Gods Call from Heaven Echoed, Part 1 · Chapter 3
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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly a ſaving, but a truely Sanctifying Work, as ſome diſtinguiſh; and ſo Sanctifying as indeed ſaving, not onelyonly 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.