall Mat. 9.12 13. 2 Chron. 30.10 11. it is such a call as was in creation Rom. 4.17 And hence the soule cannot but come and when t is come it cannot depart like Peter Lord whither should we goe and therefore though it hath never so many objections in comming to Christ never so much weaknesse or heartlesnesse to close with Christ yet the Lord brings it home and there keeps it and now it infinitely blesseth God that ever the Lord gave it an eye to see an heart to come and seek after Jesus Christ. Thus much of the nature of this Call now follows the necessity of it which appears in these three particulars 1. No man should come unlesse first called as it is in calling to an ordinary office so t is in our calling much more unto speciall grace the Apostle saith Heb. 5.4 that No man takes this honour but he that is called of God so what hath any man to doe with Christ to make himselfe a sonne of God and heire of glory thereby but he that is called of God what have we to doe to take other mens goods unlesse called thereto what have we to doe to take the riches of grace and peace if not called thereto t is presumption to take Christ whiles uncalled but not when you are called thereunto 2. Because no man would come without the Lords call Mat. 20.6 7. Why stand you here all the day idle The answer was No man hath hired or called us thereto When there is an outward call onely yet men will not come in Mat. 23.37 and therefore there must be an effectuall call to bring men home Esay 55.5 and therefore you shall see many let there be a legall command suppose to sanctifie a Sabbath or to speak the truth they have no objections against obedience unto this but presse them to beleeve shew them Gods call for it they have more feares and objections rising against this then there be haires on their head because the soul would not close with this 3. Because no man could come unlesse called Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me unlesse the Father draw him and how doth the Father draw any man but by this call if the Lord should not come and speak himselfe and make his call the most joyfull tidings and the sweetest message that ever came to it it would say I have no heart I cannot I am not able for Rom. 11.32 wee are shut up under unbeliefe and therefore the Lord Jesus Luke 15.5 must bring his sheep home upon his shoulders else it will dye in the wildernesse of its own droopings whereas when the Lord effectually speaks the soul cannot but come Lastly how this call is a ground of faith and what ground of faith For answer hereunto I doe not make this call considered without the promise the ground on which Faith rests for that is Gods free grace in the promise but the ground by which it rests or wherefore it rests upon the promise The mind sees 1. the freenesse of mercy to a poore sinner in misery and this breeds some hope the Lord may pitty it 2. The fulnesse and plenteous riches of mercy and this gives very great encouragement to the soule to think The Lord if I come to him surely will not deny me a drop Psal. 130.7 8. The Prodigall comes home because of bread enough in his fathers house though he was not certaine he should have any 3. The preciousnesse and sweetnesse of mercy makes the soule long vehemently for it Psal. 36.6 7. and makes it set all other things at a low rate to enjoy it but when unto all this the Lord sends a speciall commandement a speciall message on purpose and calls it to come in and accept of it and take mercy as its own and that for no
Christ and yet opened not her heart to lament her sinne and misery in her estate without Christ suppose she were without Christ is more then can be proved from the Text for t is said Her heart was opened to attend unto the things that were spoken by Paul and can any think that Paul or any Apostle ever preached Christ without preaching the need men had of him and could any preach their need of Christ without preaching mens undone and sinfull estate without Christ and doe you think that Lydiae was not made to attend unto this doe you think that when Philip came to open the 53. of Esay to the Eunuch that Christ was bruised for our iniquities that he did not let him understand the infinite evill of sinne and misery of all sinners and of him in speciall unlesse the Lord Jesus was bruised for him In examples recorded in the Scripture of Gods converting grace doe not think they had no sorrow for sinne because it is not distinctly and expresly set downe in all places for the Scripture usually sets downe matters very briefly it oftentimes supposeth many things and refers us to judge of some by other places as Acts 6.7 it is said Many of the Priests were obedient to the faith doth it therefore follow that they did immediately beleeve without any sense of sinne Look to a fuller example Acts 2. and then we may see as the one were converted to the faith so were the