Effectual Calling and Election, Title page – To the reader
A TREATISE OF EFFECTUALL CALLING AND ELECTION.
In XVI. SERMONS, On 2 Peter 1.10.
WHEREIN A Chriſtian may diſcern, whether yet he be effectually Called and Elected.
And what courſe he ought to take that he may attain the Aſſurance thereof.
Preached by that faithfull Servant of CHRIST, Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE, late MINISTER of Laurence Jury, London.
LONDON, Printed for John Rothwell at the Fountain and Beare in Goldſmiths Row in Cheapſide. 1655.
To the Reader.
Good Reader,
ITs a true ſaying, that the aſſurance of an eternal life, is the life of this temporal life. The Apoſtle tells us, that if in this life only we had hope in Chriſt, we were of all men moſt miſerable. None being expoſed to ſo m…ny troubles and tribulations in this life as the beſt Chriſtian; And what could ſuſtain and bear us up under them all, but the certain hope and expectation of a better Reſurrection? This makes Chriſtians glory in tribulation, deſpiſe all the glory of the world, run as ſwiftly in waies of duty, as the chariots of Aminadab; in a word, to enjoy a Heaven upon earth. They therefore are the greateſt enemies of a Chriſtians comfort, that teach a doctrine of doubting; that a Chriſtian muſt alwaies hang in ſuſpenſe about his eternal ſtate; and can never arrive to any certainty, whether he ſhall be ſaved or no.
But as this aſſurance is excellent, ſo it is hard to come by; Difficilia quae pulchar. 'Tis not to be obtained without a great deal of labour and diligence. 'Tis uſually the fruit of much prayer, and care, and humiliation, and long-waiting; thoſe that come by it ſo eaſily, and get it ſo ſoon, have great cauſe to ſuſpect that their aſſurance is not of the right kinde; Carnal ſecurity and preſumption is e…ſily attained, but Chriſtian aſſurance not without great difficulty.
'Tis therefore much to be lamented, that there is ſo litt…e diligence uſed, for obtaining the aſſurance of our effectual Calling and eternal Election, which i… of ſuch great concernment duplicate page duplicate page to every Chriſtian. What care do men take, and what diligence do they give to make ſure their lands, and goods, and worldly eſtates? They cannot be at reſt till they have ſecured theſe. But upon what uncertainties do they venture the ſalvation of their precious and immortal ſouls? They run the moſt deſperate hazard of their eternal ſalvation; never conſider whether they are in the way to heaven or hell, until they drop irrecoverably into the bottomleſſe pit. Oh what a ſtrange madneſſe poſſeſſeth the mindes of men, that they ſhould look no more to their own ſafety; that they think it wiſedom to ſecure every thing except their own ſoules. What evil have they deſerved of you, that you ſhould neglect them ſo much?
The deſign of this Treatiſe is to awaken men from their ſecurity, and to ſtirre them up to give all diligence to make their Calling and Election ſure. It was handled by the Author as a juſt Conſectary from the doctrine of the Glory of Heaven, and the Torments of Hell, (which Treatiſe is already publiſhed) as appeares in the Introduction to this diſcourſe; That ſeeing there is ſuch glory prepared for the Elect, and ſuch torments for the reprobate: it concerns every Chriſtian to give all diligence to make ſure to himſelf, that he ſhall attain the one, and eſcape the other; So that theſe three Treatiſes have dependance upon each other, and together make up one compleat Syſteme. In this laſt thou ſhalt finde many practical caſes handled, of great ſoul-concernment, both for the comfort of ſuch as are ſincere, and the diſcovery of thoſe that are unſound. If thou wilt reap any profit by the peruſal hereof, let God have the praiſe, and let them have thy prayers, who are Ready to ſpend and be ſpent for the good of thy ſoul.
Edmund Calamy.
Jeremiah Whitaker.
Simon Aſhe.
William Taylor.
Allen Geere.