a loud voice As our Saviour saith in another case this kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer Matth. 17. 21. the like may we say of sins riveted by custome and time they may be loosed but with much a do the Ice of a months freezing may be broken as well as the Ice of a nights freezing though with more knocks Many shifts and evasions do people find for themselves by continuance of time whereby they keep sin in and grace out by use sin groweth strong sense of sin weak and their hearts little affected with the word being like the people that dwell by the water falls of Nilus who regard not the great noise thereof whereas it is troublesome to strangers so they being accustomed to the sound of the word little regard it 3. Necessity of service Therefore doth S. 5 God use to convert mostly in the spring for all that are sanctified in conversion are to serve him in their conversation Those that are called are called not to loyter but to labour not to be truantly but trusty not to play in the open field of the world but to ply his work in the walled vineyard of his Church not to sit with folded hands in our bosomes but to run the way of his commandments Much there is for a Christian to do for God for himself for his relations for his neighbours for Gods praise for his own and others peace for the illustration of Gods glory for the salvation of his own and others Ars longa vita brevis souls and the time of people upon earth at longest is but short at most is but little and if they begin not betimes what can they do a long journey from earth to heaven we had need take the morning and set out by Sun a great deal of business to do and it must be done in the day of this life we had need then be stirring very early the good housholder which may well be an emblem of Gods calling sinners is said to go out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard Matth. 20. 1. As the whole man so the whole time doth the Lord require as our spirits soul and body so our youth middle and old age death often comes sooner than old age and if nothing be done before nothing can be done after Much work and many works hath a Christian to do There is the fostering of faith the renewing repentance subduing of sin conquering corruption guarding his grace fearing his falling watching his walking studying the Scriptures perusing the promises conversing with converts admonishing acquaintance defying the Divel growing in grace and in all glorifying his God and as the Apostle saith in another case 2 Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things so may we in this What time is sufficient for these things Besides in youth there is bodily strength for the task of duties for the body as well as the soul is to be and do for God and spiritual services take a tincture from the bodies temper Though the spirit be willing yet the lesse will be done if the flesh be weak fervent prayer frequent meditation of God his works his word of it self its ways its wants solemn fastings whether publike or private much reading often hearing self examining for which and many more is requisite the vigor of the souls powers the vivasity Meus sanein corpore sano of the bodies parts which in age do age lurk and languish grow feeble and faint the former whereof are evacuated in regard of spirits the latter enervated in regard of strength CHAP. XI X. The means whereby the Lord doth effectually call IN the next place we are to speak of those ways and means which the Lord maketh use of for the calling home wandring creatures lost sheep to himself and they are either of a lower or of an higher form Of the lower form 1. Works Of the lower form 2. Word Of the higher form The Spirit 1. By works The Lord many times makes common works and ordinary providences S. 1 to be especial instruments of grace All things are in Gods hands and those things that are of an inferiour nature can he so blesse and dispose that thereby they shall be suited for the attaining of highest ends Now those providences which the Lord hath used this way and countenanceth in reference to this work are these seven following which carry Scripture authority at their backs 1. By providing yoke-fellows the Lord S. 2 makes temporal marriages sometimes means of spiritual and in this regard it may be well said that matches are made in heaven when for heaven marrying proves to many a making to all eternity sometimes a man when he hath prevailed with a woman afterwards woes and wins her for Christ and many a woman that takes her husband much with her person takes him more with her piety How doth the wisedom and goodnesse of God much appear in this he brings those together that were most unthought of most unlikely he bringeth those together that were farthest distant from each other thus he makes grace out of nature as it were and a spiritual union to grow upon a fleshly conjunction by means of making one flesh he sometimes makes one spirit and doth not the Apostle use this as a reason why he would have the Corinthians not to leave but to shew love to their unbelieving yoke-fellows For what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife 1 Cor. 7. 16. And doth not Peter counsel wives to be in subjection to their own husbands and to what end is it Why That if any obey not the word they also may without the word be wonne by the conversation of the wives 1 Pet. 3. 1. Many an one may say to their yoke fellows in some sort as David 1 Sam. 25. 32 c. to Abigail Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which gave me such an Husband such a Wife and blessed be thy advice my dear heart and blessed be thou which hast told me of my sin admonished me of my State and so hast kept me from Iniquity for in very deed had it not been for thee under the Lord I had perished in my transgressions though there may be carnal love and a peaceable life between yoke-fellows yet no well-bottomed affection if there be not mutual care for each others Eternal welfare They should seek by exhortation and conversation by counsels and commerce by prayer by pattern to bring each other into the bosome of Christ within the bounds of the Covenant The Apostle condemnes and blames the weaknesse of the Galatians That having begun in the Spirit sought to be made perfect by the Flesh We may congratulate and blesse the Gal. 3. 3. wisedom of God that causeth that which is begun in the Flesh to end in the Spirit Sometime a good Husband makes a good Wife and
be better than you are and yet for all this you are the same man and woman It hath convinced you of Christ's readinesse to espouse you and yet you have not been willing to give your sins a Bill of divorcement and to put them away it hath made conscience its deputy your bosome Friend that knows you well and should have great interest in you Conscientia est cordis scientia and hath set it on work to speak to and to deal with you but all will not do The spirit hath visited you every day upon this account and hath spoken to you enticing words and intreated you not to be so unruly like an Heifer unaccustomed to the yoke and hath said come soul hearken to the voice of God obey the call of Christ you do not know how much it may be for your good why will you not be gracious and holy Do you not know that to be Godly is to be Godlike The great God that can grind you to powder the good God that can save your soul calls upon you invites you and will you say nay The spirit hath opened the Lord's love Letters and read them to you and descanted upon them but you regard not To sin against such shinings of the spirit is no small matter affronts offered to the spirit will sit heavy upon the soul when time shall be Hath the Dove come and have not you Spiritus Jesus spiritus bonus Sanctus rectus c. Isai 63. 10. opened the window to let it in Hath the holy good pure spirit of Jesus Christ thus parlyed with you and do you stand out against its sweet assaults This is to vex and rebel against the spirit which is a great provocation to the Lord and aggravation of thy sin whereby thou doest incurre his displeasure procure thy destruction 5. The Longitude of your life The thred S. 14 of your life hath been spun out to a great length you have lived many a year in the world you have lived to see your glasse run and turned up again when others have died before their glasse hath been half run The day of your life hath been not a Winter's but a Summer's day You have followed many of your relations and acquaintance to the grave who have been younger than you but you live still The Lord hath made you a long lease and it is not yet expired He hath cut down some assoon as they have budded and blossomed but he letteth you stand still He hath stopped the breath of some soon after he hath given it them but thy breath is still in thy nostrils Thy radical heat is not put out thy radical moisture is not yet dried up He hath caused thy Sun to stand still in the Firmament and hath kept it from going down at noon day he hath lengthened thy time from the spring of youth to the autumne of ripe and mature years And yet thou hast brought forth no clusters of Grapes no ripe fruit It was the aggravation of Jezebel's sin that the Lord gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not Revel 2. 21. It is sad that thy Virtutes faciunt dies bones dayes have been great but not good that thy dayes have been many and thy grace but mean Thou hast through the Lord's clemency renewed thy youth as the Eagle but though the Lord hath been calling thy heart is not renewed The Lord hath added years to thy daies as he did to Hezekiah but thou hast 2 Kings 20. 6. not yet added sanctity to thy civility nor piety in the power to thy profession in the forme Thou art well stricken in years but thou hast never yet fully stricken a Covenant with the Lord. Thou art entred a great way into the scores but wouldest never yet enter cordially into the School of Christ The Lord hath cut off many in their sins while they have been acting unrighteousnesse as the drunkard that said he should never die yet fell down a pair of staires presently and died while you have escaped and your life hath been given you for a prey and yet all this while you have gotten no grace You have seen of the fruit of your body it may be to the third generation and yet the Lord hath seen no fruits of grace from your soul you have been fruitful according to the flesh but barren according to the spirit You have lived so long as to have an hoary head but not so long as to have an holy heart Hath the Lord lengthened out your daies to a longer date than the daies of many of your stock and Family and yet are you without grace Are you ancient in years and yet have not come in to the ancient of dayes Is invaluable time of no value with you Is it nothing think you to live thirty fourty fifty Nihil pretiosius tempore heu nil hodiè eo vilius invenitur nay sixty yea almost four-score years without a change without conversion after so many callings The Lord giveth you time to turn in and will not you turn in time The Lord deferres as doomes-day so death's-day out of long suffering because he is not willing that thou shouldest perish but that thou shouldest 2 Pet. 3. 9 come to repentance Hast thou stood all this while in the Lord's orchard and is not the time of Figs yet with thee What will Christ say when he comes finds nothing but leaves on thee at these years Age and years aggravate Mark 11. 13 14. failings of infirmity because such should have more discretion much more then the fault of impenitency because they should have had true contrition It is not because others are worse then you that while they after a little time have withered in the grave you for a long time have walked on the Earth but it is that you might be better then they It is not because you shall not die to nature but it is because he would have you live to grace and yet are you dead while living no life nor love to this day Ah poor soul is it not a very great evil that the Lord hath been laying siege to thine heart these thirty fourty fifty years or more and yet thou hast stood up and stouted it out against him that thou hast so long been called by him and yet thy deaf vile heart hath not hearkned to him nor closed with him length of time overcomes many things but thou hast been little Nihil est quod longinquitas temporis efficere non possit the better for thy long time There hath been an extension of thy daies but no intension of thy desires a lengthening of thy season but no loathing of thy sins 6. The latitude of your comforts Your S. 15 daies have had breadth as well as length Your daies have been fair not foul clear not cloudy delightful with Sun-shine not darkned with sadnesse some have had a continued but not a
pained at the Jer. 4. 19. very heart my heart maketh a noise in me 10. A godly heart promiseth amendment out S. 44 of its hatred to sin and love to goodness it seeth an excellency in God's ways and therefore Pacta semper promissa sunt quae vi non facta sunt its heart is toward them I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgements Psal 119. 106. They were righteous judgements and therefore David's affections did run out towards them others promise amendment for fear of judgement as a maid may be forced to give her consent to marriage for fear of being killed Those that are effectually called see the beauty of God's ways and so fall in love with them their resolutions stand upon a right foundation they are not from fear but favour not from force but faith 11. One that is effectually called reformeth S. 45 in all things not only in the greater but also in lesser sins it taketh its leave of and parteth with every sin its sinful thoughts as well as sinful words its sinful words as well as sinful works It banketh and avoideth not only the miry dirty way but also the washy way and betakes it self into the paths of piety the least as well as the greatest commandment finds good entertainment with it It is the commendation of that pious pair Zacharias and Elizabeth that they were both righteous Luke 1. 6. Non attendit verus obediens quale si quod praecipitur hoc solo contentus quia praecipitur before God walking in all the commandments of the Lord. Mark in all the commandments They did not pick and chuse every commandment was a sweet smelling flower to them and with delight worn in their bosome a godly heart doth not harbour any sin nor hide any lust in a secret corner of its soul it turneth every evil thing out of doors though it were its darling 2. Absolutely and by way of position Now we shall shew what effectual calling is more S. 46 absolutely and positively we may try whether we be come into the new Jerusalem by our passing through the 12. gates which we mentioned in the beginning If you have ascended by those 12. steps you are in the bosome of Christ but because we have spoken to them already I shall only contract them into these 5. formal acts of effectual calling or conversion lightly touch them and so pass on to other demonstrations 1. Sight 2. Sense 3. Seeking 4. Setling 5. Submitting 1. Sight Hast thou ever seen thy sins Hast S. 47 thou such clear eye-sight as to distinguish good from evil and evil from good Have you viewed your self round about and turned your ways upside down to take notice of all the faults in them as the word in the original signifies in Psal 119. 59. Hast thou spied the Errata's of the book of thine heart and life 2. Sense Have you had a sorrowful sense of S. 48 your sins are you troubled at the thoughts of your ways Hath your heart been broken for breaking God's commands Have you had dolour in your spirit for your departing from the Lord Hath your heart been wounded and your soul melted within you because of your transgressions 3. Seeking Hast thou sought for a place to S. 49 cast anchor in for a haven for thy soul Hast thou looked out for a plaister for a remedy Hast thou looked out for a place whereon to lay thy head Dost thou seek for a Tabernacle for a sheltering place from the heat of the Sun Dost thou long for a Saviour for a Mediator and peace-maker between God and thee 4. Setling Hast thou setled thy self upon the S. 50 foundation art thou built upon the rock Christ Hast thou rolled thy self upon him by faith Hast thou forsaken thy self and fastened upon the Son of God Hast cast thy self into his arms dost lean thy self upon his righteousness dost thou give up thy self to be saved by him and truly cast the burden of thy soul upon him Is he precious in thine eyes Art married espoused united to him Canst willingly adventure thy self with and upon him Si cibum quaeris Christus alimentum est Dost feed upon this bread of life by true justifying faith Dost stay thy self upon his satisfactory sufferings 5. Submitting Art willing to be ruled by Christ to take him for thy Lord and King as well as thy redeemer Art willing to be guided and led by his Spirit Canst thou say other lords Isa 26. 13. besides thee have had dominion over me but for the time to come by thee only will I make mention of thy name Art willing to leave all and follow the commands and walk in the way of Christ Art willing to take his yoke upon thee and learn the lessons of piety which he teacheth Dignus plane est morte qui tibi Christe recusat vivere thee Are his ways pleasing and not irksome to thee dost covenant and engage to be his servant for ever art willing to be washed hands and feet all over Is thy course altered and thy carriage changed art become another man another woman If these things that 2 Pet. 1. 8. I have mentioned be in thee and abound thou art not barren nor unfruitful in the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ but if these flowers come not up the seeds of grace are not yet sown in thine heart S. 52 Now we come to make further trial of effectual calling by the effects and fruits thereof shall search for the beating of the pulse that thereby we may know the temper of the heart Be very serious friends Christian Reader in the searching of thine own heart no longer defer it of all things in the world it most concerns us to know whether we be effectually called in an estate of grace or no. One that is truly converted may be known by these fruits By 1. Opposing sin which is seen in these four things 1. Spiritual contention 2. Impartial prosecution 3. A tender conscience 4. Timely caution 2. Obeying the Spirit 3. Submitting to trial 4. Confiding with fear 5. Moving towards God 6. Affecting 1. The word of God 2. The Son of God And that 1. For his perfection 2. His affection 7. Improving assurances 8. Hating hypocrisie 9. Resisting custome 10. Prizing communion 1. Opposing sin An heart effectually called S. 53 is set in diametrical opposition to sin which appears in these things 1. Spiritual contention There is a combat S. 54 between the flesh and spirit grace and sin in the soul of such an one that is effectually called conversion and contention go together Those that are made friends to God must needs be foes to sin and if they be at peace with the one they must be at war with the other every convert is a souldier from his spiritual cradle he is born in the field and for the field Hence the Scripture speaks of spiritual armour The flesh
mine house I will offer it to the Lord. So saith such a soul in this case whatsoever sin I find have at it I will spare neither one nor other little nor great But this will not an ungodly man do he may defie some sins and delight in others Herod did spit out some evils but his incest was too sweet a morsel to be forced out of his mouth a godly soul looketh upon sin as sin and so comes to hate it with a perfect hatred I hate every false way saith Psal 119. 104. David Mark every false way Partiality towards sin argues an unsanctified heart that yet delights in sin 3. A tender conscience They that are effectually S. 62 called have hearts afraid of sin ready to Semper conscientia servi Dei humilis esse debet tristis relent and melt at the occasion of sin or judgement their hearts are like the thin ice of a small frost which a small weight will break over the heart of an ungodly wretch you may drive cart-loads of sin and never make him bend under the burden let whole volleys of comminations be discharged against him he startles no more than a man wholly deaf at the noise of thunder common ordinary sins they can swallow and make no bones of them they laugh at the ratling and shaking of the spear and account denuntiations of woe things not to be much feared But it is far otherwise with a godly soul it is all on a sweat at the thoughts of putting forth its hand though but to a small sin and is so strait-laced that it cannot endure that sin should put its hand or one of its fingers between It is afraid of those sins which like thorns rend the skin of Christ as well as those which like spears pierce his sides I hate vain thoughts saith David though but thoughts and Psal 119. 113. those but vain a very little matter will soon make such an ones conscience to bleed they are very scrupulous about sin they are also afraid of God's judgements when the Lion of Psal 119. 120. the tribe of Judah roars they tremble nay when they see their heavenly father beating any of their brethren it makes them stand quivering and shaking all the while if threatned they weep like tender hearted children A tender conscience is a companion of true conversion a mended heart is a melting heart It is like Josiah whose heart and conscience the 2 Chron. 34. 27. Lord commends for the tenderness and softness of it relenting affections and renewed dispositions are pairs search thine own heart concerning this temper neither great nor little sins it may be scare thee thou canst not melt for a small miscarriage if thou canst mourn for mighty transgressions that is all Thou dost not shake at the hearing of God's chiding if so thou art not effectually called 4. Timely caution Such have an heart so set S. 63 against sin that they are careful to avoid temptations and occasions thereto where grace is they shun sin not only in the performance but also in the preparative not only in the device of it but also in the desire to it not only in the act but in the allurement they know that Dum parvus est hostis interfice ut nequitia elidatur in semine sinful occasions are the high way to sinful actions they shun the scouts that they fall not into the hands of their spiritual enemies The Israelites might not marry with the sons and daughters of the Cananites for fear of drawing their hearts from God if the soul of a Saint be subject to such and such a sin in action it shuns it in cogitation Job made a covenant with his Job 31. 1. Psal 39. 1. eyes and David with his tongue Saints are careful to keep the powder and the match asunder and the spark from the tinder if they be more prone to be proud of any external accomodations they labour to deaden their affections to all temporal contentments if passionate they labour to avoid all occasions of anger As one Cotys an Heathen of whom I Plut. Mor. have read when his friend gave him a present of earthen pots and vessels curiously made but very brittle broke them all to pieces presently lest if his servants should casually break any of them he should be too angry for he was naturally cholerick Much more then should a Christian do so he carefully observeth his natural inclination that he may more vigorously oppose suitable temptations But thou thrustest thy self upon the mouth of the canon and comest neer to the snare thou fliest too neer the candle that it is no wonder if thou be caught and thy wings burnt this argues thou hast not grace 2. Obeying the Spirit Where there is converting S. 64 sanctification in the spirit there is cordial resignation to the Spirit those that are truly changed by the Spirit do throughly comply with the Spirit If that call they come they give up themselves to it not only at first in conversion but also afterwards in the whole course of their conversation they acknowledge it to be their Lord and accept of it for their leader they march under its conduct and are Sanctum semper opus in me spira ut cogitem compelle ut faciam Cant. 1. 4. willing to follow it as their commander If the Spirit say the word they presently set upon the work They say with the Spouse Draw us we will run after thee They are like the Centurion's servants if the Spirit say Go they go if it say Come they come if it say Run they run if it say Do this they do it but as for thee it is far otherwise The Spirit hath called to mortification of thy sin opposition against thy lust elevation of thine heart to renovation of repentance to actions of faith to resolution of thy will but alas though the Spirit call yet thou dost not hear or if hear yet not regard Where there is grace they obey the Spirit 's calls though contrary to flesh and blood but thou art as cross to the Spirit as may be you can yet remember the time when the Spirit spake to you perswaded and intreated you and yet you have snuffed at its motions It hath called you to diligence in duty perseverance in prayer heart-workings in hearing the word but you chuse to be ruled rather by the list of your own mind than the law of the Spirit 's mouth your cross spirit hath countermanded God's holy spirit It hath diswaded you from your sin sought to wean you from your wickedness but you have been refractory but a gracious heart listneth for the voice of the Spirit and when it calleth saith Here am I like a diligent scholler that willingly regards his Master's word The Spirit 's words are welcome its motions are musick its commands contenting unto those that are effectually called If the Spirit call at high mid-night they are