other having a hand in the same sin 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Paul he was a persecuter but the Lord received him to mercy and that Gods grace was abundant in faith and love doth it hence follow that Paul had no castings down because not mentioned here If we look upon Acts 9. we shall see it otherwise Doe not judge of generall and common workings of the Spirit upon the souls of any to be the beginnings of effectuall and special conversion for a man may have some inward and yet common knowledge of the Gospel and of Christ in it before there be any sorrow for sinne yet it doth not hence follow that the Lord begins not with compunction and sorrow because common work is not speciall and effectuall work when the Spirit thus comes he first begins here as we shall prove The terrours and feares and sense of sinne and death be in themselves afflictions of soule and of themselves drive from Christ yet in the hand of Christ by the power of the Spirit they are made to lead or rather drive unto Christ which is able to turn mourning into joy as well as after mourning to give joy and therefore t is a vaine thing to think there is no need of such sorrows which drive from Christ and that Christ can work well enough therefore without them when as by the mighty power and riches of mercy in Christ the Lord by wounding nay killing his of all their carnall security and self-confidence saves all his alive and drives them to seek for life in his Son These things thus premised let us now hear of the necessity of this work to succeed conviction Else a sinner will never part with his sin a bare conviction of sin doth but light the candle to see sin compunction burnes his fingers and that onely makes him dread the fire Cleanse your hearts ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded men saith the Apostle Iames Chap. 4.8 But how should this be done He answers verse 9. Be afflicted and mourne and weep turn your laughter into mourning So Ioel 2.12 the Prophet calls upon his hearers to turne from their sin unto the Lord but how Rend your hearts and not your garments Not that they were able to do this but by what sorrow he requires of all in generall he thereby effectually works in the hearts of all the elect in particular for every man naturally takes pleasure nay all his delight and pleasure is in nothing else but sinne for God he hath none but that Now so long as he takes pleasure in sinne and finds contentment by sinne he cannot but cleave inseparably to it Oh t is sweet and it onely is sweet for so long the soule is dead in sinne Pleasure in sinne is death in sinne 1 Tim. 5.6 So long as t is dead in sinne it is impossible it should part with sinne no more then a dead man can break the bonds of death And therefore it undenyably followes that the Lord must first put gall and wormwood to these dugs before the soule will cease sucking or be weaned from them the Lord must first make sinne bitter before it will part with it load it with sinne before it will sit downe and desire ease And look as the pleasure in sinne is exceeding sweet to a sinner so the sorrow for it must be exceeding bitter before the soule will part from it T is true I confesse a man sometime may part with sin without sorrow the uncleane spirit may goe out for a time before he is taken bound and slain by the power of Christ. But such a kind of parting is but the washing of the cup t is unsafe and unsound and the end of such a Christian wil be miserable for a man to heare of his sinne and then to say I le doe no more so without any sense or sorrow for it would not have been approved by Paul if he had seen no more in the carelesse Corinthians in tolerating the incestuous person but their sorrow wrought this repentance No the Lord abhors such whorish wiping the lips and therefore the same Apostle when he reproves them for not separating the sinner and so the sin from them he summes it up in one word You have not mourned that such a one might be taken from you because then sin is severed truly from the soule when sorrow or shame some sense and feeling of the evill of it begins it Not onely sinne is opposite to God but when the Lord Jesus first comes neare his elect in their sinfull estate they are then enemies themselves by sin unto God And hence it is they will never part with their weapons untill themselves be throughly wounded and therefore the Lord must wound their consciences minds and hearts before they will cast them by Now if there be no parting with no separation from sin but sin is as strong and the sinners as vile as ever before hath Christ who now comes to save his elect from sinne the end of his work what is the man the better for conviction affection to Christ name what you can that remains still in his sins When the Apostle would summe up all the misery of men he doth it in those words Ye are yet in your sinne So I say thou art convicted but art yet in thy sinne art affected with Christ and takest hold of Christ but art yet in thy sin He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy You
