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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	adam_n	child_n	sin_n	4,076	5	5.2451	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88594	A treatise of effectual calling and election. In XVI. sermons, on 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherein a Christian may discern, whether yet he be effectually called and elected. And what course he ought to take that he may attain the assurance thereof. Preached by that faithful servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Lawrence Jury, London.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.; Calamy, Edward, 1600-1666.; Cross, Thomas, fl. 1632-1682,	1653 (1653)	Wing L3178; Thomason E696_1; ESTC R202781	182,095	256

run to the worst of men that are in the world And this should be great comfort to you though you have been drunkards and though you have been Sabbath breakers and adulterers and though you have been profane yet if you can but now close in with Jesus Christ and looke after heaven if you can but now mourn over your condition and repent of your former failings and come in to Jesus Christ Election hath runne unto men as bad as you and though you may be now men profane in your lives yet you may be objects of Gods election SERMON XIV 2 PETER 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure THe last Doctrine I drew from these words was this That Christians should put forth a great deale of diligence to make this sure to their soules that they are eternally elected by God to life and glory In the prosecution of which I have gone over some queries There are four difficulties or queries I am further to insist upon in treating of this point As namely First whether this election be universall or no Secondly whether a man that is once elected by God to salvation may come to be damned yea or no Thirdly whether God in electing a man to life and glory doth it out of any foresight of faith or any other grace he sees in man And fourthly whether this doctrine of election that God in his own counsell hath determined who shall be damned and who saved doth not take men off from any endeavours after their own salvation to make them desperate and neglect the use of means that they shall say if I shall be damned I shall be damned and if saved I shall be saved let me live as I list whether this doctrine will favour this desperate conclusion yea or no First whether election be universall or no This is that the Arminians and Papists doe mightily drive at And here they lay down this conclusion which they make unquestionable That there is such a thing as a certain universall election of God without limitation or restraint of persons whereby God did determine to save all mankind by Christ who were fallen in Adam This opinion was first drawn from Origen who held that all creatures should be saved and the Papists and Arminians mincing the matter to make it a little more plausible then he did they say that God in his purpose did intend to save all mankind by Jesus Christ but man falling away and walking contrary to their principles the defect lies in them that they are not saved and this Divines call universall redemption Now against this I shall lay down severall Scriptures and then take off the objections that seems to strengthen this opinion First for Scriptures In the Epistle of Jude vers 3. you read of some that were ordained of old to condemnation Therefore sure all could not be saved 1 Thes 5.9 Some men are appointed to wrath but we to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ Therefore all men could not be within the purpose of Gods first intention to save Matth. 22.14 Many are called but few are chosen So Rom. 11.7 The Jewes did not obtaine what they sought for but the elect obtained it and the rest were hardned 2 Tim. 2.20 There are vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour The Scripture makes it a discriminating act in God that some he chose to life and others from eternity in his councell he chose to wrath and condemnation And these Scriptures will fully overthrow this opinion And indeed the very word chusing confutes it which intimates a taking of some with an overlooking of others But now let us view a little the Arguments or Scriptures they abuse to strengthen this unsound opinion of theirs One is 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adant all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive Now say they Every man did die in Adam every mothers child by Adams fall became subject to death even so in Christ shall every man be made alive the Lord did intend that every man should have benefit by Jesus Christ Now to take off this I shall answer it in shewing you the true intent and scope of this Scripture This universall phrase of making alive hath not reference to the saving of the soule but to the resurrection of the body And so the sence is this That as in Adam by vertue of his sinne every man came to die a naturall death So in Christ shall all be made alive that is so by Christs power shall every man rise from the dead And if you aske how I make that appeare to be the intendment of the Text. I answer the words themselves will make it plaine Vers 11. It is said By man came death by man also came the resurrection from the dead that is as by