not like that son in Matthew that said I go Sir but went not Fight in the field against sin as those that have taken the Lord's press-money stand fast in the faith against winds and storms as those that are rooted in Christ if you profess your self to be a Saint by calling and not by carriage if you profess to be converted by the work of God and be not conformed to the word of God what is it In all carry your self as one that is born of God as one that is governed by the Spirit 2. Faithfulness to their earthly friends You that have grace and are effectually called look after your relations and friends families S. 10 and company doing what in you lieth that they may be effectually called as ye are one flesh so indeavour that ye may be one spirit There is no right love if it be not demonstrated by a spiritual care you that are alive by grace O put on bowels of compassion towards your friends and acquaintance that are dead in sin Do these three things for them 1. Pity them 2. Pray for them 3. Preach to them 1. Pity them Bemoan and bewail their S. 11 condition Say with the Church in the Canticles We have a little sister and she hath no brests Cant. 8. 8. what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for Say I have a father brother sister mother husband wife cousen c. that are dear to me but I cannot perceive they are dear to God my loving friends but they have no living faith It is reported Plut. Mor. of the Egyptians Lybians c. that when their friends die they go down into the caves of the earth and deprive themselves of the light of the Sun because their dead friends enjoy Nihil ad misericordiam sic inclinat atque proprii periculi cogitatio it not So do thou pity the condition of any belonging to thee that are in spiritual darkness it is a condition to be condoled a misery to be mourned over none can tell the greatness of the misery but those that have tasted the goodness of mercy 2. Pray for them Be often at the throne S. 12 of grace for your friends that have no grace their state is such that there is need for them to be spoken for to the King of heaven One Xenophon in Plutarch said He never prayed that his son Gryllus might be long lived but that he might be a good man How much more should Saints thus pray for their relations and friends of one kind or other There are many that owe much to the prayers of their pious parents and friends say Lord make all mine to be thine let winged prayers make haste to heaven gates on the errand of your dear friends souls Real petitions may Oratio pura vacua non redibit be means to bring your friends to religious profession 3. Preach to them I mean private teaching S. 13 and counsel according to the sphear wherein God hath set you Teach your children Deut. 6. 7. admonish your friends exhort your acquaintance God makes counsel sometimes a means of conversion savoury admonition a means of the souls alteration do not spare right words it may please God to enliven them with force and vertue 2. To graceless ones and such as are not S. 14 effectually called Be you perswaded to look out for effectual calling and seek after it spread all your sails and flee away as fast from a natural condition as you can there is no safety in sitting still on natures seat Ob. But thou wilt say There are so many S. 15 sides and Sects I know not what to do Sol. Many indeed wil be of one religion because there are so many I shall here give two answers 1. Answ Thou mayst be of every part in a good sense 1. Thou mayst be a royalist for the King Christ and yet a Saint Psal 24. 7 8 9 10. 2. Episcopal the word signifies to oversee thou must oversee and watch thine heart with all diligence 3. Parliamentarian Thou mayst be one of and for the assembly of the first born Heb. 12. 23. 4. Presbyterian the word signifies elder so be thou an elder in regard of grace a grown man Ephes 4. 13. 5. Independent viz. upon all sublunary things and depend only upon God Psal 73. 25. 6. Anabaptist labour for a rebaptization for thy self and thine with the holy Ghost 7. Antinomian by the works of the Law shall none be justified 8. You may be of the family of love be much in love Rom. 13. 8. 9. A Libertine Rom. 6. 18. the Lord in mercy make thee such 10. A Perfectionist 2 Cor. 7. 1. 11. A Pointer Let all thine actions aim at Christ point at thy sins let thy finger be upon the sore keep to sound points and doctrines let them be founded upon Scripture for if the points you hold be not tagged with Scripture authority they will ravel out 12. An Antitrinitarian adore not the worlds trinity of profit pleasure and preferment 13. A Separatist viz. from sin 2 Cor. 6. 17. 14. A Seeker Isa 55. 6. 15. A Shaker or Quaker Hab. 3. 16. Psal 119. 120. Tremble at the thought of God's justice and power 16. An high Attainer Phil. 3. 12 14. labour after great things 17. A Ranter hast a mind to curse and swear do it spiritually Neh. 10. 29. Psal 119. 106. or to be drunk be so spiritually Psal 36. 8. the word signifies they shall be drunk with the fatness c. Ephes 5. 18. 2. Answ The more and the greater diversity of opinions and ways there are the more cautelous and careful thou oughtest to be to look after the right establishment of thy soul with grace Therefore notwithstanding look after effectual calling and as John 7. 37. on the last day of the feast our Saviour cried more earnestly so do I the more press this upon you this being the last day of speaking to this subject One of the Chamberlains of the King of Persia used to say to him every morning as he entred into his chamber Arise my Lord and have regard to those affairs for which the great God would have you to provide So say I to you Bestir you for the work of effectual calling for this is the will of God even your sanctification Oh let me prevail with you in the name of Christ it may be the last that I shall propound and the last that you shall hear What should you look after if not spiritual life what should you seek if not sanctity care for if not calling I shall back this use and so conclude all with these three things 1. Means 2. Manner 3. Motive Means The means I propound shall be by way of 1. Counsel 2. Caution 1. Counsel Make constant and conscionable S. 16 use of the ordinances of God reading hearing prayer meditation conference Read the Scriptures and good books dayly hear
Predestination 2. Vocation The Doctrine which naturally arises from these words and which I shall lay and set as the Foundation and Pillar of the ensuing discourse is this Those whom God hath predestinated Doc. to Life and Glory them he doth call S. 3 whom he had in his heart from Eternity them he brings to his hand in time whom he appointed to Salvation them he calls to Sanctification whom he Elected in Christ those he brings to Christ This is plain from other passages of Scripture as the 28. Verse preceding Who are the called according to his purpose First he purposeth concerning them then he proposeth to them and prevaileth with them 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give diligence to make your calling and Election sure There calling and Election like a loving pair go hand in hand and if calling make Election sure then it is sure that the Elect shall be called 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God through Sanctification of the Spirit or rather ad Sanctificationem to Sanctification of the Spirit Est Bez. in loc enim hic Electionis finis for this is the end of Election though not all the end and if so then the Elect and predestinated shall be called for Gods Intention cannot be recalled The Method I propose for prosecuting this point and the order I shall observe in Anatomizing this Doctrine is this 1. I shall shew the kinds of calling 2. The nature of it or what it is 3. The parts of it 4. What is done in it 5. What graces especially first put forth themselves 6. The degrees or steps whereby it ariseth to perfection and is compleated 7. The concomitants effects and consequents 8. The parties whom God doth call 9. The time when 10. By what means 11. A few objections shall be answered 12. A few plain and familiar reasons given in 13. The use and application of the whole CHAP. II. 1. Of the kinds of calling 1. GOd is said to call men three wayes 1. By their particular names as Adam where art thou God called out of Heaven and said Abraham Abraham Gen. 22. 11. 2. To some special service and businesse as when he called Abraham to go into a strange Countrey 3. To some general Estate and condition and that is two-fold 1. Lesse general and common but to some as Paul called to be an Apostle and others Ministers 2. More general and common to all Christians Rom. 1. 7. called to be Saints And this also is two-fold 1. Uneffectual when they are not the better for their calling Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 20. 2. Effectual when the call of God takes effect upon their hearts and they obey it so that God may say as the Centurion Matth. 8. 9. I say unto this Soul Come and it cometh Now the calling that is meant here is that which is more general and effectual which you may conceive Simil. by this familiar resemblance I see a Traveller out of his way and in Jeopardy thereby I call to him Friend you are undone if you go on in that way and many dangers you will meet with all Come this way take my Counsel I will set you right Now if this man onely give the hearing and go on my calling is uneffectual But if he follow my directions then it is effectual and to purpose and the effect thereof is his going right safeguard and peace we are all like Sheep that Ps 119. 76. go a stray and silly Travellers that have lost our way God call's oh poor Soul whither art thou wandring Thou drawest back to perdition thy feet go down to death thy steps take hold on Hell Turn to the right hand take my Christ for thy Pilot a new heart for thy biasse hearken to me and depart not from the Words of my mouth if the Soul go on this call is uneffectual if it hearken and obey them then it is effectual and the Soul finds the effect thereof to it's welfare CHAP. III. II. What this calling is IT is a Work and the first special Work of Defin. Gods Spirit by the Ministery of the Word whereby a man or woman is brought out of an Estate of nature into an Estate of grace out of self to Christ and of vassals of sin are made Vessels of the God of Sion to walk strictly with him in the course of their lives to the peace of their Soules to the praise of the glory of his grace Col. 1. 11 12. Which hath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Where I suppose darknesse is not onely meant of ignorance which is one part of a natural Estate but also of sin in general which is sometimes called by the name of 1 John 1. 5 6. darkness wherewith as with a thick Cloud the whole Man is envelopped wrapped 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. To whom coming as unto a living Stone ye also as lively Stones are built up a Spiritual House an Holy Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ So likewise the 1. of James Verse 18. I shall a little unfold this rich hanging that you may have a more full view of it It is a Work not a Notion chimera fancy or conceit but a real Work It is the first Work upon the Soul Predestination Electio est amor ordinativus non collativus is without this within Predestination is in the heart of God this is Gods coming into the heart of Man that did ordain this doth order Sanctification for some distinguish it from Assemb Confes effectual calling though others do not and perseverance c. are after this before this marcheth in the Head of the Heavenly Troop and blessed Train of Gods Works upon the Soule It is a special Work not a common which the reprobate may have it is a distinguishing through Work not such a work as a Man may have and yet come short of the glory because short of the grace of God and be left many miles on this side the Region of happinesse it is not onely a saving but a truely Sanctifying Work as some distinguish and so Sanctifying as indeed saving not onely in that mean and potentially but in the end and actually It is the Work of Gods Spirit the posterity of the Holy-Ghost 3 John 6. 8. It is the blowing or breathing of the Spirit the Child of Heaven all the meanes in the World cannot make a Saint without the influence of the Spirit yet that works by the Word that is the Instrument in the hand of the Spirit for the new moulding of sinful hearts The Spirit and the Word go together the Spirit primarily the Word secondarily the one as Master the other as Servant And these Work not upon a part but the whole This Work is diffusive and
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
a good Wife makes a good Husband not but that suitable matches are best I think as for parentage portion proportion so for piety and that as I conceive the Apostle meanes marrying not onely with one that is a Christian but also with one that is Christs 1 Cor. 7. 39. where he speakes of marrying in the Lord yet when they are unequally yoked and pared they are to pray and endeavour for an Extract of vertue from a Contract of necessity some of you that read this unworthy piece may have found providency improving your match to your Soules advantage and you that are married and have a Godly yoke-fellow ear their precepts eye their practice listen to their counsels learn their good customes mind their sayings mark their goings observe their works obey their words Husbands and Wives do not forward each other to Hell but further each other to Heaven Let not your hands be imbrued in each others Soules blood but let your hearts be set for each others Eternal good and strive by your prayers single and sociated that ye may be heires together of the grace of life Some out of fancy and vanity have endeavoured to maintain that a woman hath no Soul but both men and women have immortal Soules and that ye shall know to your cost and woe or cure and neal The Lord grant the latter 2. By granting good education Grace in S. 3 age many times hath it's foundation in the training of youth Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart Prov. 22. 6. from it Good Parents good Tutours good Masters good Guardians good Hosts with whom Children boord are a great mercy and many thank God for the time that ever they saw the faces of and had to do with such Did not Abraham Gen. 18. 19. read Divinity Lectures to his Family and did there not grow upon the stalk of his Instructions watered with the Dew of Heavenly grace Fruits of as eminent obedience to the Father of the Flesh and the Father of Spirits as ever was when Isaac was willing to offer his Gen. 22. throat to the Sacrificing knife Was not Isaac's Faith great as well as Abraham's the Sons as well as the Fathers Was not Isaac's life as dear to him as Abraham's Son to him and was he not coheir with his Father to the promises Was not Monica a fervent beads-woman and humble suppliant at the throne of grace for her Son Austin and was not the successe sweet A woman much in prayers and much in teares she was for him and without doubt Motherly-preachings went along with her prayers and teachings did accompany her teares and had she not the desire of her Soul Seeds of Instruction and teaching cast upon the heads of young ones under our charge may through the mostnings and irrigations of the Spirit sink into the heart take root and bring forth a great crop and large increase of saving knowledge and grace if not for the present yet for the future if not in the time that now is yet in the time that is to come even when Parents are dead and rotten Children while very young are to be learned the word of God though they know not the work of God experience sheweth that it is not in vain nor void Did not Timothy's being instructed in his Childhood in all pobability by his Grand-mother as well as Mother for Parents remote are many times as much conversant with and indulgent to their mediate Children as their immediate Parents and her indulgency was rectified by grace to seek his good in the best things Help to make him a Faithful man and a fervent Preacher 2 Tim. 1. 5. 3. 15. Nay were there not twins in the womb of Lois her care And was not the effect of it double She taught her Daughter Eunice and she learned of her Mother to teach her Son Timothy How careful were the Heathens that Children might have education morally good and shall Christians sit in the same forme with them Now how many Christians by name may sit at their feet and be taught more of their duty from them than yet they have learned to practice Plutarch wrote a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 treatise of this on purpose Plato would have Nurses speak no foolish words to their little ones least such breath should infect them and such bad aire have influence upon them yet who regards this work or considers that from the neglect thereof as from a root of bitternesse springs that general Prophanenesse that is in the Christian world Master Baxter Third part cap. 12. S. 11. c. speaks very well of this in his Saints everlasting rest which is a very choice Book The Gentry teach their Children to follow pleasure the commonalty their Children to follow profit and young ones are ready to follow old ones This their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings Selah It is to be noted Psal 49. 13. The very Heathens condemn this and yet Christians mend it not Crates the Philosopher said that if possibly he might he would willingly mount to the highest place of the City and there cry aloud in this manner What mean you my Masters and whither run you headlong carking and caring all that ever you can to gather goods and rake riches together as you do whiles in the mean time you make little or no reckoning at all of your Plut. Children unto whom you are to leave all your riches and do not most care more for the wealth of their Childrens outward man than for the health of their inward man such as one saith are like those that have great regard Ibid. to their Shoo but take no heed to their Face Some are headlesse and cannot others are heartlesse and will not By Generation men are temporal Fathers by education they come to be Spiritual Fathers and though it In anima sit extraduce be a question whether the Soul and Body come both one way or no yet it is out of doubt many times that the grace of the Soul may come from the Parents I mean yet Parents counsel teaching and tutouring may be Instrumental in the hand of the supream efficient thereunto Did not Hannah get her Samuel by praying And may we think that he that was brought in by earnest supplication was not brought up by early education That he 1 Sam. 10. 27. whom she took paines for before she had him she did not takes pains with when she had him That for whom she petitioned him she did not principle If you that read this can say by experience it is so blesse God for your Friends if not begg of God to make them your Friends Oh that Parents would bring up their Children in the nurture of the Lord and Children obey them in the Lord. 3. By procuring services By this means also S. 4 doth the Lord many times