world But you will say Wherein should I expresse this humiliation and subjection Bee highly thankfull for any little the Lord gives Lam. 3.22 23. Be humble and judge thy selfe worthy of nothing when the Lord denies and verily you shall find the Lord Jesus ere long speaking peace unto you and giving you rest in his bosome that now art quietly contented to lye still at his feet For some helps thereunto 1. Remember whose thou art viz. the Lords clay and he thy Potter and therefore may doe with thee what he will Rom. 9.20 2. Remember what thou art viz. a polluted vessell a kind of infinite endlesse evill as I have oft said see the picture of thy own vilenesse in the damned in hell who are full and shall through all eternity powre out all manner of evill Iob 40.3 4. 3. Remember what thou hast been and how long thou hast made warre against Christ with all thy might and heart and strength why should the Lord theâ—efore choose thee before others Ier. 3.5 when as aske thy conscience was there ever such a wretch since the world began as thou hast been 4. Remember what thou wilt be fit for no use to Jesus Christ good for nothing but to pollute his holy name when thou medlest with it and why should the Lord take up such a dry leafe Isay 64.6 and breath upon such a dry bone 5. Remember how good the Lords will is even when it crosseth thine he shall have infinite glory by all his denials to thee of what thou wouldst he shall gaine that though thou losest thy peace and quietnesse that good which thy foolish sinfull will desires at his hand Iohn 12.27 28. and if so blessed be his name let God live but let man dye and perish that he may be exalted of vile man 6. Remember the sweet rest thou shalt have by this subjection to the Lord nothing is mans crosse but mans will a stubborn will like a stubborne heifer in the yoake galls and frets the soule Learn meeknesse saith our Saviour of me in taking my yoake on you and then you shall find rest Hell would not bee hell to a heart truly humbled Sometimes you find inlargements then you are glad sometime none then you sinke sometimes you have hope of mercy then you are calme sometimes you lose your hopes then the Sea workes when the Lord pleaseth you then you are well but if a little crosse befall you then your spring is muddy and a little thing troubles Oh be humble vile in thine owne eyes and verily such uncertaine fits of peace and trouble are done and the dayes of all your mourning are now ended Of thankfulnesse to all those whom the Lord hath truly humbled Time was when the Lord first convinced you that so long as you could make any shift find rest in any duties you would never lye down at Christs feet now the Lord might have left you to have stumbled at that stumbling-stone and to have stuck in those bushes but you may see that the Lord will save you even then when you would not be saved by him and especially take notice of two passages of Gods dealings with you wherein usually you find matter of discouragement rather then of acknowledgment of Gods goodnesse to you therein 1. That the Lord hath withdrawn all feeling of any good which it may be once you felt and that the Lord hath let out more of the evill of your hearts then ever you imagined was in them nay so much evill that you think there is none like unto you who hast now no heart nor power to stirre think defire will or doe any thing that is good oh blesse the Lord for this for this is Gods way to humble and empty and make thee poor the Lord saw though it may be you did not that you rested in that good you felt and was or would be lifted up by these and therefore the Lord hath broke those crazy crâ—tches famisht now brought you downe to nothing made you like dry desarts all the hurt the Lord aimeth at in this being only to humble you and though these desertions be bitter for the present yet that by these he might doe you good in your latter end Oh brethren the Apostle stands at a stay and desires the Corinthians to consider You see your calling saith he 1 Cor. 1. Not many mighty not many wise but things that are not doth he call that no flesh might glory The Lord saith Moses Deut. 8.2 3. suffered thee to want that was the first and then fed thee that he might prove thee and humble thee remember this saith he So say I to you remember this mercy that when the Lord makes you worst of all not really but in your own eyes that then the Lord is about this glorious work 2. That the Lord hath kept you it may be a long time too from sight and sense of his peculiar love one would wonder why the Lord should hide his love so much so long from those to whom he doth intend it the great reason is because there is in many a one a heart desirous of