Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Section 73 – Section 75
73. Paſſages raſed out concerning our effectuall Vocation.
THis whole diſcourſe is obliterated in Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew 22. ver. 14. Many are called but few elected:
Queſt. How many ſorts of callings or cals are there?
Anſw. There is a double call, viz. particular and generall: Firſt, there is a particular calling or function, … to the miniſtery, and the like, John 6. 12. Matth. 7. 22. now this call belongs not unto ſalvation, and therefore I omit it: Secondly, there is a generall call unto ſalvation, which is two fold, to wit, ineffectuall and effectuall: Firſt, there is an effectuall calling, which is twofold. to wit, a calling whereby God cals all men, and a call whereby he cals the outward Church: Firſt, there is an effectuall call whereby God cals all men, and this is twofold, to wit; Firſt, the Word of God, which is ſaid to call all, and that both becauſe it ſpeaks unto all without difference; Come all, &c. Mark 11. 24. & Acts 17. 30. & 10. 35. and alſo becauſe the ſound thereof goes into all the world, or unto the atmoſt parts of the world. Rom. 10. 17. Pſal. 19. 4: The book of the creatures for the inviſible things of God are ſeen in the creation, Rom. 1. 20. and there are ſome marks and impreſſions or prints of God in every creature: Secondly, there is an effectuall call, whereby God cals the eternall Church, to wit, the whole Church profeſſing the Goſpell outwardly, whether they be Papiſts, Arrians, Hereticks, Ana baptiſts or Proteſtants: Whence we may learne, That all in the outward Church are called, and therefore many are called; this is cleere from this verſe: and chap. 20. 16. Luke 14. 16.
Queſt. 2. How are all in the outward Church called?
Anſw. Two manner of wayes, by the Word and Spirit; Firſt, all under the Goſpell are called by the Word preached, Matth. 23. 37. and hence the Goſpell is called Lucifer, the day ſtarre, 2 Pet. 1. 19. and the Word of life, John 6. 68. and the ſalvation of God, Act, 28. 28. and the word of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5. 19. and therefore what will become of thoſe who deſpiſe the Goſpell; that is, both firſt, the Papiſts, who becauſe they hate us, therefore they contamne the Goſpell which we profeſſe, although it be the word of life, and the means of their calling: Oh woe be unto thoſe who contemne the words of Chriſt; and alſo ſecondly, they who think preaching a fine thing, but not neceſſary; ſuch are they who can be content with a dumbe Miniſter, or who, like the Gergeſens, preferre their gaine before Goſpell; Oh! it is a greivous thing for Chriſt to call, and we to refuſe his gracious calling: and alſo thirdly, they who enjoy the preaching of the goſpell, and may be made partakers thereof, hath forenoone and afternoone on the Lords day, and yet neglect it, and for every trifle, and upon every triviall occaſion, will abſent himſelfe, Prov. 1. 24. Oh it is a fearfull thing for a man to loath this lovely manna; and likewiſe fourthly, they who doe not make a right uſe of that which they heare, and this is the moſt uſuall, and the moſt hurtfull of all, Amos 8. 11. And thus we ſee how all under the goſpell are called by the Word: Secondly, all under the goſpell are called by the Spirit, working within, as well as by the Word preached without: Now becauſe we make this a member of the generall ineffectuall call: it may be demanded.
Queſt. 3. Whether the call of the Spirit be ineffectuall or not? for it is ſaid, that thoſe who are led by the Spirit are the ſonnes of God, Rom. 8. 14. and that there is no condemnation to the ſpirituall man, Rom. 8. 1. becauſe the gifts of God are foreign, without repentance, Rom. 11. 29.
Anſw. All this is true of the effectuall operation of the holy ſpirit, becauſe that is certaine and eternall; but there is a generall work of the ſpirit, which ends in perdition; that is, many may and doe fall finally and totally into ſinne, and conſequently into eternall deſtruction, in whom ſometimes there hath been ſome good motions, and generall operations of the bleſſed ſpirit; this is cleer from theſe places, to wit, Mat. 7. 22. & 13. 20. Heb. 6. 4. & 10. 26. & 2 Pet. 2. 20. Now this generall call and operation of the holy Spirit hath theſe degrees following. viz. Firſt, an underſtanding of the word, for the meere naturall man cannot underſtand it, Mat. 16. 23. & 1 Cor. 2. 14. Here obſerve two things, to wit, Firſt, there are many in the places of the Goſpel who heare the Word preached all the dayes of their lives, and yet underſtand nothing, but remaine children in underſtanding; now theſe never were made partakers ſo much as of common or generall grace: Secondly, there are ſome who live under the Word, and doe dogmatically underſtand the Word; now theſe muſt remember that knowledge is not enough, God having given them knowledge for practice ſake, yea to know and not to obey will aggravate their paniſhment. Secondly, a taſte of ſpirituall things and the heavenly gift, Heb. 6. 4. this is to receive the Word with joy. Matth. 13. 20. and there are few ordinary hearers, but at ſome time or other have theſe affecting motions, although for the moſt part the reprobate rather rejoyceth in the newneſſe then in the truneſſe of that which he heares. Thirdly, obedience in part for ſaking ſome ſinnes and doing God ſome ſervice, Mark 6. 20. And thus much for the firſt generall call unto ſalvation, to wit, the ineffectuall call. Now
Secondly, there is an effectuall calling, and thus onelyonly the ſheep of Chriſt are called, John 10. 27. & 6. 44. & 2 Tim. 1. 9. & 1 Cor. 1. 26.
