Saints by Calling, Title page – To the reader
Saints by Calling: OR Called to be Saints.
A Godly Treatise of our holy Calling to Christ, by the Gospell.
With the seuerall gifts proper vntounto the Called: And their Counterfeits in the Hypocrites which are not partakers of this Effectuall Calling.
Written by Thomas Wilson, Minister of Gods Word, at S. Georges Church in Canterbury.
Ephes. 4, 2. Walke worthy of the Vocation whereunto ye are called.
2. Pet. 1, 10. Make your Calling and Election sure, and giuegive all diligence thereunto.
Printed by W. Iaggard, dwelling in Barbican, 1620.
TO The Right Honourable, the Countesse of Leycester widow, all health and happinesse of soule and body from Christ our Lord, both now and for euer.
Right Honourable,
AFter many Children (Bookes I meane) which are a fruite that springeth out of wit (as out of a wombe) eleuen in number, which God hath giuen me in the few and euill dayes of my pilgrimage; hee hath now at length of his goodnesse, added vntounto them a twelfth (a Beniamin) like the twelue sonnes of Iacob: It is my last and youngest child, begotten and brought forth in my old age, being fast forward to the yeeres of a man.
In naturall generation, the first borne (Reuben-like) is the beginning of Parents strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power; Gen. 49. 3. But it is otherwise in this spirituall birth, where the first that come into the Christian World, (by weakenesse of iudgement in the parents, and want of yeeres and experience) they are commonly the feeblest and vnworthiest; those prouing most strong and excellent which be last borne. Good Madam, I could wish that I might so speake of this my Beniamin, the sonne of my right hand, and of my old age; and surely I hauehave some little reason to hope it will proue so: (pardon the ouermuch indulgence of a father, euen holy Dauid could ouer fancy Adoniah his childe, and good Elie could ouerualew two not good sonnes) because this is the off spring and issue that proceeded from me in the greatest infirmity of my body, but in the best strength of my mind; when I had in an ancient City, and a great people for the space of thirty foure yeeres and aboue, beene exercised in my Ministery from Sabboth to Sabboth; so as I may trust this Treatise wil hauehave more perfection then his brethren. Which howsoeuer it may proue for manner of handling, yet hereof I am well perswaded, that the matter and argument is most worthy and weighty; for it is about our holy and effectuall calling, to our celestiall and eternall King, by the Ministery of the Gospell; which is the beginning and first step into the state of grace, after wee are entred into this elementary world, and our most excellent dignity therein. As Constantine the Great acknowledged, that to be a true Christian by diuine vocation, was more esteemed of him then his Crowne and Empire, which are corruptible; the other being vncorruptible and neuer perishing, as the worke of Gods exceeding great power, wherein he vttered no lesse strength and might, then in the creation of the World, or in the resurrection of Christ from the dead; Ephe. I. Verse 19, 20. For in this worke of effectuall calling, the Elect being by nature dead, corrupt and blind in minde, peruerse in their will and affections, are by a wonderfull force (yet sweetely and with delight) drawne to the life of faith, being enabled to see Christ, and to louelove and obey him as their Sauiour, calling them out of darkenesse into his maruellous light.
The reasons mouing me to single out your Honour from among many both honourable and worthy friends of all rankes, vntounto whom I might dedicate this Christian Dialogue, are two. First, the report of your true calling to Christ, and of your sound louelove & obedience to your caller, and great affection ye beare to all about you, called to be Saints, both faithfull Ministers and Christians. Secondly, for that ye hauehave been the chiefe instrument vnderunder God, to call my eldest sonne to be the first that euer actually enioyed that great exhibition, a good while sithence giuen by your right noble and most honourable Husband, the Earle of Leycester, for the maintenance of two Schollars for euer in the Vniuersity Colledge at Oxford: for the which, if I should not eueryevery way as I am able, shew my selfe thankefull to your Honour, I should be most vnworthy of such a benefit, being so freely conferred vponupon one vnknowne to your Honour. The daily prayers of my Family, which are all the better for this good turne, both hauehave beene, and shall be offered vp vntounto God the Father, through Christ his Sonne, for his gracious and powerfull guiding and keeping of your Honour in his comfortable and holy seruice and feare for euermore; Amen.
Your Honours most bounden, Thomas Wilson.
To the Right VVorshipfull, his approued Friends, Sir George Newman Knight, and his vertuous Lady: and Master Doctour Bancroft, Master of Vniuersity Colledge in Oxford; Grace and peace from Iesus Christ be multiplied.