his love and this would quiet them if they were sure of it but they never came to bee quieted with Gods will in case they think they shall never partake of his love but are above that oppose and resist and quarrell with that unhumbled under that the Lord therefore intending to bestow his favour onely upon a humbled sinner he will therefore hide his face untill they lye low and acknowledge themselves worthy of nothing but extremity of misery unworthy of the least mercy The people of God Lam. 1.16 cry out that the comforter which should refresh their soule was farre from them what was Gods end in this you shall see the end of it verse 18. the Lord is righteous here the Church is humbled for I have rebelled or as Sanctius reads it I have made his mouth bitter that the Lord speaks no peace to me but bitter things The cause is in my owne selfe and therefore if he never comfort me nor speak good word unto me yet he is righteous but I am vile and you will find this certain that as the Lord therefore humbles that he may exalt so the Lord never refuseth to exalt in hiding his face but it is to humble And is this the worst the Lord aimes at and will you not be thankfull why are you then discouraged when you find it thus with you doe not say the Lord never dealt thus with any as with me suppose that the reason then is because the Lord sees never had any such a high heart as thou hast but oh be thankfull that notwithstanding this he will take the pains to take it downe Thus much for humiliation I come now to the fourth and last which is Faith SECT 5. The fourth and last act of Christs power is the worke of Faith THe Lord having wounded
and so all his benefits with him 3. Can any man have eternall life that not only hath not the benefits flowing from the Sonne but that wants the Son himselfe I am sure the Apostle expressely affirmes it 1 Iohn 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life Faith therefore must come for Christ himselfe as in marriage the woman consents first to have the man and so to have all other benefits that will necessarily follow upon this 4. The happinesse of all the Saints consists in two things First union to Christ Secondly communion with Christ. Faith therefore pitcheth first upon Christ himself that it may have sure and certaine union to him for our union is not unto any of the benefits flowing to us from Christ we are not united unto forgivenesse of sinnes nor peace of conscience nor holinesse c. but unto the person of the Son of God himselfe and then secondly commeth for the communication of all the benefits arising onely from union as Paul Phil. 3.9 10. esteems all things dung and losse first to be found in him that so he might have his righteousnesse in justification and feele the power of his death and resurrection in sanctification c. in one word Faith first buyes the pearle it self and then seeks to be inriched by it it finds the treasure of grace glory peace mercy favour reconciliation in Christ but then buyes the field it selfe that it may have the treasure also Mat. 13.44 the Lord Christs great desire is that all his might be with him to see his glory Iohn 17.24 and Faith desires first to have him and be for ever with him and so to partake of that glory the Lords great plot is first to perfect the Saints in Christ Col. 2.10 yee are compleat in him then to make them like to Christ by communicating life grace peace glory from him Col. 3.3 4. 1 Iohn 3.1 2. Faith therefore first quiets it selfe in him then seeks for life from him it comes first for Christ and then for all the benefits of Christ. Oh that this truth were well considered how would it discover abundance of rotten counterfâ—it faith in the world some seeking for peace and comfort and caâ—ching at promises without seeking first to have the person of Christ himselfe in whom only all the promises are Yea and Amen Others despising the benefits of Christ especially grace holinesse and life from him because say they Christ is all in all to them Ask them Have you any grace change of heart c. tush what doe you tell them of repentance and faith and holinesse they have Christ and that is sufficient they have the substance what should they doe now with shadowes of Ordinances Ministeries or Sacraments they have all graces in Christ why should they look either for being of or evidence from any grace inherent in themselves they have a living holy head but Christs body they say is a dry Skeleton a dead carcase and they are but dry bones is it so indeed then look that God should shortly bury thee out of his sight assuredly you that want and dâ—spise the bâ—nâ—fits comming from him shall never have part nor portion in him at the great day of Account Christ is a Saviour to save men from their sins not to save men and their sins Christ is King and Priest of his Church holy and separated from sinners Heb. 7.26 and if you have