the housholders hiring of labourers into his vineyard some Matth. 20. were called at the ninth others at the tenth and eleventh now had they died in the fourth fifth sixth c. hour of the day what had become of them then and so the theefe Luke 23. 42 43. upon the crosse that was converted had he suffred or been cut off before where had been his repentance it is true Gods determination cannot be frustrated but his decree fixeth as the end so the means and amongst means time as well as other things are the object of his purpose many had they died had never lived to grace many live that they may not die for sin many get up from the bed of sicknesse that they may attain the health of their souls many are delivered from the brinck of the grave that they may be brought into the bosome of God many sicknesses would prove mortal to the body but that God intends to be merciful to the soul the Lord delivers from going downward to the earth because he intends to draw them upwards to heaven and bids death to hold his hand because he hath purposed to have the heart He saith return ye children of men that Psal 90. 3. ye may be renewed as the children of God He many times spares the life that he may save the soul and gives more years that he may give more grace he preserves from drowning by water from burning by fire from distruction by a fall from death by a blow that he may principle them with piety furnish them with faith restore them by repentance grant them all grace and crown them with glory Reader if thou beest a Saint thy experience can bear witnesse to these words had not the Lord caused thy sun to stand still in the firmament and kept it from going down at noon hadst not thou gone down unto the pit and been swallowed up of hell and been as those that had been dead and damned long ago hadst thou died of thy dropsie been consumed with thy cough been fired with thy feaver hadst thou been mar'd with thy maim hadst thou sunk under thy sicknesse perished by the pox and fallen under the fury of any of thy distempers and casualties which thou hadst and didst meet with before thy conversion what dost thou think had been thy conclusion If thy disease had destroyed thee in thy natural condition shouldst ever have attained to a spiritual constitution hadst died a sinner on earth thou couldst never have been a Saint in heaven but the time of thy change was not then but since and God in mercy added to thy years that he might add thee to his Church Thou mayest take up the Psalmists words with a Psal 124. 1 2 3. little alteration If it had not been the Lord who was on my side when sicknesse and dangers rose up against me they had swallowed me up quick and left me as the object of deserved wrath but blessed be the Lord who hath not given me as a prey to their teeth blessed be the Lord that hath let me live to the day of grace the month of mercy the year of Jubilee that mine eyes might see the salvation Luke 2. 30. of the Lord. The Lord lengthned Simeon's time that he might see Christ in the flesh and thine that thou mightest see him in the spirit As for you that are not Saints who though you can say these things are so notionly yet not experimentally I pray that your particular experience may plainly prove and make it good that your life may be prolonged your days prorogued and the thred thereof be spun out and that the event may declare the end and the issue demonstrate the intention of the Lord to be the changing of your heart the altering of your nature and the sanctifying of you throughout in soul and body 6. By giving good acquaintance First the S. 7 Lord acquainteth with his people and by this means with himself an associate sometimes proves a guide to good they light by providence upon the knowledge of some good man or woman and by some means or other come to have society and intimacy with them Amicus animae custos dicitur who by their gracious words cordial counsels loving admonitions gentle reproofs win upon them and allure their hearts to God conversing Amicus vitae medicamentum is sometimes a means of converting He that walketh with wise men shall be wise Prov. 13. 20. A friend for the body may prove a favour to the soul civil acquaintance may be of spiritual advantage and from communion with Saints some come to have communion with the sanctifier How sweetly did the Lord bring about the acquaintance of Ruth and Naomi c. first the Lord sends a famine among the people but it proved a feast of fat things to Ruth then by that means drives Elimelech Naomi and their two sons into the land of Moab of those that were strangers to God these two sons marry there the wife of one of them is Ruth thus she comes acquainted with that family the men die only the mother and daughters in law survive that still here is religious acquaintance which was blessed to her Naomi was Naomi to her Ruth 1. that is beautiful comely or greatly moving as the word signifieth and so far wrought with Ruth that she would be of the religion of her mother in law and liked the God and People of Israel better than those of her own Ruth 1. â—6 Country Sometimes a chamber-fellow an intimate a neighbour a companion one whom Bonus sic malo connectitur ut aut pares redditur aut cito ab invicem separentur we journey or work or often have occasion to meet with that is godly may be a means of our good as bad companions are very pestiferous so good ones are very profitable graceless acquaintance draw others with themselves to hell and gracious acquaintance help to draw others with themselves to heaven good company may be a means of life and bad of death a good man studieth for the good of those he converseth with he prays Psal 119. 36. for their peace sorrows for their sins labours for their life cares for their cure perswades them to piety and seeks their eternal salvation Had not the Lord given thee such a friend he had never given thee so much faith had he not brought thee into such a mans society he had never brought thee into his own Sanctuary The goodnesse of thy company helped forward the goodnesse of thy conscience godly neighbours are accounted a grievous burden when they should rather be accepted as a great blessing they are looked upon as foes for speaking the truth when they should be loved as friends for touching the quick They are the best and onely company what ever the world thinks of them who are unworthy of them they are not the troublers of Israel but seek peace as
may charge Soules home with their sins Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins Isai 58. 1. Some are so fine fingered they dare not touch the sore so mure hearted they dare not search the wound so mealy-mouthed they cannot speak hard against sin some so guilty they are afraid to condemn themselves A Minister must Preach not as acquitting but accusing not as soothing but as searching not as discharging but charging the wicked and ungodly not as flattering but frowning upon sin not as pleasing man but pleasing God To Preach generally not particularly to Preach as a farre off never come near is not the way To make all wel for fear of ill will is too low a frame for the Spirit of a Minister of Jesus Christ to be in and argues an heart seeking more it's own temporal comfort than Gods Eternal glory I mean not that Ministers should particularize publikely persons or names or that that their words should savour of Spleen and Gall against ought but sin But this that they should charge their peoples sins upon them as Nathan said to David Thou art the man So they you are the 2 Sam. 12. 7. people that are thus and thus Let them endeavour to cause them to know that they are the people that have contemned Gods Commands broken his bonds worked wickednesse practised perversenesse refused repentance and slighted their own Soules that they are in a lost and undone condition after this manner did John the Baptist Preach to the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 3. 7 8 9. He opens the Book and shewes them their sins he brings them to the brink of Hell and shewes them their danger and so doth Peter Him have ye taken and by wicked hands Crucified and slain Acts 2. 23. And did not the Lord blesse this his Preaching For they were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do Verse 37. And so again in Acts 8. 20 21 22 23. Read them I pray How terrible doth Peter thunder there against Simon Magus and come home to him My heart riseth much against flattery especially in a Ministery it is a most desperate thing and of cursed consequence There is not a speedier way to damn Semper vitanda est perniciosa dulcedo people whereas a Ministers work is to Preach their Soules to Heaven For Ministers to hover and keep at a distance in their Preaching and never seek to come home nor get into the conscience argueth cowardize or unskilfulnesse Such Preaching will bring little of comfort to the Pastor or conversion to the people It is said of Bernard that once he Preached a curious neat flourishing Sermon and every one was taken with it though not by it but he was sad and heavy thereupon soon after he Preached another Sermon not of kin to the former but an home searching pressing Sermon it was no commendation of this as of the former But he carried it very lightsomely and cheerfully to what he did before the people asked him the reason of his so various divers Heri Bernardum hodie Christum deportment he answers yesterday I Preached Bernard to day Christ yesterday my self to day my Saviour Though people condemn such kind of Preaching yet God will crown it though it be harsh to flesh and blood yet it is health to the Soul and Spirit many look upon it as needlesse when the Lord knows it is very needful 3. Powerful Preaching Powerful zealous S. 12 Preaching is a means of effectual calling Ministers should Preach not with affectation but affection not with formality but fervency not with listlinesse but livelinesse Sermons should be fired with zeal and filled with love Cold dead lazy Preaching maketh Christians thereafter faint wooing for Christ goes away Qui timidè rogat negare docet with a denial if they be not more hot in their work they can never win the castle of the heart for Christ Eli's vile Children feared not their 1 Sam. 2. 25. Fathers faint chiding The Lord did earnestly protest to his people by his Ministers Jer. 11. 7. I earnestly protested saith the Lord or as in the original protesting I protested I delivered my mind to you over and over which sheweth earnestnesse Earnest Preaching many times brings early practice Ministers should first warm their hearts at the Spirits fire and then warm their Sermons at their hearts they should so speak that their words may seem not to fall from their heads but to rise from the hearts what comes from the heart is most like to go to the heart To speak as if one were afraid to wake the sleepers to disquiet sin as if one had no sence of grace or sin of mercy or misery is like to prove fruitlesse and without good issue Sinners are asleep and they must be rouzed they are secure and they must be rounded and they are regardlesse and must be ratled as the Heb. 4. 2 word should be mixed with Faith in the hearer so with fervency in the Preacher It is said of that eminent Divine Master Perkins that in his Preaching he would pronounce the word Damn with such an Emphasis that Fuller holy state he left a trembling impression upon the Spirits of his Auditors Ministers must be Boanerges Sons of Thunder as well as Barjonas Sons of Consolation when they speak they should 1 Pet. 4. 11. speak as the Oracles of God powerfully pressingly vehemently urgingly Reader when the word hath been powerfully Preached to thee in a zealous stirring way hast thou not had some convictions have not the secrets of thine heart been made manifest and thou been constrained to fall down and worship God and report and say the Lord is in this Minister 1 Cor. 14. 25. of a truth Hast not been almost a Christian thereby and thou that art Godly did not the Lord use the obstetrication of means of such kind of Preaching for bringing forth the Man-child of grace The Lord give such Watch-men such Work-men where they are wanted the Lord blesse them where they are seated Was not Christs Preaching after this manner How Pathetically doth he expresse himself Luke 13. 34 35. And can we learn of a greater Doctor than he And what else doth Paul mean and intend but earnest Preaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pasor Lex in his counsel to Timothy Preach the word be instant in season out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. that is be earnest pressing be urgent as some translate the word 2. Means of the higher forme Now we S. 13 come to speak of means of a superiour order and that is the Spirit of the Lord the Spirit and the Word go together the one as the Servant the other as the Master the one as the Instrument Nisi Spiritus S. adsit cordi audientium
Author of effectual calling Sol. God is the Sole Author and we the subjects that are wrought upon He the Agent and we the Patients our hearts are not in our own hands we are dead and cannot make our selves alive we must erect an Altar with this Inscription To the God 1 Sam. 7. 12. of grace And set up a stone of remembrance with this Motto The Lord hath helped us Grace can be of the off-spring of none but the Eternal Father It is not in any but by the gift and work of God it is a Plant of Gods setting so the Saints may truely say Thou O Lord hast wrought all our works in us Isai 26. 12. His people are the natural and Spiritual workmanship of his hands And of this doth Paul informe his Corinthians when he saith And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are Sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. Ye did not sanctify your selves but ye were sanctified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye did not make your selves Saints but ye were made Saints and as it was with the people so with the Preacher he could give grace neither to them nor himself for their grace and his grace had both one Author and were from God The Lord was active and he and they were passive for so he speaketh of himself But I obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1. 13. The translation runs in the active when the Greek word is of the passive voice neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bez. in loc in Latine nor English can one well expresse the original It is as if one should say I was had mercy upon So then it is clear that we have neither hand nor heart in the work of grace But it must be set upon the account of God as the sole efficient Yet thus we must understand it for we are not stockes and stones in the work of conversion 1. We being effectually called can afterwards work by the grace which God hath wrought in us If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body c. Rom. 8. 13. Here is an Act of mortification of sin but from the might of the Spirit an Act of killing but from enlivening grace when principled then the Soul is to do it's part when animated then it is to Act When it hath it's treasure then it must trade when stocked with life then it must stand out against it's lusts 2. A Soul worketh in the very moment of Perk. Revel 3. 9. conversion as it was with Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. Paul was now infieri in making and loe the beatings of his Pulse And so it was with good Lydia Whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul Acts 16. 14. There we see her in making the Lord opened her heart that was Gods work and she Acteth she attended that is her work by vertue of the former Babes of grace Act in the very birth and whilest the Lord is framing and fashioning them they pant and breath in their new moulding they melt and mourn in Gods striving with them they strive for him in their making they move Yet we must be careful to understand this rightly viz. thus 1. In the order of nature Gods working is Acti agimus before the Soules and the Soules working depends upon it that as the cause this as the caused that as the efficient this as the effected that as the spring this as the stream that as leader this as led that as the parent this as the posterity that as the root this as the fruit 2. What the Soul doth is not the cause or meanes of conversion Conversion is without Nulla praecedit in nobis praeparatio August the spheare of our activity 2. Ob. In the next place it may be queried what the difference is between effectual vocation and sanctification how near they live S. 2 each to other or how far distant they are one 2. Ob. from the other whether neighbours or strangers kindred or aliens Sol. Effectual calling is meant of the first Sol. Assem Ad. Baxter Saints rest pag. 140. work of God upon the soul in implanting grace there and changing the whole man and regeneration and conversion are the same with it as we have said before Sanctification is meant of the increase of that first work and of holinesse in the life and conversation 1 Thessal 4. 3. The first as the rising of the Sun the latter as it 's keeping it's course The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. The one as the infancy and youth the other as the growth and age of grace the one as the principle the other as the practice one as the morning the other as the noon of grace 3. Ob. It may be queried in the next place S. 3 which grace is first Faith or repentance 3. Ob. Faith before repentance or repentance before faith which of these two is the first born and elder Child Sol. This question hath been much tossed Sol. up and down and many saplesse contentions have been about it without solid demonstration of the thing and without spiritual edification of the soul If were better for people to enquire whether they find these graces in themselves than which is first the sincerity of them in reference to truth is more to be sought after than the priority of them in reference to time it were more profitable to question our participation than their precedency yet people had rather deal with Metaphysicks than Morals with notional rather than necessary points and love to rise to the clouds in their askings when they cannot reach the top of a low-built answer However I will in some measure satisfy this question 1. We must know that all habits of grace are infused together the habits are put in to the soul at one time though some may put out themselves by actings before one another A new heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you Ezek. 36. 26 27. Here is a change mentioned which could not be without the infusion of all saving graces together Simul semel and at once They are like twins they receive their being both together though one be brought forth before another This similitude following may make it a little plain a man taketh several sorts of seeds and sowes them in his Garden at one time yet some come up and shew themselves before others some sooner some latter Our hearts are the Garden the habits of grace the seeds all which by the hand of the spirit are sown at one time though in actings some appear before others 2. One things is said to be before another two wayes 1. First in time as that which is to day is before that which is not till to morrow and that which is this houre is before that
out their predestination have no true bladder to support them in affliction How can such stand in storms of trouble who know not but that they are the beginnings of eternal woe Will not their head be soon under water who cannot make out to the contrary but that they are the objects of reprobation because they are not the subjects of regeneration These are sinking thoughts you must not look alwayes to sit as a Queen and see no sorrow you must not look that the Sun should alwayes shine warm upon your head that your peace should have no period your summer dayes no date your felicitie no fate No the clouds will gather the Heavens grow black miserie invade you and sorrow seize upon you in one kind or another Oh how it would lessen your trouble quench the flame mitigate the dolour if you could but make out that you were one that did belong to God and that your name were in the book of life It will be sad when the waters rise and you have no Ark to return unto when the storm comes and you have no sheltring place whereas to be in an estate of grace is a great support to a soul when under hatches I am thine save me for Hic murus aheneus esto c. I have sought thy precepts Psal 119. 94. I am thine by predestination I am thine by effectual calling for through grace I seek thy Laws and waies were not these things great staies to his spirit Dionysius said that this benefit he had by the studie of Philosophie that he bore with patience his alterations and changes so this is the benefit that comes by grace that such may bear their sufferings not onely with patience but also with joy yea and may sing in the midst of a prison The ship of the soul being ballasted by grace and effectual calling is preserved from being overturned by tempests of sorrow David was one of God's and in an estate of grace and this he had some knowledge of or else he could not have kept his ground as he did against the thundrings of 2 Sam. 16. 12. Shimei's railing tongue without these things you will be like a wild Bull in a net when you are caught in the toile You will have no patience in nor hardly profit out of your troubles Doth not David once and again put the bottle to his mouth and suck in this cordial in the time of his spiritual swoonings that God Ps 42. 11. Ps 43. 5. was his God The want of these things must needs make the fornace of the fiery trial more hot and burning than otherwise it would be It is doleful for a man or woman to be in such a condition that they may say I want goods and I want grace too I want peace and I want piety I want liberty and I want life I want comfort and I want conversion I want Friends and I want God's favour too when God shall strike you with his rod and you cannot make out but that his blowes are from loathing and not from love that they are from a foe and not from a Friend it will be very dismal if you cannot say these wounds have Mitigat vim doloris considerata aequitas ferientis I received in the house and at the hand of my Friend and these are the chastisements of my Father in mercy and not to misery it will prove a sore shaking to thy spirit a sad aking to thy soul 6. The last bitter Pill is this Such have no S. 7 support in death what will you do when death comes and mowes down the flourishing Flowers of your temporal comforts when this great Philistine stops the Well of your outward consolations Though now you are alive yet you must die Death will find you out and when he comes will not return with a non est inventus We cannot find him And Vix bene moritur qui male vixit can you die comfortably that have not lived graciously Can you end with safety that have not begun with sanctity can you have peace with the grave who have no peace with God can you be willing to be called out of the world by death who were never called in to God by grace you may have strong fancies but you can have no sure Faith If you be not effectually called and have not the true spectacles of faith and repentance whereby you may be enabled to read your own name in Heaven's court-rolls What will ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation which will come from death to whom will ye flee for help and where will ye leave your glory without Isai 10. 3 4. me ye shall bow down as Prisoners of the grave and fall among the slain by the stroke of death The sting of death is sin saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 56. It is sin that maketh death to bite and leave the venome of his teeth behind him you are yet in your sins death therefore must needs be bitterer to you than gall and wormewood you are yet without grace and cannot make out that you are one of Gods you cannot therefore lay this snake in your bosome with safetie Have not such thoughts sadned thy heart when death's messengers have knocked at the door certainly they have unlesse thou be given up to fearednesse of conscience and stupefaction of Spirit which is worse than the strongest sence of sin and miserie without grace death must needs be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King of terrours what is your reason why you are yet loath to die Do you not say it is this Oh if I were fit I should not fear If I had that upon me and in me that Ministers speak of I should be willing to die If I did but know that I did belong to the Lord and that I were one of his chosen it would never trouble me why you can never make out the latter without the former You can have neither actual nor habitual comfort in death without these things you had better never to have been born than thus to die better never to have looked forth of your Mother's womb than thus to look death in the face friends relations accommodations helpes are all too weak twiggs to lay hold on to keep from drowning in this Sea of fear if there be not grace you may send to Ministers to come to you I wish with all mine heart people would send to Ministers to come to them in the time of their health and prosperity and deal with them about the state of their souls but they if they be faithful dare not cannot speak peace to you while you are in your sins for what peace so long as the vilenesses and abominations of thine heart are so many There is no peace saith the Lord to the Isai 48. 22. wicked What comfort can they have in or against death who cannot rightly particularize the promises of eternal life