RIght worshipfull, the maine and chiefe vse to be made of this Booke or Treatise, it is to direct (as by an hand) eueryevery Christian, which of all other things is most carefull of his owne saluation, how to iudge and discerne of himselfe, whether hee hauehave any part in that sauing holy calling which bringeth to Christ, by such gifts of the Spirit as be peculiar to persons effectually called. The cause is not better knowne by the effect, or a tree by the fruite, then a true calling by the Gospell is manifested by such graces as doe accompany it in all the faithfull, necessarily, but not equally; as the good fruits of a good tree be some bigger, some lesser. And lest any should be deceiued in iudging themselues (for likenesse is the mother of errour, which makes copper & other glittering things to be sometime taken for gold) I hauehave therefore in the passage of this Booke discouered such things as be like vntounto the true workes of grace, and are but the counterfets and images of them. Now the same causes which induced mee to dedicate this tract and Christian Dialogue primarily to that most Honorable Christian Lady, my Sonnes Benefactor in the Vniuersity Colledge at Oxford, excited and moued me likewise to ioyne you three to her in a secondary Dedication, as hauing thorow the grace of Christ obtained like precious faith in your heauenly calling, thorow the blessed Gospell; and being by Gods prouidence stirred vp to be the meanes of my sonnes preferment, both to his place, and in his learning. The first motion to this good exhibition, (which he partly hath to the great ease of my charge, and wholly I trust shall enioy by your fauourable furtherance) began at Canterbury by you Madam, and was seconded and holpen forward at Oxford by you, the worthy Master of that Colledge where my sonne is Student; and finally, perfected by that Right Honourable Countesse, Widow to the founder her most Honourable Husband the Earle of Leycester, long since deceased. Accept I humbly pray you this poore testimony of my thankfull minde (who daily mention you in my prayers, that all sauing blessings may be powred on you, and continued to you) till my sonne through Gods mercy prospering in his studies, may expresse a morefull measure of a gratefull mind vntounto you all, to whom he hath beene, and may yet be so much bounden; which the Lord of his fauour in his good time enable him well to performe. Fare ye well.
From my House in Canterbury, the 10. of Iuly 1620. Yours euer euen to his vtmost, Thomas Wilson.
An Aduertisement vntounto the Reader.
COurteous and Christian Reader; there bee foure seuerall things which I purposed to effect in this whole Dialogue & Treatise. First, for the Matter, to deliuer so neere as my iudgement could attaine, all those workes of the Spirit, euen in their particulars, which are peculiar vntounto Gods elect children, who liue to be partakers of an outward effectuall Calling: that when the manifold riches of Christ his grace should be in some sort discouered and laide foorth to their eye to view and looke vponupon them, it might stir them vp to a marueilous louelove and thankefulnesse towards him, who hath called them to such riches & honour: Also, that finding themselues endued and blessed with such graces as they shall learn from the Word, to belong onelyonly to the chosen of God, it may settle them in the perswasion and full assurance of their election to life.
Secondly, for the Manner: Because euerie one of the workes of Christ in his elect, hath his counterfet in the reprobate, which liue in the Church, and partake onelyonly in a generall vocation; therefore I hauehave somewhat endeauoured to descry what the truth of euerie grace wrought in Gods Children, and to discouer it from that apparence and shadow which an Hypocrite hath of the same grace; for this purpose, that whether the godly Reader would proue himselfe and make triall of his owne sincerity, either in the whole worke of Christianity, or in some special part or duty thereof, heere he may find what may further him.
Thirdly, for the Order, I hauehave followed so precisely and truly, as euer my skill would direct mee; that very order of causes in this whole Treatise, which God himselfe doth keepe, in the bestowing and working of the graces, propounding them to the Reader to be considered, as they hauehave necessary and naturall coherence one with another, and dependance one vponupon another; setting causes afore effects, and giuing cheefe place to the principall effects. By this meanes the carefull Christian in the search of himselfe, shall by effects be able to finde out causes, the roote by the fruites, and how to value each grace and fruite, according to his proper worth. Also, the Conscionable Minister, which hath not (as yet) thought vponupon such an order, and shall approue of this as good & sound, may in his teaching helpe himselfe to deliuer such things first, as by order of nature ought to hauehave precedency, for the better edification of their hearers.
Finally, as touching the Persons for whose sake I wrote this Dialogue; I meant it, though not onelyonly, yet cheefly for the godly vnlettered Christians, to further them in this knowledge, how to examine their owne estate before God. As for the more Learned, they can helpe themselues in this part of our Christian science: or else may fetch direction from other manner of Lights then mine. Whatsoeuer it is that I hauehave performed, I pray thee good Reader take it in good part, make thy profit of it, and praise God for all. Farewell.
Yours in the Lord, Thomas Wilson.