any part or portion in him he hath made you Kings and Priests also to God and his Father and hath not left you in your pollution but washt you from it in his owne blood Rev. 1.5 6. The law of God is written on the heart of Christ Psal. 40.8 with Heb. 10.5 6 7. and if ever hee wraps you up in the covenant of grace he will write his law in your hearts also Heb. 8.10 Let all deluded Familists tremble at this that in advancing Christ himselfe and free grace abolish and despise those heavenly benefits which flow from him unto all the elect Let others also mourne over themselves that have with much affection been seeking after Christs benefits peace of conscience holinesse of heart and life promises to assure them of eternall glory but have not sought first to embrace and have the person of the Lord Jesus himselfe Oh come come therefore unto the Lord Jesus for Christ himselfe and for all his benefits I say for All his benefits This is that which the Apostle prayes for with bended knees for the Ephesians that they might not take in a little but comprehend the height depth length bredth of Christs love that so they might be filled with all the fulnesse of God This is that which our Saviour expresly with much vehemency calls for Iohn 7.37 Let all that thirst come unto me and drinke not sip and taste a little as Reprobates and Apostates doe Heb. 6.4 5. but drinke and drinke abundantly as it is Cant. 5.1 And observe it that upon these very termes the Lord tenders grace and mercy Rom. 5.17 the Apostle doth not say They that receive alittle but abundance of grace shall reign by righteousnesse unto eternall life Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal. 81.11 12. And most certainely this is one principall difference between the faith of the Elect and Reprobates and if I mistake not the principall the elect close with Christ for that end for which the Father offers him which is that they might possesse his Sonne and all his benefits and therefore come poore and empty for all the reprobate come not for all but for so much and no more then will serve their owne turne in misery they would have Christ to deliver them but what care they for spirituall mercies in trouble of conscience or after their foule falls into filthy lusts and sins they come to Christ to forgive them and comfort them but what care they for holinesse and a new nature some sinnes they would have Christ save them from but they regard not redemption from all they cannot come to Christ that all the powers of darknesse may be perfectly subdued that their owne sinnes and selves conceits and wills may be led away captive by this mighty Conquerour that Christ in all his authority grace peace life glory might be for ever advanced in them and by them It was Austins complaint in his time of many of his hearers that Christum assequi to have Christ was pleasing to them but sequi Christum to follow Christ this was heavy To close with Christs person is sweet to many but to close with his will and to come to him that he would give them a heart to lye under it this benefit they desire not All Christ is uselesse and needlesse but something from Christ is precious to them for the Lord Iesus sake beloved take heed of this delusion if any thing hath been bought for us at a deare rate and cost much if
soone as he was made but wee need Vocation unto Christ before we can be sanctified by Christ we need this call to make us come to Christ to put us into Christ and therefore much more before we can receive any holinesse from Christ the ground of our coming by faith is Gods call 2 Thes. 2.13 14. chosen to salvation through sanctification the remote end of Vocation and beleefe of the truth the next end of it whereunto he hath called you there is the ground of it The explication of this call is a point full of many spirituall difficulties but of singular use and comfort to them that are faithfull and called I shall omit many things and explicate only those things which serve our purpose here in these three particulars 1. I shall shew you what this call is or the nature of it 2. The necessity of it 3. How it is a ground of coming and what kind of ground for Faith 1. The nature of this Call I shall open for your more distinct understanding in severall Propositions or Theses Our Vocation or Calling is ever by some word or voyce either outward or inward or both either ordinary or extraordinary by the ministery of men or by immediate visions and inspirations of God I speak not now of extraordinary call by dreames and visions and immediate inspirations as in Abraham and others before the Scriptures were penned and published nor of extraordinary call by the immediate voyce of Christ as in Paul and some other of the Apostles for these are ceased now Heb. 1.1 unlesse it be among people that want ordinary meanes and elect infants c. whose call must be more then by