comfortable life some have lived many years and may say with David My life is spent with griefe and my years with sighing Psal 31. 10. Have lived all their daies and it may be not seen the Sun when it may be it was never hid from thee The Lord hath watered your Praesentis vitae prosperitas aliquando idcirco datur ut ad meliorem vitam provocet long life with the showers of comfort that it hath flourished and yet for all this you have not been found in his wayes others have been streightned by poverty when you have been enlarged by plenty others have been overwhelmed with misery when you have been over-flowed with mercy the condition of others hath been very sickly while your constitution hath been very healthy You have hardly had a day of sicknesse while others have had dayes of nothing but languishing sorrow others have been made with Job To possesse moneths of vanity and wearisome nights are appointed to them that when they lie down they say When shall I arise and the night be gone and I am full of tossings to and fro untill the dawning of the day But thou hast had Job 7. 3 4. moneths of liberty and years of prosperity and yet with the Halcyon thou hast not bred in such calm weather nor blossomed as the Rose in this warm Sun-shine The Lord hath hedged thee in with his favour and compassed thee about with fatnesse and yet thou hast not been his servant You have not felt of the calamities nor hardly tasted of the inconveniencies that others have drank bitter draughts of and yet you are never the nearer compliance with the Lord Have you known of nothing but prosperity almost and yet will you know nothing of true piety Hath that driven you from God that should have drawn you to God Hath your habitation stood toward the Sun and yet hath not your heart stood toward Zion You have enjoyed a Paradise of contentment not but that you have met with Deus felicitatibus terrenis amaritudines miscet some crosses for that is a very clear day wherein there comes no cloud between the Sun and our sight But in comparison of others you have lived as it were in Eden and yet have you not hearkened to the voice of the Lord walking in the midst of the Garden in the cool of the day Have you had such a circumfluence of outward peace and no circumcision of your inward parts Sicknesse is a burden you say and that hindreth and maketh you unfit for any good and it seems health doth not further you in spiritual things Want is a woeful thing you say and distracts you that you cannot look after grace and it seems wealth doth the same too as you order the matter Hath not your tranquillity I say your aged tranquillity invited you to hearken to the calls of Heaven Hath the Lord cut the wings of prosperity that it might not flie from you all your dayes and have you clipped or clogged the wings of your affections and desires that you might not flie into the bosome of Christ Hath the Lord caused peace and priviledges comfort and temporal contentments to be your houshold guesse and to lodge with you all night and yet will you refuse to make the Lord Christ welcome to your heart hath the Lord enlarged thy borders and filled thee with the flower of wheat and yet hath not thine eare been open to his call Hath the candle of the Lord shined upon thine head all thy daies Hast thou washed thy steps with butter and hath the Job 29. 3. 6. rock powred thee out Rivers of Oyl And yet hath not thy light shined before men in good Matth. 5. 16. works Hast not thou been willing to be washed in the laver of regeneration Hath not thy Tit. 3. 5. rocky spirit powred out rivers of teares for thy sins Thine head hath been crowned with Rose buds all thy daies but thou hast not been willing that thy heart should be crowned with grace Upon all these considerations you cannot are not able to say that you are not guilty but must rather say you are notoriously guilty after all these means not to be mended after all these allurements not to be altered to make sturdy opposition when thou hast no sufficient objections maketh your sin great and grievous and raiseth it beyond the ordinary pitch To contemne grace after all God's countenancings to continue in rebellion after so many calls to repentance doth exceedingly aggravate your fault 2. Administring causes In the next place S. 16 let us inquire into the cause of these carriages for it may seem a wonder that any should neglect so great a work there must be something more then ordinary in it that overtures of grace should be so overly dealt withal If we search we shall find there is a root of bitternesse that produceth this fruit and if we find the cause there is some hopes of a cure for who having found the causes would not if in their right minds have them pulled Sublatâ causâ tollitur effectus up by the roots and if the foundation fall the building cannot stand Now the causes why people no more mind and look after effectual calling then they do are these 1. Not right apprehensions 1. Of the nature of calling calling 2. Of the need of 3. Of the number of the called 2. False suppositions 1. Of their condition 2. Of God's compassion 3. Sinful procrastination 4. Worldly prosecution 5. Want of intention 6. Others conversation 7. Wilful ignoration 1. Not right apprehensions People have S. 17 not those clear thoughts of things as they should have An errour in Theory must needs produce an errour in practicks An errour in the head will soon bring an errour into the heart Wrong apprehensions are not like to have right actions The understanding is the leading faculty and if that be out of frame no wonder if the rest move not in their spheare As our judgements are of things so are our indeavours about them more or lesse We shall begin with the first thing where about their apprehensions are not right 1. Of the nature of effectual calling Here S. 18 they are out and quite besides the cushion The most of people are in an errour concerning this thing and the most that they have are some scattered notions but no distinct and special conceptions of it some common thoughts but not the centain truth They may happily understand it according to the Letter though many come not thus far but not according to the spirit they take it to be that which it is not but they take it not to be that which it is Nicodemus though John 3. 4. a chief man yet was but a Child in this thing That which was spoken spiritually he understood carnally Christ laid before him that which was right and he looks upon it as a riddle yea as ridiculous The most useful
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
be very sad And if the glory of Ezek. 9. 3. the Lord be gone to the threshold ready to depart there is like to be but a solitary Temple left behind 3. The hardnesse of your heart Thine S. 32 heart by standing out against the calls of God grows more and more hardned multiplied oppositions procure much obduration and the more people stand out against the Spirit the faster they stand in their sins The oftner the Divel with the hammer of resistance strikes upon this anvil the harder it grows and the more sinfully hard the more uncapable of spiritual impressions so many degrees as the heart is hard so many degrees is it distant from grace An hard heart is the worst evil under the Sun and the cure of it is very difficult Therefore the Holy Ghost counselleth to exhort one another dayly while it is Heb. 3. 13. called to day left any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin You slight the work of grace for the present in hope of reaching it for the future when alas thereby thou becomest more unfit every day than other Hast thou Expertentia optima magistra not learned so much from experience yet which is a good School-dame for fools and sinners Art thou not more averse to good this week than the last this month this year than the last They say the Loadstone will not draw iron when rubbed with garlick when souls are much besmeared with sin God many times gives them over to themselves and saith as of his people formerly Ephraim Hos 4. 17. is joyned to Idols let him alone Every sinner hath his back upon the Lord and the further he goeth on in sin the further he goeth from God and therefore his return is rendred more difficult and doubtful An hard heart Rom. 2. 5. and a penitent heart differ like fire and water light and darknesse formerly you melted when you sat under perswasions to piety now you are not moved at all formerly a little blow would make your heart yield a small prick would make the blood come now nothing affects or takes effect with you your heart is now become like the nether mil-stone formerly the warm Sun-beams would melt you and now an hot fire will not dissolve you The longer you live in your natural condition the more stout and stubborn do you grow 4. The hazard of your soul While you S. 33 are not effectually called you go in danger every day as the chicken that is from under the wing of the hen you have no rampiers of God's grace to shrowd you no canopy of his love to shelter you For God is angry with the wicked every day Psal 7. 11. There is no running from God's anger unlesse you flee Non est quo fugias a Deo irato nisi ad Deum placatum into his bosome to get into the arms of Christ's love by effectual calling is the only sanctuary of safety Whilst you are in your sins you are neither sub coelo under heaven by gracious protection nor shall you be in coelo in heaven by glorious translation The Heathens Divinity taught them thus much that only good men should be happy hereafter Woe to thee that art filthy and poliuted Thou Zeph. 3. 1 2. hast not obeyed the voice thou hast not received correction thou hast not trusted in the Lord nor drawn neer to the great God If thou look into the divine Almanack thou canst find nothing but certain progostications of sad things to thy soul An Orion of misery is ready to fall down in overwhelming showres upon thine head Thy nakednesse is discovered by reason of thy sins and thou art a fair mark for the arrows of vengeance to be levelled at There is but an hand nay but an hairs-bredth between thee and destruction every step thou takest thou art in danger to step into hell Thou goest every day without thy guard and being without grace hast no mark whereby thou mayst be notified to the destroying Angel to be an Israelite that is to be passed over your house is undoored unroofed and misery may come in and pluck out your throat Those that are not guided by God's Law are not guarded by his love and where there is no faith of conversion there can be no favour for tuition while you are unconverted you lie under eminent and imminent danger continually destruction stands by your side ready to trip up your heels and ruine like a rock is ready to fall upon you and grinde you to powder It is most true that the wise man saith in this case In the transgression of an evil man there is a Prov. 29. 6 snare There is no peace to you when you go out or when you come in when you lie down or rise up whilst you are unchanged you are exposed to danger every day to misery every moment CHAP. V. 4. Vse for comfort IN the next place this doctrine smiles upon those that are gracious and speaks comfortably S. 1 to the heart of them If the Lord do effectually call his predestinated then here is good news for those that are effectually called much honey may be squeezed into their mouths out of this comb The Babylonian Date-tree they say bears above an hundred several commodities so doth this doctrine hang full of choice fruit of comfort for God's people Sorrow many times doth sit as Queen-regent in the hearts of God's people and they too much give way thereto not considering those arguments which might refresh their spirits and are overcome thereby because Dolorem vinces si te contra dolorem intenderis they set not themselves against it But take this cordial thou that art a Saint and gather up these flowers which I shall cast before thee and bind them up into a sweet smelling and refreshing posey These ensuing considerations if well thought on may be means of thy great consolation 1. The stedfastnesse of conclusion 2. The surenesse of salvation 3. The safety of perswasion 4. The certainty of conjunction 5. A special benediction 6. The spring of action 7. A sign of affection 8. A singular condition 1. The stedfastnesse of conclusion Such S. 2 may conclude that they are elected and predestinated the foundation is laid and it is lawful for them to go on with the building God is come into their hearts in time and therefore they may conclude that they were in his thoughts from eternity such have chosen God and therefore may be confident that God hath chosen them Thou who art a Saint hast ben it may be most of thy days tossed up and down upon the unruly sea of despair and couldest never yet reach the cape of good hope nor see land but consider thou the work of God upon thee in sanctification and thou mayst easily collect his will concerning thee in election for what is done upon thine heart is but the copy of God's decree concerning Omnis gratia
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
you of sin and the danger of a natural condition it was mine own condition once and whether I have yet fully passed it I have much cause to fear I find my heart so carnal sold under sin Others of you may have some early glimmerings of the spirit dawning upon your souls The Lord cause the sun of righteousness to rise upon you with healing under his wings and bring your bloomings and buddings to ripeness and maturity Some others may have a through work of grace upon their hearts the Lord make such thankful for it is an inestimable mercy and keep their feet that they fall not Various are your conditions in regard of temporals and spirituals various are your relations to and acquaintance with me whatsoever the one or the other be let nothing be a bar to keep you from accepting the counsel of the holy Ghost which is sent in love let it therefore be so taken I would not these things should be a witness against you or me another day The Lord therefore for his Christ's sake so sanctifie these truths to us and us by these truths that we may all attain to grace and increase thereof to the comfort of our own souls to the praise and glory of God by Christ So prays Your dayly Orator at the throne of grace J. V. The Epistle to the READER Christian Reader THou mayst wonder to see me add to the pile and heap of books Not glory nor gain unless of God of souls though my heart be very evil and have the seeds of all sin in it are the wheels on which I move in this labour Not affectation but affection to my heavenly Father to my earthly Friends put me on to this Some years since in my publike preaching I went through the chief heads in Divinity and when I came to this of Effectual Calling I insisted the longer upon it because it was very practical and of great concernment I found it then making some impression I hope it may do so now if but one soul be thereby turned in to the Lord it is worth my pains though a thousand times more I was desirous to communicate it to my friends to whom I dedicated for their good if the Lord be pleased to bless it It had been a weary task to have transcribed many copies I was resolved therefore to take the shortest cut It is a complaint that the Press is oppressed and not without cause yet much Printing I think is no more to be indicted then much Preaching if so be the matter be sound and savoury That feminine toleration that Midwives so many spurious births into the world and that licentious liberty whereby any one and any thing may preach and be preached are well worthy of censure and sharp animadversions it is hard to say which more Much reading is a weariness to the flesh and so may much hearing yet if either be rendred under God a means of conviction and conversion to the spirit it is no matter Daniel got knowledge of things of concernment by books Dan. 9. 2. I see the Lord owneth and blesseth reading as well as hearing printing as well as preaching though of all means of grace I take preaching to be the King Mine own soul through the mercy of God for ever blessed be his name hath received some good if it be not presumption to say so that way as well as by the preaching of the word and though this be drawn up by a weak worthless creature yet God I see sometimes makes use of and blesseth a wooden as well as a golden instrument And though hereby I expose my self who am weak to the acute judgement of parted and learned men yet I weigh it not if but one soul may be gained and brought in to God by this service as I hope there shall and the Lord raiseth mine heart to some comfortable expectation thereof What a rejoycing would it be to me if my poor labours might tend to the enlargement of my soveraigns Kingdom Reader I shall no further apologize for or give an account of this undertaking though more might be said I desire thine earnest prayers that while I give these counsels and cautions to others my self may not be a cast-away as thou hast mine If thou be a sinner the Lord conform thee to his will if a Saint the Lord confirm thee in his ways The Lord be with thy spirit and his who is Thine as he hopes for thy souls good J. V. Imprimatur Edmund Calamy A SURVEY OF EFFECTUAL CALLING THE FIRST PART CHAP. I 8. Rom. 30. vers the begin Moreover whom he did Predestinate them he also called IN the first part of this Chapter Paul endeavours to comfort the Roman Saints against the Remainders of sin yet with this proviso and caution that they remain not in sin In this Second Part which begins at the seventeenth Verse he Sect. 1 prescribes an antidote to fortify their Spirits against adversity which is made up of many ingredients the last whereof though not the least is in the 28. vers viz. that God like a skilful Chymist will extract good out of evil and by his wise disposing cause advantage to grow upon the stalk of affliction which is proved in the two next Verses because nothing can break that Golden Chain wherein foreknowledge Predestination Vocation c. are Cohaerence linked together so that the words which I have pitched upon fall out to be the middle linke of this Chain which reacheth from Eternity to Eternity viz. from fore-knowledge and Predestination to Glory For the opening of the words Predestination Explication is a fore-ordaining or appointing even from Eternity in reference to the reasonable Sect. 2 Creature and is sometimes taken largely so as the twins of Election and reprobation lye in the Womb of it and sometimes strictly and synecdochically that it and Election are identified and so is it here used Them hath he called We know what it is to call to or upon another to do this or that so God calls them to Sanctity obedience conformity to his will yet so it is to be understood that he opens their ear to hear and inclines their heart to submit to this call He hath called The Preterperfect tense used for the Future Bez. in loc tense after the manner of the Hebrews and to denote a continued Act But I should rather think he so speaks in reference to those that are called already and so in them Personating all others that are the Children of Predestination or else to shew that those that are Predestinated shall as certainly be called as if they were already called for it is the manner of Scripture Sic narrare futura tanquam praeterita Haym to call the things that are not as if they were In the words are two parts Divis 1. The Subject 2. The Predicate Or 1. The Appointment to the end 2. The first step of the means to the end Viz. 1.
