Gods Call from Heaven Echoed, Part 1 · Chapter 4
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. 3not 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.