ordinary meanes because they want such means we speak now of ordinary call by the ministery of men 2. This voyce in ordinary calling home of the elect to Christ is not by the voyce of the Law for the proper end of that is to reveale sinne and death and to cast down a sinner but by the voyce of the Gospell bringing glad tidings written by the Apostles and preached to the world He hath called you by our Gospell These things are written that you might beleeve By the foolishnesse of preaching the Lord saves them that beleeve I meane preaching at the first or second rebound by lively voyce or printed Sermons at the time of hearing or in the time of deep meditation concerning things heard the Spirit indeed inwardly accompanies the voyce of the Gospell but no mans call is by the immediate voyce of the Spirit without the Gospell or the immediate testimony of the Spirit breathed out of free grace without the word Eph. 1.12 13. And therefore that a Christian should be immediately called without the Scripture and the Scripture only given to confirme Gods immediate promise as a Prince gives his letter to confirme his promise made to a man before as Valdesso would have it is both a false and dangerous assertion This voyce of the Gospell is the voyce of God in Christ or the voyce of Jesus Christ although dispensed by men who are but weak instruments for this mighty work sent set in Christs stead but the call the voice is Christs it s the Lords call Rom. 1.6 it is certaine some of the messengers of Christ called the Romans by the Gospell yet Paul saith they were called of Christ Iesus the dead heare his voyce and arise and live and when the time of calling comes they listen to it as his call and hence it is styled Heb. 3.1 because the Lord Christ from heaven speakes takes the written word into his owne lips as it were Cant. 1.1 2. and thereby piâ—rcâ—th through the eares to the heart through all the noyse of feares sorrowes objections against beleeving and makes it to be heard as his voyce the bowels of Christ now yerne toward an humbled lost sinner bleeding at his feet therefore can contain no longer but speaks and calls and makes the soule understand his voyce so that this call is not a mean businesse because the Lord Jesus himselfe now speaks whose voyce is glorious The substance of this call or the thing the Lord calls unto is to come unto him for there is a more common calling or as some tearme it a particular calling of men as some to be Masters or Servants 1 Cor. 7.24.20 21. or to office in Church or Common-wealth as Aaron Heb 5.4 and the voyce there is to attend unto their work to which they are called There is also a remote end of vocation which is to holinesse 1 Thes. 4.7 and unto glory also 2 Thess. 2.14 Phil. 3.14 but we now speak of more speciall calling the next end of which is to come unto Christ the soule hath lived many yeares without him the Lord Jesus will now have the lost prodigall to come home to come to him the soule is weary and heavy laden and the Lord Jesus could easily ease it without its comming to him but this is his will he must come to him for it Mat. 11.27 Ier. 3.7.22 I said after shee had done these things turne unto me come unto me ye backsliding children I le heale your back-slidings Jer. 4.1 If thou returnest returne unto me This voice Come unto me is one of the sweetest words that Christ can speak or man can heare full of Majesty mercy grace and peace a poor sinner thinks Will the Lord ever put up such wrongs I have offered him heale such a nature take such a viper into his bosome doe any thing for me if there be but one in the world to be forsaken is it not I the Lord therefore comes and calls Come unto mee and I will pardon all thy sins I will heale all thy back-slidings I will be angry no more Jer. 3.12.13 Though thou hast committed whoredome with many lovers yet returne unto me saith the Lord. Ier. 3.1 Though thou hast resisted my Spirit refused my grace wearied me with thine iniquities yet come unto me and this will make me amends I require nothing of thee else but to come for Gods call is out of free grace Gal. 1.6 and therefore calls for no more but only to come up and possesse the Lords fulnesse Luke 14.17 1 Cor. 1.9 This call to come is for substance all one with the offer of Christ which consists in three things 1. Commandement to receive Christ as present and ready to be given to it as when we offer any thing to another it is by commanding them to take it 1 Iohn 4.23 and this binds conscience to beleeve as you will answer for the contempt of this rich grace at the great day of account 2. Perswasion and intreaty to come and receive what we offer for in such an offer wherein the person is unwilling to receive and we are exceedingly desirous to give we then perswade so doth Christ with us 3. Promise to offer a thing without a promise of having it if we receive it is but a