Now it seeth it self by the Brink of the lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone and saith as you have it in Psal 88. 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me and thou hast afflicted me with all thy Waves Now it knoweth it can claim no other portion and challenge no other Inheritance but that of wo and misery As by the former it feeles its sins so by this it feares Gods wrath It knows that it deserves to be the everliving object of never-dying displeasure It now seeth that it hath run into a Premunire and is intangled in the snare It heareth nothing but a dreadful voice and thundring comminations from Mount Ebal Cursed cursed be thou that hast done thus and thus because Deut. 27. 21. thou hast forsaken God and followed thy lusts This is called the Spirit of bondage to fear which the Apostle mentioneth Rom. 8. 15. Now the threatnings of God in his Word to which before it turned the deaf ear are heard They beset and hemme the Soul round about on every side that it sees no way of escape no door of hope to run out at Now sad thoughts amazement of Spirit dolorous complaints and nothing but Alarums of Gods anger Now it 's light sins sit heavy upon its skirts Though these could darken not every Face and these angry surges arise not to the same height in every Soul for the Lord is various in his dealings In some more of this in some lesse but in all usually some It is said of good Master Bolton that in his conversion the Lord came upon him like an Armed Man or Lion as if he would have torne him in pieces but over some God doth rather shake the Rod then Strike and deal blowes The alwise Jehovah is various in his dispensations yet this is his more ordinary path 4. Lamentation The fourth Step is sorrow S. 5 and mourning Now the clouds gather and cover the Face of the Soul Showres come down and it is a rainy season A deluge of sin and deluge of sorrow what the eye seeth the Heart rueth The heart is melted and dissolved the deepes are broken up and send forth their streames by the Channel of the eyes If you lay your eare you shall hear nothing but complaints if you listen nothing but heart-breaking sighs As Jeremy said in the third of the Lament v. 51. so may the Soul now say Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the Daughters of my City because of all the transgressions and Iniquities of my disobedient Heart Formerly the poor Creature was all upon the merry Pin now it is as full of sorrow seeing what it hath done and what it hath deserved when sin and wrath and sence of both are in conjunction they melt and thaw the Heart that before was frozen and hard And this we may call legal sorrow Legal sorrow arising from sin and wrath discovered and denounced by the Law without the Ingredients of other considerations it is said of Jacobs Children that when they came to the Gen. 50. 10. threshing floor of Atad which signifieth a bramble there they mourned with a very great and sore Lamentation So when the Soul hath been threshed with the apprehensions of Gods anger and scratched with the brambles of dreadful Gemitus geminatus luctus threatnings then do the Waters of sorrow flow and rise very high and it 's mourning is great 5. Perswasion The next is a belief or perswasion S. 6 hatched in it's bosome that it's sins are pardonable and may be pardoned and here comes in the knowledge of the Gospel Knowledg of the Gospel and the grace of God It heares of a Brazen Serpent that can heal those that are stung of a Physitian that can cure all Diseases of Balme in Gilead good for Every sore it takes notice of a white flagge hung out and therefore it saith with the Jaylour Act. 16. 30. What must I do to be saved It hath heard of a Saviour a Redeemer There is hopes then saith it that my captivity may be turned into Liberty my bondage into Freedom Here is now a little crevice whereat light comes into the Soul and the early dawning of the day appeareth it hath some inklings and general Notions of Salvation It seeth Christ as afar of as the Eunuch said Acts 8. 36. in the Acts See here is Water what doth hinder me to be Baptized So saith the Soul in this case Lo the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World and I am a sinner of the World and have a world of sins in me what hindreth but that I may be saved great yea very great sins have been pardoned and why may not mine It hath heard of the promises and heard of abundance of grace and perfect meritorious righteousnesse of Christ and all this in order to the taking away of sin and hence it comes to conceive some likelyhood some probability or at least some possibility that it's condition may be mended that it's Estate may be bettered And thus far I conceive a Man or Woman may go and proceed and yet never be effectually called 6. Anhelation Hereupon the Soul in the S. 7 next place pants and breaths and longs for Jesus Christ Oh that this Treasure this Jewel this Saviour were mine It 's wishes desires and Gen. 30. 1. cares are now for Christ The Soul with Rachel saith Give me Christ or I die nothing in the world will satisfy me but him Gold Silver Friends Relations Health Prosperity what are all these to me None but Christ none but Christ for my poor Soul He would be better to me than ten Sons yea than ten thousand worlds How pathetically did David expresse his desire of temporal Water Oh that one would give me drink of the Water of the Well of Bethlehem which is by the Gate So saith the Soul Oh that I had some of the Water of Life this healing Water cooling Water cleansing Water as David again in Psal 42. 1 2. So saith the Soul I pant after God thirst for God for Christ Now the heart is sick of Love of longings And as before there have been heart-breakings for sin so now heart-breathings after a Saviour You that have been or are Child-bearing Women know the height of natural longings Alas this Spiritual longing after Christ is more strong more fervent than those by far nothing will pacify quiet and still the Soul but onely this breast nothing can slake it's thirst but onely this Fountain water Nothing answeres it's wish but this because nothing answeres it's want but this A poor Begger when he seeth fair Houses rich Clothes dainty Fare to which he is a Stranger is ready to wish Oh that this House this Food these Clothes were mine So saith the Soul I am miserable Oh that the mercy of God in Christ were mine I am naked Oh that the Robes of his righteousnesse were mine to hide my shame I am an hungry
otiosus est sermo Doctoris the other as the Agent the one as Organical the other as Authentical as Christ said to his Disciples John 15. 5. so may the Spirit say to providences and the word without me ye can do nothing These wheeles would never go if the Spirit did not drive them these sailes would never fill if that did not blow hard these means would be but as dead carcasses if that did not enliven them Words Frustrà foris verba nostra streperent si internum magisterium S. S. deesset Ephes 6. 17. Ps â—27 1. would be but wind without the Spirits working If the word be not in the Spirits hand it will never cut down the weeds of sin nor slay the Goliah of natural rebellion therefore is it called the sword of the Spirit If the Spirit joyn not it self to the chariot it will move heavily as if the wheeles were taken off Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it Unlesse the Spirit move upon the face of the Soul nothing will be brought to ripenesse and perfection As an Heathen could say when he had done some piece of eminent service It was not I that did this exploit but the Gods used me as an Instrument So may the fore-mentioned means say It is not we that have converted but the Spirit by us and may answer as Peter if we be examined of the good Acts 4. 9 10. that sinful Soules have received Be it known unto you all that by the power of the Spirit these Soules are alive this day If the Spirit do not prosper providences and work with the word the Soul can never be changed It is his proper work to give grace to grant holinesse and therefore is he called the Holy-ghost as is his name so is his nature and as his condition is so is his operation If the Spirit sit not at the stern the Minister shall plie the oar in vain Ministers may Act secondarily but the Spirit primarily they as choice subservients but the Spirit as chief superintendent they may carry on their work artificially as Servants but the Spirit architectonically as Master they may Preach out their hearts and if the Spirit doth not put out his hand Soules may go to Hell after all Now the Spirit helpeth and carrieth on this work by these actings The Spirit 1. Perswadeth 2. Fasteneth 3. Applieth 4. Examineth 5. Concludeth 6. Disquieteth 1. The first work of the Spirit is to perswade S. 14 the Soul to believe those things that are spoken Truths heard and not believed will take no place The word Preached did not profit them not being mixt with Faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. The word was propounded to many yet profited but some taught to divers yet took but a few the word the same but not the work And the cause was as perswasion in the one so misperswasion or non-perswasion in the other If we be not perswaded of the sweet of a promise of the soure of a threatning of the reality of consolations pronounced of the certainty of comminations denounced of the verity of Doctrine commended and the necessity of duty commanded they may strike our ear but they will never reach the heart If one hear of a receit for the bodies good and believe not the contents thereof it will do them no good so it is in this case the Scripture is an whole Book of receits for our restitution of remedies for our maladies which we shall never follow if we believe not the vertue and use of them An unbelieving heart is like sandy Infidelitas sicut terra arenosa barren ground Now it is the work of the Spirit to perswade The belief of the misery of our Soules the mercy of a Saviour of the willingnesse and worthinesse of Christ in reference to redemption of the nature of sin and the need of Sanctity cannot be wrought in our Soules without the power of the Spirit We cannot perswade our selves the Minister cannot perswade us without the influx of the Holy-ghost We may go down into the Waters of the word and if the Spirit move not them and us we may come up again as leprous as ever we were Let the Minister informe soundly reprove sharply examine searchingly and exhort sweetly yet all is nothing unlesse the Spirit do something But the Spirit deals and treats with the Soul propounds delivers the truth of God answers objections silenceth queries infallibly demonstrates and by such strong Mediums proves it's Divine conclusions that the Soul is non-plus'd confuted hath nothing to say and is now so clearly convinced that unlesse it would deny principles and shut it's eyes against the light of Argument it must needs come over to the Spirits part and be of it's mind You that are effectually called what say you till the Spirit perswaded you could man prevail with you till you believed indeed the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and the sayings of Ministers from thence did you getany good till then was not allspoken as to the dead 2. It fasteneth In the next place the Spirit S. 15 fasteneth and fixed some word or providence upon the Soul which it cannot forget or shake off and causeth it like Mary to keep all these things and ponder them in their heart Some Luke 2. 19. general thoughts and sence of the word believed of providences experimented do light upon the Spirit of a man or woman but are soon scared away Now the Spirit cometh and holdeth these things to the heart the sound of the word cometh and goeth and the Lord in his providences passeth by us and we take little notice of him But the Spirit as the Master of the assemblies fasteneth something like a naile in a sure place and strikes the arrow into the side the Soul would put all away and thrust all out of doors by company mirth by letting in thoughts of vanity but the Spirit striveth against this stream and now the requiring repentance pressing piety reproving iniquity in general or such a sin in particular the threatning of fury promising favour such a passage or such a phrase in the Ministery of the word and for providences the visiting with sicknesse the lessening the estate the preserving from danger the saving from wrack or the like are so tied by the Spirit to the Soul that it cannot get loose from them and come so freely into it's thoughts that it cannot avoid acquaintance with them and now saith Oh such an expression of the Minister what means it by this providence what doth the Lord intend and where ever it is going whatever it is doing almost these things and thoughts do interveen the Soul cannot but revolve and turn them up and down in it's mind 3. It applieth The Spirit helpeth the Soul S. 16 to apply to it's self in particular what is spoken in the general We are all prone to excuse our selves and are like little Children
who when they see their image in a glasse think it is not themselves but another Baby Our faces are shewed us in the glasse of the word the Mirrour of truth the clear Waters of the Scriptures and we think it is another and not our selves that we see But the Spirit causeth the Soul to say I am the man the woman that am spoken to this sin that is spoken against and threatned is my darling my minion these curses these woes mentioned are my portion and my lot if exhortations to self examinations to repentance to reforming the Soul lookes upon it self as the mark that is aimed at Some Ministers Preach generally and many people understand as generally It is no good manners to others nor charity to our selves to put off all to them and take nothing to our selves If the word or works and our Soules do not meet God and we cannot meet He that applies not the written word wil never apply the substantial word no hand but the Holy-ghost can cause a Soul to make application 4. It examineth In the next place the Spirit S. 17 puts on the Soul to examine and search it self The Spirit holdeth the Scales and forceth the Soul into the Ballances of the Sanctuary that there it may be weighed to see whether it be light or massy that produceth the touch-stone and causeth the Soul thereby to try it self whether it be reprobate or right Silver whether it be counterfeit or currant Gold or drosse for all it's glistering The Spirit giveth light whereby it may search all the roomes of it's Soul and corners of it's heart for without the candle of the Lord can none make exact inquisition into their own state What Solomon speaketh of the Spirit of a man we may most truely affirme of the Holy-ghost that it is the Candle of Prov. 20. 27. the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly It is our duty but we are naturally unwilling Redi ad cor tuum subtiliter discute teipsum to Spiritual self scrutinies the Spirit brings the Soul into it's study and makes it sit down in the chaire of sober and serious meditations and gather up all those loose writings that lay scattered about in the deske of conscience and causeth it to peruse and read them over It openeth the Book and causeth the Soul to look it over from one end to the other We neither can nor will of our selves enquire into our own hearts till the Spirit lay us upon the Bed of contemplation and cause us to commune with our own hearts and be still That Psa 4. 4. layeth the map before us and openeth our eyes to view the Character and lineaments of our selves The Spirit also keepeth the Soul close to this taske whereas like a truantly Boy it would fain break loose from it's Book It wayteth the Soul with the consideration of the advantagious issue that it grow not weary of it's imployment 5. It concludeth It helpeth the Soul to conclude S. 18 it self miserable The Spirit is the most rational Disputant in the world When we have seen the worst of our selves we would yet fain go away with a sence of some worth though we see the premisses never so manifestly yet we are loth to draw up the conclusion Though the word our hearts have been laid together and the great unsuitablenesse of the latter to the former is evident yet we are loth to inferre from thence that we are sinners though it be proved we are sinners and we know not how to deny the sequel yet we are loth to record it in our consciences to file it on our memories that we are miserable but the Spirit repeats the conclusion till we say after it and makes us say after it till indeed we think so and now the Soul which way soever it looks seeth nothing but wrath where ever it lives discerneth nothing but vengeance by the help of the Spirit it hath sentenced and doomed it self And this sentence being written in legible Characters by the finger of God cannot be wiped out by all the art and subtilty of Satan Paul knew the Law but could not Rom. 7. find his sin and death there till the Spirit shewed it him If the Spirit help us not to judge aright we are sure to be partial in our own case which is more desperate than the exactest impartiality That helpeth us to see the conclusion condemnation the result wretchednesse the issue misery till that turn our note we shall cry peace peace though there be nothing but wrath and warre belonging to us 6. It disquieteth Sinners are ready to flatter themselves when there is cause to fear and S. 19 are too forward to presume when destruction is at hand to consume and though they have concluded their misery yet they are too slow to look out for mercy But the Spirit disquieteth the Soul till it be distrustful of it self and distracts it with care till it draw it to look for a cure that it runneth about the City like Cantic â— the spouse in the Canticles seeking for Christ It is restlesse till it reveal disconsolate till it discover distressed till it divulge without ease in it's mind till it's case be made known The Spirit maketh it unfold it's sin uncase it's sorrow unlap it 's sore and fills it with distraction till it find some satisfaction so that it repairs to Ministers runneth to Sermons it turneth every stone searcheth every corner trieth all means till it get some hope some help Saul was troubled questioneth What Acts 9. 6. wilt thou have me to do till Christ answereth and bids him go into the City And so the Jaylour was perplexed and diseased in his Spirit till he had some solid direction given him Acts 16. 30. The Spirit filleth the Soul full of queries doubts Solicitousnesse and maketh it hunt up and down til at last it have that which it should have viz. Christ grace a new nature thus have I in some measure shewed you that the Spirit hath the chief hand in effectual calling and that all were to no purpose without it's presidency and would have no effect without it's influx therefore O blessed Spirit enliven quicken work with and blesse these lines and Nulla in discendo mora est ubi Spir. S. Doctor adest all other means used for the conversion of sinners and then the deed is done and the work dispatched CHAP. XII XI Objections answered IN the next place we shall endeavour to give answer to some few objections and queries that may be made Many questions might be started such as savour of curiosity more than Christianity of carnal wit than Spiritual wisedom that have more bone than meat the Lord redresse it this age is too rife with them which I shall wave and speak onely to three or four which I judge convenient and pertinent 1. Obj. The first is whether God be the sole S. 1