Queſt. 4. How many things are obſervable in this effectuall vocation or calling?
Anſw. Theſe five which follow; namely; Firſt, it is of and from God, that is, thoſe who are effectually called are called by God. John 8. 44. Act. 13. 48. Secondly, it is wrought by the Spirit, Mat. 12. 18. Iſae. 42. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 14. Gal. 3. 26.
Object. 1. Thirdly, it is free: Now againſt th…s it may be objected, election is free but not vocation, becauſe our works goe before effectuall vocation, as appeares by the Prodigall, and Eunuch, and Cornelius.
Anſw. There are two parts of our effectuall vocation, whereof the firſt is hid and ſecret, and internall. and is ſpiritually wrought by the holy ſpirit; and the ſecond part is manifeſt, and that is, the perfection of ſanctification, when it is outwardly perfected: Now both theſe proceed from the free love of God, who works in us both the will and the dead, both good habits and good acts; read Phil. 2. 13. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Jam. 1. 18. Fourthly, it is firme and certaine, Rom. 8. 30. 1 Theſ. 2. 24. Fifthly, it is not appertaining unto all, but onelyonly thoſe who are elected, are effectually called, &c.
74. Clauſes obliterated againſt Wil-worſhip.
IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew, written copy page 361. this is expunged: Queſt. Becauſe this woman without any particular command from God, did by this her fact performe a good work, and an acceptable ſervice unto Chriſt, it may therefore be demanded. Whether thoſe works which are undertaken out of a good intention, though without a command, be acceptable ſervices or parts of Gods worſhip?
Anſw. No; for the Word ſaith, that he is worſhipped in vaine by the Doctrine of men, Iſa. 15. 9. and Col. 220. will-worſhip is condemned, yea this laſt was ſingular, not exemplary; for Mary anointed Chriſt without any ſpeciall command from God, but not without a ſingular inſtinct of the ſpirit, and Chriſt defendeth the fact, not at ſimply good or worthy to be imitated, nor becauſe he did approve of wil-worſhip, but becauſe it was gratefull unto him for another uſe, which he knew, but ſhee knew no, namely his buriall, which was ſhortly to be, Bareus ſ. fol 853. b.
Ibidem page 57. in the written copy: Here indeed is a pride in Religion, when God muſt be content either to accept of wil-worſhip, or a freewill-offering, or elſe he ſhall have nothing.
75. Paſſageo deleted concerning the loving, prizing and hearing of Gods Word.
IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew, page 110. in the written copy, this clauſe is raſed out.
Anſw. 3. Except their righteouſneſe exceed that of the Scribes, they cannot be ſaved (becauſe civill honeſty without Religious zeale is but like a menſtrens cloth, Iſa. 64.) And afterwards the laſt line but four, Firſt, delight in the hearing of the Word, and call it not a wearineſſe or hard ſaying; we ſee in hunting that both the horſe and the dog runne after the Hare, but after a diverſe manner; for the horſe hath no delight in that ſport, and therefore if he were whipt and ſpurred, he would not ride after it, but the dog delights in the paſtime, and therefore runs ſwiftly of himſelf without any beating: Thus it is not enough to come to the houſe of God upon Gods day to heare his Word, but we muſt doe it with delight and deſire, if we would have the Lord to approve of our hearing.
Ibid. page 332. there is this further deletion: Firſt, how doe we love the Word? whether doe we prepone or poſtpone other things before it? we ſhould enquire with our ſelves, whether we ſo love the Word, that we had rather want our meat, drink, and rayment, and recreations, and riches, and all, rather then the preaching of the Word of God, &c.
Fourthly, unto an example of piety and purity, Phil. 2. 15. (we ſay and ſee that thoſe who are in place among the Papiſts, are bold and couragious in the defence of their Religions, and therefore it is a ſhame if any Proteſtants, who are preferred either to Eccleſiaſticall or civill dignities, ſhould ſtand as Newters betwixt two.)
And a little after: Thirdly, vvhether the back and belly of the poore bleſſe us, &c. Fourthly, vvhether vve uſe our riches for the buying and procuring the preaching of the Word or not, vvhen vve vvant it? For our Lord vvill take an account of the ſpending and diſpoſing of our riches.