that man Adam came death so by that man Christ shall come the resurrection from the dead for as in Adam all died c. so that here you see this is brought in as a proofe of the 21. verse Intimating that this being made alive hath no reference to the life of the soule but onely to the Resurrection of the body that as Adam by his sinne brought death to all men so Christ by his power shall raise all men from the dead every man in his own order However should this be granted that this making alive should have reference to the life of the soul it would beare no more but this that all that are damned are damned as in Adams loynes and all that are saved shall be saved as in the loynes of Jesus Christ And so make nothing at all to prove this which they call universall election Another Scripture undeniable they think is Rom. 11.32 where it is said God hath concluded all men under unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all Now say they If God did doe an act to make men see their unbeliefe and did intend by this action to have mercy upon all then God in his counsell intended to save all Now to this that he might have mercy upon all I answer This phrase all is not to be taken in an unlimited sence as if he would have mercy upon all mankind but it is to be taken in a restrained sence that God shut up all men in unbeliefe that is God made all believers see their own misery that he might have mercy on all them that believe And if you ask how I prove this to be the meaning of the Text I answer The Scripture makes it cleare Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all men under sinne The very words fore-quoted But what 's the limitation Shall all men be saved No. For mark the next words The Scripture hath concluded all men under sinne that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ should be given to them that believe Now though Paul doth not say thus to the Romans yet the words being the same the Restriction holds good in both

light of his knowledge 2. You are called from a course of sin to a course of holinesse Before your calling you were the Divels Drudges and did his work at will the Divel in Pauls language to Timothy had you Captive at his pleasure but when God cals you he takes you from under the dominion and raign of sin and brings you into a course of holiness 1 Thes 4.7 You are called not unto uncleanness but unto holiness 2 Pet. 1.3 He hath called us to glory and vertue Before calling thou wert the receptacle or common shore of all filth and uncleannesse when called thou art swept with the besome of Sanctification yea beautified and adorned as a pleasant palace for thy God to delight in And this should cause you much to magnifie grace that you are brought from being the Divels drudges to be Gods freemen from being the Divels slaves to be Gods servants from being the Divels taskeman to pay thee thy wages in hell to be Gods workman for which he wil give thee thy reward in heaven 3. God cals thee from bondage to libertie In the time that thou art uncalled thou art in bondage 2 Pet. 2.19 they are the servants of Corruption c. in bondage to thy lusts and bondage to thy Passion and a slave to the world thou art in bondage under the Law under the cause and rigour and condemnation of it but now Jesus Christ if he have called thee he hath called thee to libertie Gal. 5.13 You are called to libertie only use not libertie as a Cloak to wickedness Before calling 2 Tim. 2.25 you are in Sathans snares but after calling you are set at libertie you are freed from the guilt and freed from the bondage of your sinne 4. You are called from a condition of estrangednesse into an intimate familiaritie fellowship with Jesus Christ Before calling you are Strangers from the life of grace Ephes 4.18 You are without God in the world strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel Ephes 2.12 But when God calls you he cals you from the condition of a stranger and brings you into friendship and fellowship with Jesus Christ 1 Corin. 1.9 God is faithful by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son You who were without Christ before calling being called you enjoy neer familiaritie with his Son 5. You are called from Sathan unto God Acts 26.18 He hath sent forth his word among you to bring you from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan to God Sathan who was thy lord and was thy master and ruler thou art now from under his clutches and brought under the dominion and subjection of thy God 6. When God effectually calls thee thou art brought from a state of enmitie against God to a state of amitie and reconciliation towards him and Jesus Christ and all the things of God Col. 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts for to this ye are called and be yee thankeful God hath called you to peace he hath not called you to wrath Before Calling God and thy soul were the most inveterate enemies in all the world After Calling God and thou are of enemies become the greatest friends You are called to peace therefore be thankful 7. You are called from a state of shame to a state of glory Before you are called you are vile and shameful creatures in Gods sight when God cals you he cals you into a condition of glory 1 Pet. 5.10 Who hath called us to his eternal glory and 1 Thes 2.12 Since thou wast precious in my sight and I have loved thee thou becamest honourable Isa 43. 