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
whom Samuel took to be the chosen of the Lord because he was well complexioned and tall statured but the Lord tells him that was none of the man and so the like for Abinadab and Shammah till at last David comes and he it is that the Lord intends to preferre to the Kingdom So souls hear there is a work must passe on them or no glory Now they bring out all before the Lord sorrow for sin confession of sin some endeavours and partial amendment and profession for Christ but it is none of all these It is little David said the Lord a through change that I will own true conversation that I will crown many through ignorance take the Leah of superficial repentance instead of the beautiful Rachel of solid and serious returning They are much mistaken who think the sandy foundation of every sorrow able enough to bear the superstructure of the new Jerusalem They that look upon repentance onely in the community as sorrow and not in the special notion as renovation may run wild and misse their way at first setting out To sorrow for sin and not separate from it to mourn for it and not to get some good mastery over it though the spirits help to lament it and not to loath it is not effectuall calling To have a sense of sin and not a sight of a Saviour To feel the curse and have no faith in Christ is not the change we are speaking of we must distinguish between a carnal rupture a legal despondency of spirit and a true spiritual humiliation and debasement of spirit which centers the soul upon a forsaken God one may take many steps yet if they come not so near as to touch the golden Scepter all is nothing 8. The benignity of God If God be thus S. 8 bountiful to his people here what will he be to them hereafter If those that are Predestinated to life be effectually called now they are on earth what shall be done to them when they come to be possessed of Heaven If he give them effectual calling at this distance cum omnibus pertinentiis with all the appendixes and appurtenances thereof what will he give them when they come into his immediate presence Surely if now they be as walls and doors in his spiritual building then he will build upon them Palaces of silver and Cantic 8. 9. enclose them with boards of Cedar Indeed the comparison is not to be made between here and there now and then If Incomparabiliter superna civitas clara est such things in the way what shall they have when they come to their heavenly Countrey If effectual calling while they be sublunarians then surely an everlasting Crown when they shall be suprasolists If so much while they are in cottages of clay then much more when they come to the place of glory If the first-fruits be an handful headful and heartful what will the crop and harvest be If the earnest amount to thus much what do you think the total sum will be Effectual calling is a glimmering of future glory the dawning of the eternal day and what is the morning to the noon the twilight to the midday splendour It is most true what the Scripture saith that the heart of man cannot conceive what the Lord hath treasured and laid up for his people 1 Cor. 2. 9. and to this purpose speaketh St. John Beloved now we are the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3. 2. Now there is near relation then there shall be much assimilation here is mutual love there shall be great likenesse If God here bring them into the suburbs then surely hereafter into the heart of the City If so much now while they are in the valley of tears then much more when they come to the mount of joy If this be done for them while they are in their non-age what then shall be done for them when they come unto a perfect man unto Ephes 4. 13. the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ 9. The excellency of effectual calling Is S. 9 effectual calling such a work and are the effects of it such as we have heard then it is one of the most excellent things in the world next to Christ and Heaven there is no better thing that God gives to his people That makes the Apostle Paul to give thanks to God for it in Colos 1. 12 13 14. Put the best of the things of the world into the scales with it and it will weigh them all down Set them all by this and this will be higher than they by the head and shoulders It is good for the body advantagious to the soul the blessing of both It is good for this life for another life never out of date ever useful Godliness Poenitentia est medicamentum pulveris spes salutis is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. There is nothing in the world hath so many commodities as it hath It is health from sickness life from death liberty pardon sonship fellowship perseverance Qui per poenitentiam peccata diluit angelicae felicitatis consors in aeternum erit glory are the virgin-companions that follow effectual calling We may truly say of it that it is more precious than Rubies and the merchandise thereof better than the marchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold Prov. 3. 14. 15. It makes a King of a begger a friend of a foe a righteous one of a rebellious one a godly man of a godless man a saint of a sinner and those that are thus qualified have an excellency above others The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Prov. 12. 26. He or she that hath this need not care what else they want It is the sottish ignorance that makes the world tread under feet this Jewel There are but few Crowns adorned with this Diamond These waters of Jordan though contemned yet are better than Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus 2 Kings 5. 12. Think and think as often as you will yet you will find nothing to match or equal effectual calling many think they have all when their will is fulfilled but they have nothing till their will be changed many say all is well if they have what they would but all is ill till they have what they should To say one is wise rich strong beautiful parted is much but to say one is gracious holy renewed in their affections reformed in their actions is a great deal more Nay further to say one is prudent sober honest moral courteous is something but to say they are godly far surpasseth Nay to rise higher to say one maketh a good shew is religious outvieth the rest yet to say
the head of enlivening the heart It is as the Sun in the Hemisphere of the soul without which a man or woman is in the land of darknesse such is the vertue and value thereof that Luther said one leaf of the Bible was worth the whole world it is the honour of a Nation the happinesse of a people to have it it is a blessing that proceeds from signal love and distinguishing favour He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his judgements they have not known them Psal 147. 19 20. The Bible is the Book of Books the Scripture is the King of writings which made Charles the great to crown it with his own Crown it is of such worth that it is a shame for a Christian not to be well read in the writings seen in the sayings versed in the verses Catechized in the chapters and perfect in the pages of that Book One asked a Schoolmaster whether he had Homer's Iliads and for his negative answer took him a box on the ear and went his way Do not they then deserve to be ratled with reproof condemned by censures that are weary of the word that slight the Scriptures that trample the Testaments under their feet I am loth to leave it upon record that this age hath produced such Caterpillars It is a sin I think not to be mentioned without mourning such consider not that where there is no vision the people must needs perish Prov. 29. 18. O let not the esteeme of Gods word die and wither in our hearts It is a golden treasure though it be but in earthen Vessels it is most dainty fare though not sauced with the enticing words of mans wisedom what though it be not written so as to please sinful fancy let it suffice it is so written as to procure saving Faith It is eminent for beauty transcendent for splendour to those that have their eyes opened A word fitly spoken is like Apples of Coecus noâ— judicat de coloribus gold in Pictures of silver Prov. 25. 11. All the words of God are fitly spoken and as they said truely Never man spake like this man John 7. 46. So may we both truely and justly say in this ease Never any spake as God speaks in his word that must needs be excellent which teacheth of God traineth the soul tutoreth the affections that must needs shine with a peculiar lustre which the spirit as superiour Agent makes use of as an inferiour instrument to condemn vanity convince of folly to confound sin and to convert the soul 14. The necessity of hearing Then carnal S. 14 people must hear the word since it is a means of calling and conversion It is a pernicious principle that teacheth that wicked men may not do bona good things because they cannot do them bene well It is true God loves adverbes better than verbes the manner of doing rather than the matter yet the matter rather than nothing at all and though it be bad not to do that we do well yet it is worse to leave our duty wholly undone It is but doleful doctrine to exclude people from the means of grace because they have not grace The wicked are condemned in Scripture for not calling upon and worshipping Psa 14. 4. Jer. 10. 25. Verbum Dei praedicandum est ut audiens credat Rom. 10. 17. the Lord If the word be the means of life then the dead in sin must wait upon it If the Ministers be Christs ushers then those that would learn must come and sit at their feet Faith cometh by hearing then they must come to hear that they may have faith Peter preached to wicked ones to the crucifiers of Christ Acts. 2. 22 23. c. if it were lawful for him to hold out the word it was lawful for them to hear it If lawful for him to preach to them then lawful for them to be present Let them then hear the word and hear it with fear and trembling however let them hear it Though they come to work yet God may new mould them though they come for custom yet God may convert them Though their intentions be sinful yet Gods execution may be sanctifying some ordinances are for all others onlie for some The Sacraments are Gods visible the Scriptures his audible word Though the wicked are to be debarred the one yet not to be deprived of the other Though they may not be Communicants at the table yet let them have communion with the Pulpit though they be shut out of the chancel yet let them not be shut out of the Church Though the presence chamber be kept with lock and key yet let the Court gate be set wide open Though they may not handle the body of the Lord yet let them hear the word of the Lord. CHAP. III. II. Vse for Terrour THis doctrine in the next place speaks woe S. 1 and condemnation with a loud voice to those that are not effectually called it dischargeth a volley of shot thundreth an whole peal of ordnance in the faces of those that are unchanged like pictures that are made to look everie way as it smileth upon the godly as you shall hear afterwards so it frowneth looketh 1 Kings 22. 8. louringlie upon the ungodly And as Ahab said of Micaiah touchilie so may we say of this doctrine trulie in reference to wicked men that it doth not prophesie good concerning them but evil Doth the Lord effectuallie call whom hee did predestinate then you who yet are not called have cause to wax pale and to be filled with tremblings of spirit It is like the hand writing upon the wall and may loose your joints and cause your knees to smite one against the other and that upon these accounts and the consideration of these ensuing particulars 1. Such cannot yet conclude that they S. 2 are predestinate they have no ground nor foundation whereupon such conclusions may stay themselves where the deluge of sin rests still upon the spirit and ways of a man or woman thoughts of predestination can find no rest for the sole of their feet but must either return and die in the rest of fond imagination or else flutter up and down till for want of being feathered by grace they fall and perish in the inundation of unrighteousnesse Such deserve to be hist at in the Schools of the Saints who make a flourish with such conclusions and are not able to produce the premises The Scripture giveth no warrant thus to conclude for Peter joyneth election and sanctification together where he saith Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience c. 1 Pet. 1. 2. or to sanctification rather What Bez. in loc though you have civilitie and outward conformity is that firm ground fitting for thee to anchor upon with determinations of thine election
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
maiest recount many dealings of the Lord to thee in a more than usual manner and yet thou hast not set thy self to delight in him and his wayes Have none of his providences prevailed with you none of his mercies melted and moved you Innumerable have been the Lord's gracious eminent dealings towards you which are set off with the greater glory and splendour by the foil of some precedent or intermixed Psa 51. 8. Quam dives es in miseâ—icordia quam magnificus in justitia quam munificus in gratiâ Domine Deus noster non est qui similis sit tibi adversity or casualty your desperate wound was cured your broken bones God hath caused to rejoyce your poysoning hath been prevented the snare that was laid for you the Lord hath broken the time would fail to enumerate all so that thou maiest say How excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God Psal 36. 7. But O the sadnesse for all these thou hast gone on in thy sins and rebellions against God and hast not cared for a change from sin to grace thou hast slighted the Lord's sayings notwithstanding these his doings and hast contemned his calls notwithstanding these his carriages towards thee Ah soul is this 2 Sam. 16. 17. thy kindnesse to thy Friend What doest thou still stand out against the Lord and build Bulwarks against the most high This was the great sin of the Israelites anciently towards the Lord that they came not into him who had done so much for them They soon forgat God Psal 106. 21. their Saviour Doth not a Parent take it sadly when after all he seeth no amendment in the Child The Lord was angry with Salomon because his heart was turned from the God of Israel 1 Kings 11. 9. who had appeared to him twice How many times hath the Lord appeared to you and yet you have never appeared for him Have the paths of the Lord to thee been mercy and truth and yet hast not cared for his Christ his Covenant The Lord may say complainingly of thee as David of Nabal Surely in vain I Matt. 25. 10. 1 Sam. 25. 21. have kept all that this fellow hath in the Wildernesse so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him and he hath requited me evil for good I have done thus and thus for this man or woman and yet I perceive nothing but stubbornesse and stoutnesse in them towards me Hast thou had so many word-calls and so many work-calls and yet hath no saving work passed upon thy soul Have there been such goings of the Lord to thee and yet no goings of thy soul to the Lord by Christ Do all these deeds of God bring thee to no duty for God Have they not made thee sit down and reflect upon thine own heart and say what shall I go on in my opposition against my portion and presevere against my rock and refuge against my Friend and Father Doest thou thus requite the Lord O foolish soul and unwise Is Dcut 32. 61. not he thy Father that hath bought thee hath he not made thee and established thee This Quo liberalius nobiscum agit Deus eo magis accendi decet pietatis studium in cordibus nostris Calv. in loc makes your condition sad and aggravates your rejecting the offers of grace more and more for our hearts should be tinded and fired at the beams of God's bounty and the fannings of his favours should blow that fire up to a flame The Lord hath sought by these to gain you and yet you have refused to give him your heart If you search all your common places I think you will not find an Argument whereby you may plead for your self 4. The lenitude of the spirit Adde to these S. 13 the actions of the spirit That hath gently striven but you have not been stirred that hath called but you have not answered Oh the Ad faciendum bonum quid in nobis bonus Spiritus operatur monet movet docet sweet gales that that hath breathed upon you which would have carried you into the haven of Christ's bosome into the creek of an estate of grace But you with the perversenesse of your will have rowed hard against the wind that you might not be born down by the sweet impulses thereof That hath taken you by the hand and hath said Come go along with me and I will shew you the Father it hath in love laid hold upon thee to lead thee to Christ but thou hast pulled away the shoulder It hath got thee into the ship and would have launched forth into the deep and have carried thee over to the other side to the land of promise but thou hast skipped out and made away from it O the renitencies and reluctancies of thy spirit against the reducing and reverting acts of the spirit It hath admonished and advised moved and minded taught and tutoured Monet memoriam movet voluntatem docet rationem Isa 30. 21 thee but thou hast not learned when thou hast been ready to turn aside to the right hand or to the left thou hast heard the spirit speaking a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it When thou hast been ready to stretch forth thine hand to unrighteousnesse thou hast heard that saying Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate But thou hast not Jer. 44. 4. obeyed the voice thereof Though the Lord saith to thee as he said to Abraham in all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken unto her Gen. 21. 12 voice so in all that the spirit saith unto thee hearken unto its voice The Poets tell of one Orpheus who was so cunning a player on the Harp that by his excellent Musick he drew after him wild Beasts Woods and Mountains and by the same recovered his Wife out of Hell The spirit hath made to thee the Musick of the spheares and plaid deliciously upon the strings of holy writings to allure but thou hast been more wild than the Beasts of the Woods more immoveable than the mountains and hast refused to follow its delightful harmony nay hast been unwilling to come out of the fire of Hell to be drawn out of the Hell of thy natural condition by the allurement of its choicest tunes and raised straines Sin hath taken you by one hand and the spirit by the other to draw you from sin to it self but you have scowled upon the spirit when you smiled upon sin The spirit hath shewed thee O man what is good Mie 6. 8. and what the Lord doth require of thee even to do justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God But thy endeavours have not been suitable to the spirit's discoveries The spirit hath made to you revelations of God's will and yet there hath followed thereupon no reformation of your wayes Nay the spirit hath gone so far with you that it hath convinced you of thus much that you should
utimur quam amicitia of it more then the Heathen Oratour said of friendship water fire and aire are needful but this more Friendship and amity with God is most necessary yea it is before meat and drink for we may live here without them as Christ saith Man liveth not by bread alone Mat. 4. 4. Sensus est homines non vivere ex solis causis physicis quum Deus non sit illis adstrictus Bez. in loc but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God For God is not tied up to natural causes but we cannot live hereafter without this for without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. It is one of the first steps of that Ladder which reacheth to Heaven and unlesse here thou first set footing there is no climbing the tree of life If you cannot produce new hearts my dear Friend and Christian Reader you shall never possesse the new Heavens If you have not this work upon your souls you can neither do nor have that which a Saint should do and have You cannot live to God nor upon God nor with God unlesse you live from God what though it do not purchase Heaven yet it prepares for it what though Heaven be not the deserved wages of grace yet grace is the desireable way to Heaven Oh sad it is that you should not know the need of it Tiberius Caesar said it was a shame that men of sixty years of age should reach out their hand to the Physitian to have their pulse felt because they should not be ignorant of the temper of their body themselves what a shame is it for men and women to live many years in the School of Christ and to know so little of the need of grace which is there constantly preached and pressed what Ignorantia sui initium omnis peccati a shame for men and women of yeers to have so little cognizanee of their own condition so little acquaintance with their own estate so little knowledge of their souls concernments as not rightly to apprehend the need of a change where almost is the man or woman that is truly sensible of the need of a new nature How hard a work is it to convince them thereof to work it into their heads to sink it into their hearts Did any that were bodily sick look after Christ when he was on earth for a cure but those that perceived their need thereof and we are soon brought to a sense of temporal miseries and by that to a sight of the need of a medicine but in spirituals through stupefaction we feel no pains and hence it is we care for no plaister or if people have some sense of the need of this work yet it is so faint and slighty that it makes them not fervent in seeking after and suing for it They have superficial thoughts that the thing may be good and commendable and it is well for them that are in such an estate but as for permanent and powerful thoughts thereof they have none They have not such thoughts as the Apostle had in another case of great moment A necessity is laid upon me yea and wo be unto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 16. So they cannot say a necessity is laid upon my soul yea and wo be unto me if I be not effectually called Soul thou dost not consider that without this Benjamin this child of God's right hand thou canst never see his face and that unlesse thou be regenerated and born again thou canst not enter into the Kingdom John 3. 3. of God that without the life of grace you have none of the love of God you consider not that it had been good for you not to have been born as Christ said of Judas if thou be not reborn to good that without this evidence you can have no inheritance without this wedding garment no acceptance If here you have not the communication of the Spirit 's grace you cannot have hereafter the participation of its glory if the whole world should be laid down as a pawn for you it would not prevail The Angels in Heaven that are without spot cannot stead you without this Ah if you did but know how needful it were you would grieve in spirit you would long and labour you would sigh and seek for it and find no rest in your spirit neither day nor night till God had turned your night into day you sin into sanctity you would never be quiet till you were spiritually quickned and would find no true contentation Corporis conversio si sola fuerit erit nulla in your mind till you had a total renovation of the whole man yea you would say Lord give me grace a new nature at what rate soever though it cost me all I have Thou mayst buy gold too dear but thou canst not buy grace too dear you would give all that you might have this gift bestowed upon you you would be importunate with the Lord and take no nay till you were called home into his bosome if you did but know the necessity of this work 3. Of the number of the called This is the S. 20 third thing whereabout peoples apprehensions are not right namely the number of the called those that are outwardly called indeed are numerous but those that are inwardly called are soon numbred People think that profession of Christianity and profession of Christ are of equal extent they think that all that have the word of grace in their eare have the work of grace on their heart that all are Israel that are of Israel that all that have the name of a Christian have the nature Rev. 3. 1. too not considering that the visible Church is lesse then Christendom and the invisible than the visible like a lesse circle in a greater Multi dicuntur esse in domo qui non sunt de domo There are many in the house of God who yet are not of the house It is day with many who yet did never see the sun up There are many that hear the voice of God but there are but few that obey it which made Isaiah to complain and say Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Isa 53. 1. And S. John also saith The whole world lieth in wickednesse 1 John 5. 19. There are but a few that are up and doing the work of the Lord the most lie still in the bed of sin there are but a few that have got open their eyes and are awake the most are fast asleep on the couch of security There are but a few that have cast off the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light the most are in the region of darkness and shadow of death bordering on the confines of that Countrey which is Terra del fogo a land of nothing but fire and smoak There are but a few
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
When I have a convenient Acts 24. 25. season I will call for thee but know thou that delays are destructive as one hath said Who love delays and their time for to slack Live by the losse and shall no sorrows lack To defer in this case is to deny to procrastinate is but to prevaricate He that refuseth to hearken now it is to be feared he will hearken never When Saul would have asked counsel by his prolonging he was prevented 1 Sam. 14. 18 19. future intentions are great hindrances to present actions and those that account of doing much in the time that shall be do nothing in the time that is You know the Proverb which saith Make hay while the Sun shines and strike while the Iron is hot and what Solomon saith in his Proverbs Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day Prov. 27. â— may bring forth The present time only is ours It may be hereafter the Sun may not shine nor the Spirit blow the fire to morrow may be worse then to day many have thought Deteriot posterior dies to get loose from sin in futurity and so have lost their souls to eternity many there are who have sinfully deferred conversion and thereby have been sadly defeated of their expectation many have thought to get goodness in their age and have been cut off for badnesse in their youth God's calls are in the present tense and so should your conversion be if you do not turn timely you will hardly turn truly It is one of Satan's policies to make you drive off this work which in effect is no other then to drive away the worker viz. the Holy Ghost and one of his fallacies to suggest to you that so the work be done all is well and that it may be as well done hereafter as for the present whereas the Scripture saith the contrary To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3. 7 8. 4. Worldly prosecutions They have so S. 25 much to do to follow the pleasures and profits of this life that they forget the path to a better they have so many irons in the fire that they neglect their souls their game and their gain so take them up that there is no room for the babe of grace in the Inn of their hearts the voice of the world so sounds in their ears that they cannot hear the voice of the word they are so bowed down with terrestrial conversations that they cannot look Discitâ— in hoc mundo supra mâ—ndum esse upward with heavenly contemplations these flowers they will have though they venture their souls in the gathering of them the choise of their affections that chief of their time is so laid out this way that there is nothing left to be spent in industrious endeavours after conversion and effectual calling It may be said of most as Christ said to Martha they Luke 11. 41 42. are careful and troubled about many things that they forget that one thing that is needful They are like Duke D' Alva who when the King his Master asked him if he had seen the Eclipse answered he had so much to do on earth that he had no leisure to look up to heaven so much do they converse with the creature that they know not how to convert to the Creator And so they can but furnish the body it matters not with them though they forget their souls they stoop to take up these golden apples and in the mean time lose the prize of grace they are loth to come out of the warm Sun-shine into God's blessing there is such a croud of worldly thoughts and intentions about the heart that grace canot get neer the door with its motions they followthese things with such speed that when they should look after grace alas their spirits are spent It is just that they should go away without the pearl who spend their time in getting pebbles and that they should be deprived of the directing spirit who devote themselves to the Fallax est hic mundus deceiving world for when your out-side thrives upon its treacherous bounty you will but starve at heart for want of grace yet this is the course and custome of people to lose treasures for looking after trifles and to put Luke 14. 18 19. off Christ's call with their oxen and their farms Christ calleth them in the Ministry of the word to grace to sanctity to an upright walking to the renovation of their souls they desire to be excused however a while they would fain have a little more delight fain reach to such an estate fain dispatch such a businesse they cannot yet tend to such things people are so buried in sensual things that they know not how to look after a spiritual life These things so swallow up their affections that better things can find no acceptance with them These do so monopolize and ingrosse their time and thoughts that the Spirit 's motions can find no entertainment with them Ah vain man are pleasure and profit such darlings that your soul and grace are the lesse dear to you Will not you repent it when it is too late Lysimachus yielded up his Army and whole power into the enemies hands for a little water to quench his and their thirst and when he had so done then cried out What have I lost for a little drink It will be sad when thou shalt be forced to complain another day and say What have I lost my God for gold my soul for sin piety for profit grace for gain wisedom for wealth goodnesse for greatnesse Do but remember what Christ saith What will it profit a man if Mat. 16. 26 he gain the whole world and lose his own soul Hast not thou been so taken up with hunting and hawking so ingaged to sports and recreations In voluptatis regno non potest virtus consistere so addicted to carnal delights that thou hast not been free to the Spirit 's tenders Thou hast followed after these things so far and so fast that thou art got out of the Spirit 's call It is strange that the world should be such a Jewel in your eyes that it must be had though with the losse of a Jesus It is much that you should run an eternal adventure for a temporal advantage God I am sure made you not for this end that you should be a servant and vassal to these things yet thou art all for treasuring up goods but carest not for treasuring up grace such as resolve and endeavour to be rich in body will hardly be rich in soul so long as thou art wedded to the world thou wilt hardly be willing to repent We cannot serve two masters we cannot Matth. 6. 24. serve God and Mammon And if the love of the world be within the love of God and grace 1 Joh. 2. 15. must needs be without If upon
gratis data est manifestatio gratiae gratum facientis Aquin. thee from eternity and the counter-pane of his everlasting thoughts to them who are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. It is the product of his purpose the execution of his intention To have a certain token of predestination is a transcendent priviledge With such a consideration doth the Lord comfort Jeremiah saying Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee c. Jer. 1. 5. Would not the knowledge of predestination be such a fire as would make thee through hot would it not make thee to hold up thine head with comfort and cheer and revive thee though thou wert ready to give up the ghost nay there are no men and women in the world that can conclude they are elected but you If the divine nature be wrought in your heart you may 2 Pet. 1. 4. conclude that your name is written in heaven and the conclusion will be so strong that you may lay your whole weight upon it and it will not bend under you If you be made conformable to God's Law you may affirm you are inrolled in the heavenly list which to know is the bond of spiritual peace a bulwark against adversity so that you may from under the wing of such apprehensions and conclusions laugh to scorn approaching annoyances Who in their right minds but would account it a very cheap pennyworth if they could purchase the knowledge of election though with the expense of the world which none can have but the holy none can reach but the renewed None can conclude they are in God's roll but those that walk according to God's rule None can conclude they are predestinated but they that are purified What a staff to stay thee a cordial to comfort thee a rock to rest on then hast thou who art in an estate of grace Thou art through grace partaker of saving conversion thank God for thy portion of stable conclusions Thou canst make such a Syllogism which will pose many good Schollers 2. The surenesse of salvation Thou who S. 3 art sanctified art as sure of salvation as if thou hadst it already Thou hast the ground though not the act of assurance living gracionsly Beatitudo nostra futura non praesens thou mayst be sure thou shalt live gloriously and though thou hast not eternal life in present possession yet thou hast it in future reversion Thou art a Saint on earth thou mayst be sure thou shalt be a Saint in heaven Thou art one of the Church militant in truth there is no question but thou shalt be one of the Church triumphant in the end Thou art pure wheat in God's field thou shalt assuredly be gathered into his garner being made a new creature thou hast hope sure and stedfast as an anchor of the soul which Heb. 6. 19. entreth into that within the vail The Apostle tells the Ephesians that they were called in one Ephes 4. 4. hope of their calling Effectual calling gives hope of eternal crowning As thou mayst look backward and see what thou wast from eternity as we have shewed so thou mayst look forward and see what thou shalt be to eternity Thou art upon that stream which will undoubtedly carry thee down into the Ocean of blisse Thou art in that way which will assuredly maugre the Divel and all his devices lead to the gates of the City of God Heaven is entailed upon holinesse and the crown is appointed for the converts head what though doubts beset thee in thy road like high-way men and thou art molested with the invasion of fears yet thou shalt get home safe at last and arrive at thy desired haven If while thou live thou be translated from darknesse to light from death to life surely when thou diest thou shalt be translated from earth to heaven If thou go not to heaven none 1 Pet. 4. 18. Jus ad rem non in re shall It is true the righteous shall scarcely be saved and it is as true the righteous shall surely be saved Though thou be not in heaven yet thou hast a right to it The conveyance is made and signed and sealed it is a deed of gift to thee to have and to hold for ever and there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning with the Lord you that Jam. 1. 17. are godly take your bread and eat it with thanksgiving you that are ungodly hands off I speak not to you all but only to the altered This messe is only for Benjamins you have so much ground to be sure of eternal life that you are already upon the borders of the Land of Canaan for grace is glory begun and this is life eternal to know God and Christ whom he hath sent Though the Joh. 17. 3. Gratia nihil aliud est quam quaedam inchoatio gloriae in nobis Aquin. Heb. 11. 1. storms come and the waves arise yet you shall not be cast away you may be as sure of immortality as of that whereof already you have the actual enjoyment For faith is and should be the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen and should make that present which is absent that neer which is far off If word promises oath of God are sufficient grounds for any to lean on then you may build upon it that you shall have Heb. 6. 17. heaven no lesse then if you had it 3. The safety of perswasion When such S. 4 have perswasions of comfort they are usually from the spirit and are right The wicked perswade themselves that they are alive to God that they are beloved of God but such perswasions are but false fires and they do only in their dream say Aha I am warm I have seen the fire They lull their spirits asleep with Siren songs and their perswasions are no other than Satans delusions and their souls destruction Full and compleat comfort thou canst not expect who art in an estate of grace for while in this valley thou art never like to see the clear face of the Sun of comfort without a showre such happinesse being reserved for the upper region of glory which is free from these changes Here hope and despair keep vicissitudes and alternate course But when this Sun shines upon thine head thou mayst have cause to think it is the Spirit 's Rom. 8. 14 15 16. hand that removes the cloud For the Apostle joyns the Spirit 's witnesse and the Spirit 's works together The Spirit 's comfortable perswasions and gracious operations he links together not but that God's people may conclude comfort upon a false ground However the matter of the conclusion is firm though the manner be not in form and when they have secret intimations and special apprehensions of the pardon of their sins of their part in the. Covenant it is true as a proposition though not as a conclusion because such things do belong only to such