1 Pet. 2.6 To you that believe Christ is precious or as it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is an honour to you Jesus Christ when once you are called to a believing state he is not onely precious to you and prized of you but he is an honour to you This then you are to consider that uncalled you are in a shamefull condition no badg of honour lies upon you but when once you are called by Christ he becomes an honour to you 8. And lastly which shall be accomplished in the end you shall be called from earth to heaven and from the grave to glory this shall be your call after death Now put all these Eight together To be called from ignorance to knowledg from sin to grace from bondage to liberty from estrangement to fellowship with Jesus Christ from a state of enmitie to a state of amitie and reconciliation with God and man from shame to glorie and from earth to heaven and should not this mightily highten your joy and greaten your praises in magnifying the grace of God in your hearts Secondly Again The consideration of this As From what and To what so For what you are called should greaten your praises Now for what are you called You are called meerly according to the purpose of his owne grace neither foreseen works nor good education nor grace in you none of all these were motives in Gods brest to call you And hence you may see it was nothing in you because there were many things in us might move God not to call us We have often withstood his call we have often strangled the motions of his Spirit in our hearts we have often carried gain saying hearts to the wooings of the Ministers of Christ So that it is nothing in us but meerly his own grace that conquers our unholinesse and conquers our unwillingnesse and overcomes that stoutnesse of heart that is in us meerly the grace and goodnesse of Jesus Christ Now summ up all these together and revolve them in your hearts and you will see what great cause you have to live in magnifying of Jesus Christ SERMON IV. 2 PET. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure IN the prosecution of these words the Doctrine I drew from the first particular dutie injoyned was this That Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ In the handling of which I have gone over several particulars I now come to laie down some Propositions or Conclusions about Effectuall calling and I shall name twenty in all First Ten sad Conclusions to all those men who are not effectually called Secondly Ten consolatorie Conclusions to all those men that are effectually called by Jesus Christ and mixing Conclusions procuring terror to the wicked with such as procure comfort to the godly one tempered with the other may do good to both I begin with the first 1. The first sad Conclusion I shal lay down is this That there are many men in the world that are called outwardly by the word unto a profession of Christ that are not called effectually by the spirit to a possession of Christ My meaning is this There are many men have the word of God

of the heart of man As there is a change from a Pagan to a Christian so was Julian chang'd yet a man never called by Jesus Christ Then there is a change from a persecuter to be a countenancer of Religion so we read Valerius Maximinus was changed who was the vilest persecuter of all men in his time and the hand of God lying so sore upon him for that sin that his very bowels rotted within him and the very worms crept out of them and in horror of conscience he cryed out to his Nobles about him perswading them by his example to take heed never to persecute the Christians more Now both these were great changes and yet they are but graduall changes that leave men abundantly short of those saving changes that God works in them that are effectually called Thirdly There is a change from prophanenesse to profession and yet this is a step below a saving change Fourthly there is a step from profession into sincerity into a reall possession of Jesus Christ Now those three steps they fall short of a saving change and therefore every change of life doth not argue a man to be effectually called because there are many graduall changes that do not amount to so high a pitch as this to be savingly changed Secondly There may be a change in the life when there is no change in the nature or in the heart Mat. 23. they may wash the out side of the Cup when within it is full of pollution The life may be changed the externall acts and course may be changed when the heart may not be changed and the nature the same still Thirdly There may be a great change in a mans life proceeding not from a change in their nature but from the times wherein they live the times are changed therefore they are changed the times do not favour superstition therefore they will not shew their superstitious hearts the times countenance not profaneness therefore they will not be profane Beloved a change in a mans life may flow many times from a change of the times wherein they live and yet this change no Argument of a heart change or of effectual calling by Jesus Christ Fourthly A change in your life may proceed from a change in your sin not from a change in your heart as thus A man may be a Drunkard may be an Adulterer may be a profane liver in times past and may change these sins for other sins He may change his Drunkenness into Covetousness and be a covetous Worldling He may change his Adultery for Idolatry and be a superstitious man He may change Profaneness into Hypocrisie and be an Hypocritical man He may change his loose practice into a loose judgment and be an erroneous man Now this is no change of the heart but onely a change of the sin you have not the same sins you had but you have other sins in place of them and men may thus have a change in their life flowing from a change in their sin yet no argument of effectual calling Jer. 2.36 Why gaddest thou so much to change thy way The people of Israel they would be alwaies changing now they would be for God anon for Baal now for Gods true Worship anon for false Worship they would be ever changing their sin but never leaving it onely change their old sins for other sort of sins And so there are many men now adaies changed they are turned from Malignitie and are come to be Professors it may be they have not so gross sins now as in times past in times past they would oppose Religion and now they profess it though they have left their opposition they have some sin more eminent then that Many men have been loose in practice they have changed that to be loose in judgment this is no change of heart all this while so that take this for a truth there may be a change in the life when the heart remains unchanged still Fifthly There may be a change in mens lives arising from a change in the occasions to sin and not from a change in the heart As now A Lion that will go ramping and roaring up and down devouring his prey when he is at large yet put this Lion in a Den there he is quiet and will offer no hurt now the Lion is a Lion still and hath his ravenous disposition still only he hath not so fair an occasion to shew his rage It is thus with men many men want occasions and opportunities to shew their wickedness and the evil of their natures and therefore do not discover them What 's the reason many a man was a drunkard before and is not so now It may be drunkenness hath brought beggery and now he hath not money to sit upon an Ale-bench What 's the reason a man was an adulterer before and is not so now It may be he hath spent his stock and spent his strength upon Whores and now he hath neither strength nor purse to so low after them It is no thanks to you if God take away your occasions of sinning men may be thus changed yet have no change in the heart at all Sixtly Many men may change their lives because they come into better companie haply their companie is better then in times past and this may work in them a change in their lives 2 Kin. 12.2 As we read of Joash all the while he was in Jehojada's companie he was a wel ordered man in his life but when he was dead and he came to have wicked men about him then he shewed the wickednesse of his heart 7. Lastly Everie change is not an evidence of effectual calling because there may be a change in the life proceeding from a wrong principle and tending to a wrong end As thus a man may change his life from a wrong principle what 's that I will name two wrong principles of a change in unconverted men As First Men may change their lives because of some present outward affliction that lies upon them in this life their afflictions may inforce them to change their waies and not be so bad as in former daies Jonah 1.5 when they were in a storm in the ship every man went and prayed to his God What a change was here yet the change was onely because of the danger they were in danger of death and therefore they grew religious Every man when a danger and affliction lies upon him that will make him betake himself to God and be a better minded man And so Pharaoh when God sent ten sore plagues upon him the plagues did inforce Pharaoh to confess his sin and beg of Moses to pray for him and yet this change in Pharaoh was onely because of the present affliction that lay upon him which wrought this change Jer. 22.23 Oh Inhabitants of Lebanon how gracious wilt thou be when thy pangs shall come upon thee When pangs and afflictions were upon them then they would be a

that Text 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. There were false Prophets among the people like as there shall be false Teachers among you And who are they vers 2. They shall deny the Lord that bought them they shall bring in damnable heresies Every errour is not a heresie but these men shall bring in damnable heresies and many shall follow their pernicious waies Now what is their censure whose judgement now of a long time lingers not and their damnation slumbers not Their damnation was not asleep but for a long time damnation did attend them and they were in danger of it So that beloved it is great danger for men to be patrons of errour especially when they are grosse and palpable and when in Scripture language they may be called damnable heresies It is an argument if men live and die thus that they are not within the purpose of Gods Counsell to doe them good Sixthly Men that live and die in a continuall spurning and opposition against the Gospell and word of God powerfully preached it is a dreadfull signe they are not within the compasse of Gods election 1 John 4 5 6. You are not of God for you heare