may be in this case if the heart say not Amen it is nothing the tongue is to be the hearts interpreter It is a broken and a contrite spirit that is a pleasing sacrifice to God The Lord complains of his people that they cried not unto him with their heart when they howled upon their bed if the heart and the tongue be not confederates it is no right confession 2. Not a vexing for sin only but a change S. 36 from it argueth this work there must be not only trouble but also turning of the mind There is a word that signifieth the change of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mind which is not used for Judas his repentance but another Manasseh's and Judas his repentance did differ very much Judas was so far from being changed from Judam proditorem non tam scelus quod commisit quam indulgentiae desperatio fecit penitus interire 1 Sam. 10. 6 9. bad to better that he fell from bad to worse from sinning against Christ's humanity by treachery to sin against his divinity by despair It is with those that are effectually called as it was with Saul in another case they are turned into other men and women and God hath given them another heart than they were or had before There must be in the soul a motion to good as well as a commotion because of evil it is duty not dolour only that makes and marks a Saint 3. A gracious heart is troubled at the commission S. 37 of sin because it is sin and done against God and in his sight How shall I do Gen. 39. 9. this great wickedness and sin against God saith Joseph Herod was troubled about putting Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore John to death only for fear of disgrace c. which might come upon him for taking away the life of such an eminent Preacher as John Baptist was Some are afraid to sin for fear of the rod others out of love to the rule the wicked dread the vengeance that follows sin but not the venome that is in sin 4. An heart effectually called loveth the S. 38 truth for it self because it is like God who is truth it self others for their credit profit or to be seen of men Jehu's fire of zeal was to warm himself by it was for a crown or he would never have skipped so high toward heaven But a godly soul is zealous though to its disadvantage I will speak of thy testimonies also before Kings and will not be ashamed Psal 119. 46. It is zealous out of the love it hath to God and his ways not out of sinful passion but sanctified affection 5. An heart effectually called desireth the S. 39 holiness as well as the happiness of God's people and doth as earnestly breath after sanctification as justification or glorification Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Psal 51. 10. It is for the white as well as the red robe and makes as many prayers for purity as for pardon against the power as against the penalty of sin and when it desires heaven it is upon this account as much as any because it hopes it Nunquam justus arbitratur se comprehendisse nunquam dicit satis est shall be freed from its sins and shall not meet with the Cananite and Hittite in that land it hath insatiable desires as it were after grace and thirsteth exceedingly for these streams it accounteth holiness its great happiness and its glory in heaven to consist in conformity to God as well as communion with God 6. A gracious heart delighteth in the preaching S. 40 of the word because it receives good thereby and because the word meets with its sins It was not so with Herod for then he would have reformed his incest Mark 6. 17 18. A godly heart loveth the word because it is a corrasive as well as because it is a cordial the word is welcome to them when it frowns upon them as well as when it smiles upon them in its condemnations as well as its consolations 7. When converted souls desire others to S. 41 pray for them it is that they may have grace and that their corruption may be healed Jam. 5. 16. it is that sin rather than that sorrow be removed Pharaoh and Simon Magus desired others to pray for them that judgements might be removed or prevented A godly heart accounteth sin worse than evil and the worst of evils it desires an interest in the Saints prayers to perfect conversion and not only to prevent confusion and that the object of the Saints petitions for them may be spirituals rather than temporals special rather than common mercies it looks at God's glory as well as its own good in such requestings and if you ask such an one for what shall I speak unto the King of heaven for thee It will answer for the life of my soul for the slaying 2 Kings 4. 13. of my sins for the increasing of my grace that I may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing 8. A man or woman truly called so justifies S. 42 God in his dealings that it doth improve afflictions and get good by them and can say with David It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes It hearkeneth to the voice of the rod it is willing to receive instruction by the rod of correction It so justifies God that it wholly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lam 3. 22. condemns it self even to the pit of hell acknowledging it to be the Lord's mercies that it is not consumed It justifies the Lord when the stroak is off as well as when the stroak is on it justifies the Lord from a sincerely loathing apprehension of its own vileness and unworthiness 9. Such mourn inwardly as well as outwardly S. 43 they rend their hearts rather than Joel 2. 13. their garments their heart runs as well as their eye they mourn truly for their offences as done against Christ and the grace of God Zech. 12. 10. Isa 58. by him outward mourning only God condemneth Many weep with an Oynion when their rocky hearts do not melt many mourn in habit for their dead friends and it may be Non discordet cor tuum a facie tuâ rejoyce in heart But it is not so with such a soul but when it addresses it self to the duties of mourning and sorrow it acquaints the heart with it and invites it to this service and will not be satisfied without its presence the fountains of the great deep of its spirit are broken up its sorrow not only descends from the eyes but also ascends from the heart so that it can say with the Church of God My bowels Lam. 3. 20. are troubled mine heart is turned within me for I have grievously rebelled And with Jeremiah My bowels my bowels I am
lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth Gal. 5. 17. against the flesh and these contrary the one to the other even as fire and water heat and cold They swell at and look big one upon another there being an irreconcileable antipathy between them They are like enemies keeping garrison within a little one of another who are continually alaruming and beating up each others quarters As it is said in 1 Sam. 14. 52. That there was sore war against the Philistins all the days of Saul So it may be said in this case there is sore war against sin all the days of grace after that once comes to king it in the soul These will struggle in the womb As she said The Philistins are upon thee Sampson so may be it said here sin is upon thee grace and grace is upon thee sin grace is no coward but will at sin again and again and hunt it out of every corner for sin will lift up his hand and be treacherously acting now grace cannot bear this 1. Ob. But some may say there is a combat S. 55 and fight with sin even in a natural man how then can this be a sign of effectual calling Sol. The conflict in such is between the will and understanding The war is between natural conscience commonly enlightened and the affections and desires of the soul They would embrace this and the other object which Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor the understanding judgeth not meet and hence comes the broil as she in the Poet said I see that which is good yet settle upon that which is bad 2. Ob. Yet further some will say how shall I S. 56 know the one from the other namely that combat which is in the godly from that which is in the S. 57 ungodly Quando timore poenae non amore justitiae fit bonum nondum bene fit bonum Sol. There are these marks whereby it may be known whether thou fight under Christ's banner or no. 1. In the wicked this combat proceeds from servile fear as an horse will strive against his sluggishness and mend his pace for fear of the spur or whip and not out of respect to his master so do the wicked So it was with the Colonists that the King of Assyria sent to inhabite Samaria the fear of the Lions made 2 Kings 17. 25 32. them amend their manners they were driven not drawn to their partial outward reformation In God's people this opposing sin is from a filial fear and springs from a child-like awe of and respect to their father though they see no rod in his hand They fear this glorious and fearful name The Lord our God they fear Deut. 28. 58. him because he is their God as well as because he is the Lord. The constellations of God's attributes viz. justice power infiniteness wisdom patience love hath an influence upon them to work in them a well tempered fear which furnisheth and fortifieth their spirits to the resisting their spiritual enemies 2. This strife in the wicked is usually against S. 58 gross sins as Judas repented him after a sort of his treachery notorious sins make their consciences to startle when they will not so much as move a finger against lesser sins and such as are of common and dayly infirmities at the noise of forraign invasions and strange sins it may be they will cry Arm arm but for all domestick and home-bred divisions they can sleep securely though the enemy beset their house round about It may be they bid some defiance to such sins as march in the head of the troop but as for meaner sins that bring up the rear they hold a confederacy and league with them but as for the godly soul it fighteth against a common souldier as well as a chief commander 3. They go on in their practice of wickedness S. 59 notwithstanding they may strike a blow Qui pectus suum tundit se non corrigit peccata solidat non tollit but soon cry quarter and make peace they make a flourishing offer but no furious onset though their conscience may kick at sin yet they will try to swallow it they do not overcome but are overcome they and their sins may seemingly be foes but they are suddenly friends again but so it is not with one that is effectually called he dares not have any league with his enemy he and his sins have such a fewd that they part the doing or not doing a 1 John 3. 9 10. sin is the badge whereby the one are known from the other and though a godly man may be foiled in his wrestling yet he doth not so fall as not to recover and though he may be cast by a sin yet he doth not continue in it 4. The wicked seek the repression only and S. 60 not the confusion the curbing and not the killing the restraining not the ruining the taming not the taking away their sins and lusts If they can but keep them from running abroad in the action they will give them good entertainment at home in the disposition An horse may be restrained by the curb and yet have a mind to be flinging and flying out A water-course may be stayed by a bank and yet have a propensity to run over even so it is with the wicked in reference to sin they lop the branch but never look after the root so they can but quench and damp the fire for the present they care for no more but the godly seek the mortification and plucking of sin up by the roots they seek not only to cut off the hand but also to kill the heart of sin Mortifie therefore your members that are on earth is the Apostle's counsel Col. 3. 5. The wicked snuff the candle the godly extinguish and put it out a godly soul vows the death and destruction of its sins and would have the heart blood of them will give them no quarter 2. Impartial prosecution The soul that is S. 61 effectually called is impartial towards sin it doth not prize some and part with others it hath not a confederacy with some because advantagious and a combat with others because abominable it doth not favour this because attended by profit nor frown on that because allied to poverty it doth not savour one sin because more sweet nor disrellish another because more sowr it is sufficient it is sin it matters not with them what it can say for it self though constitution and custome gain and glory profit and pleasure delight and dignity should stand up as advocates and plead in the behalf of such and such a sin yet its ears would be deaf to their insinuating oratory though it were the signet on its right hand yet it would cast it away though it were their dear darling minion sin yet it would thrust it out of doors As Jephthah said in another case Whatsoever cometh 1 Sam. 14. 39. first out of
Of God's compassion p. 220 Sect. 24. 3 Sinful procrastinations p. 222 Sect. 25. 4 Worldly persecutions p. 225 Sect. 26. 5 Want of Attention p. 228 Sect. 27. 6 Others conversation p. 231 Sect. 28. 7 Wilful Ignoration p 234 Sect. 29. 3 Astonishing consequences p. 236 Sect. 30. 1 Hastiness of death p. 237 Sect. 31. 2 The horror of forsaking p. 239 Sect. 32. 3 The hardness of the heart p. 241 Sect. 33. 4 The hazard of the soul p. 242 Chap. 5. Sect. 1. The fourth Vse for comfort to the effectually called 8 grounds of comfort p. 244 Sect. 2. 1 The stedfastness of conclusion p. 245 Sect. 3. 2 The sureness of salvation p. 246 Sect. 4. 3 The safety of perswasion p. 248 Sect. 5. 4 The certainty of Vnion p. 250 Sect. 6. 5 A special benediction p. 252 Sect. 7. 1 The matter of blessedness p. ibid. Sect. 8. 2 The means to blessedness p. 254 Sect. 9. 6 The spring of action p. 255 Sect. 10. 7 A sign of affection p. 256 Sect. 11. 8 A singular condition p. 258 Chap. 6. Sect. 1. The fift Vse for examination p. 259 Sect. 2. 1 Negatively what is not Effectual Calling p. 260 Sect. 3. 1 Of those things that are more remote from Effectual Calling p. 261 Sect. 4. 1 Gifts and parts p. ibid Sect. 5. 2 Good Education good Parents and godly Relations p. ibid. Sect. 6. 3 Living among religious people p. 263 Sect. 7. 4 A civil fair moral life p. ibid. Sect. 8. 5 Not to be so great sinners as others p. 264 Sect. 9. 6 To be a Christian outwardly p. 265 Sect. 10. 7 To be of a Church p. 266 Sect. 11. 8 A confident presumption of ones good estate and condition p. 267 Sect. 12. 9 To go according to conscience p. 268 Sect. 13. 10. To hold an opinion or to adhere to this or that party p. 269 Sect. 14. 11 The doing of all outward things that a true child of God may do p. 270 Sect. 15. Things more neerly related to and more like Effectual Calling p. 271 Sect. 16. 1 There may be a feeling of sin and confession of it p. ibid. Sect. 17. 2 Disquiet and terror of conscience p. ibid. Sect. 18. 3 Fear and trouble about sin before the committing of it p. 273 Sect. 19. 4 One may love the truth and in some sort defend it p. ibid. Sect. 20. 5 One may wish happiness and yet never will holiness p. 274 Sect. 21. 6 To Take delight in and to be taken with the preaching of the word p. 275 Sect. 22. 7 One may desire the prayers of God's people and yet not be a Saint p. 276 Sect. 23. 8 Justifying God in his punishing dispensations p. 277 Sect. 24. 9 there may be an outward solemn mourning p. 278 Sect. 25. 10 There may be promising of amendment p. ibid. Sect. 26. 11 There may be a partial but no perfect reformation p. 279 Sect. 27. Affirmatively what is effectual calling p. 280 Sect. 28. 1 Relatively in opposition p. ibid. Sect. 29. 1 In opposition to those things of the first rank p. ibid. Sect. 30. 1 Not gifts 2 Not confidences of any kind but true joy p. ibid. Sect. 31. 1 Such joy as proceeds from sorrow p. 281 Sect. 32. 2 Such as is in the Vse of Word Sacraments and prayer p. ibid. Sect. 33. 3 Not to go according to conscience simply but as guided and inlightned by the Word and Spirit p. 282 Sect. 34. 4 Not to take up this or that opinion but adhere to Christ p. ibid. 2 For those of the second rank Sect. 35. 1 Not confession of sin with the tongue but in truth p. 283 Sect. 36. 2 Not a vexing for sin only but a change from it p. ibid. Sect. 37. 3 Trouble at the commission of sin because it is sin and against God p. 284 Sect. 38. 4 Love to the truth for it self and because it 's like God p. ibid. Sect. 39. 5 A desire of boliness as well as of happiness p. ibid. Sect. 40. 6 A delight in the preaching of the word from good received p. 285 Sect. 41. 7 A desire of others prayers for grace c. p. ibid. Sect. 42. 8 Justifying God in his dealings by improving afflictions p. 286 Sect. 43. 9 Inwardly mourning and rending the heart p. ibid. Sect. 44. 10 A promise of Amendment out of hatred to sin p. 287 Sect. 45. 11 Vniversal reformation p. ibid. Sect. 46. 2 Absolutely and by way of position p. 288 Sect. 47. 1 Sight p. ibid. Sect. 48. 2 Sense p. 289 Sect. 49. 3 Seeking p. ibid. Sect. 50. 4 Setling p. ibid. Sect. 51. 5 Submitting p. 290 Sect. 52. A further trial of Effectual Calling by the effects and fruits of it p. ibid. Sect. 53. 1 Opposing sin known by four things p. 291 Sect. 54. 1 A spiritual contention p. ibid. Sect. 55. Ob. 1. That there is a contention with sin even in natural men p. 292 Sect. 56. Ob. 2. How shall these two contentions be known and distinguisht p. ibid. Sect. 57. 1 In the wicked it proceeds from servile fear p. ibid. Sect. 58. 2 It s usually against gross sins p. 293 Sect. 59 3 They go on in the practice of wickedness p. 294 Sect. 60. 4 They seek only the repression and not the confusion of sin p. ibid. Sect. 61. 2 Impartial prosecution of sin p. 295 Sect. 62. 3 A tender conscience p. 296 Sect. 63. 4 Timely caution p. 297 Sect. 64. 2 Obeying the spirit p. 298 Sect. 65. 3 Submitting to trial p. 299 Sect. 66. 4 Confiding with fear p. 300 Sect. 67. 5 Always moving towards God p. 301 Sect. 68. 6 Affecting p. 302 Sect. 69. 1 The word of God p. ibid. Sect. 70. 2 The Son of God p. 303 Sect. 71. 1 His perfection in himself p. ibid. Sect. 72. 2 His affection to them p. ibid. Sect. 73. 7 Improving assurance p. 304 Sect. 74. 8 Hating hypocrisie p. 305 Sect. 75. 9 Resisting custome p. 306 Sect. 76. 10 Prizing communion p. 307 Chap. 7. Sect. 1. The sixth Vse for exhortation p. 308 Sect. 2. 1 To gracious ones p. ibid. Sect. 3. 1 To thankefulness p. ibid. Sect. 4. 1 In your thoughts p. 309 Sect. 5. 2 In your words p. 310 Sect. 6. 3 In your works p. 311 Sect. 7. 1 In an humble abasement p. ibid. Sect. 8. 2 In an heavenly improvement p. 312 Sect. 9. 3 In a holy deportment p. ibid. Sect. 10. To faithfulness to their friends p. ibid. Sect. 11. 1 Pity them p. 313 Sect. 12. 2 Pray for them p. ibid. Sect. 13. 3 Preach to them p. 314 Sect. 14. 2 To Graceless ones to look out for effectual calling Sect. 15. An Objection answered p. ibid. Sect. 16. Means propounded 1 Counsel to make use of Ordinances p. 316 Sect. 17. Another Objection answered p. 317 Sect. 18. 1 Consider it's God's precept p. ibid. Sect. 19. 2 It 's his promise p. 318 Sect. 20. 2 Consider the success of