not his words So John 12. He that heareth the word is of God but you heare not his word therefore you are not of God Therefore you belong not to him But more pregnant to this purpose is that place Acts 13.46 47 48. It was necessary the word of the Lord should first have been spoken to you but seeing you put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles Now compare this with Vers 48. And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life believed The opposition lies thus As many as God purposed to save they glorified God for his word and they rejoyced and were glad in his word but those that were not decreed to salvation they put off from them the word of the Lord they spurned at it and opposed it and could not indure the word of the Lord. Therefore the Text saith The Jewes stirred up the devout and honourable women and they raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coast It was said to Amaziah 2 Chro. 25.16 By this I know that the Lord hath purposed to destroy thee because thou hast not hearkned to my counsell Thus you see the Scripture makes it the badge of a man that doth not fall within the compasse of Gods election to bring him to life and glory to live and die in opposition to the word of God Sevently and this we may speake more confidently and positively that that man is not within the compasse of Gods election who sinnes the sinne against the holy Ghost Matth. 12.32 He shall neither be forgiven in this life nor in the life to come This is an unpardonable sinne 1 John 5.16 Now I know there are many men who confine this sinne onely to the Pharisees as if they onely were guilty of it There are others that say this sinne is seldome committed and so many Divines speak favourably of it but Beloved I am perswaded this sinne is oftner committed then most men in the world dream of and many men are plunged into this sinne that think well of their own soules The sinne against the holy Ghost is onely this It is a wilfull and deliberate act in a professor of Religion whereby he doth not onely fall from his profession but he runnes into a course of sinne knowingly against conscience obstinately against counsell and maliciously against Jesus Christ This is briefly a description of this sinne Now I am perswaded there are many in the world that have professed Religion that are if not in this sinne yet at the very next doore to it And if a man be gone thus farre this is called in Scripture a sinne unto death a sinne which if a man fall into he may be sure he shall be damned And thus I have in briefe given you an account of these seven particulars whereby every man may give a guesse in his own thoughts whether he be within the purpose of Gods election to salvation or no. I have now from this sad Doctrine onely a few comfortable positions to lay down and so conclude As 1. That though these particulars may give you a guesse of those that are not within the compasse of Gods election yet no man is bound to make this sure to himselfe that he is not elected You are bound to make your election sure but you are not bound to make your reprobation sure For these heads I have given out not to make any godly man question his election but to startle wicked men who live quite contrary and opposite to the elect of God 2. That a man may come very nigh to the worst of these sins and yet may be an elect man We were saith Paul sometimes disobedient deceived and served divers lusts Titus 3.3 And Ephes 2.2 In times past you walked according to the course of the world according to the power of the Prince of the aire who worketh mightily in the children of disobedience In times past you were children of wrath as well as others In times past before calling you may come very neere to these evils yet be within the compasse of Gods election provided you doe not live and die in those evils For if so there is no hope of mercy 3. That for men to question their election meerly because they doe not finde the saving effects of election in their hearts and lives is rather an argument of their being then of their not being elected Because men not elected they never look after their election to make it sure they will trust all upon the mercy of God and grace of God and never look after holinesse sin never troubles them profanenesse never grieves them want of holinesse perplexes not them The questioning therefore of your election arising from the evils of your conversation is rather a signe that God hath chosen you to life and glory 4. Election it runnes often times to those that are the worst sort of men in the world Election runnes to them that have been worst in their lives before they were called And thereby God magnifies the riches of his grace Election passeth by civill honest men and ingenious tempered men and commonly runs to men that have been scandalous loose Atheisticall profane livers before they were called Matth. 21.31 Whores and Harlots shall come to Heaven before you Manasseh that was a cruell murderer and Idolater yet election ran to him Mary Magdalen a common strumpet out of whom Christ cast seven Divels yet election ran to her Rahab a Harlot Paul a persecuter a blasphemer a man injurious to the Saints yet Acts 9.15 He was a chosen vessell unto God and obtained mercy God to magnifie the riches of his free grace le ts election