Gods Call from Heaven Echoed, Part 2 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. 6. Ʋſe for exhortation.
THere remains yet a further improvement S. 1 of this doctrine, which is by way of counſel and perſwaſion, and that to two ſorts.
1. Gracious ones. Or, 1. The godly.
2. Graceleſs ones. Or, 2. The ungodly.
1. To gracious ones, and ſuch as are effectually S. 2 called; and I ſhall perſwade ſuch to theſe two things,
1. Thankfulneſs to their heavenly Father.
2. Faithfulneſs to their earthly Friends.
1. To thankfulneſs to their heavenly Father. If God do effectually call his predeſtinate, S. 3 and you can make out you are ſo called, O Gratias agere Deo poſſumus, referre non poſſumus.forget not the great duty of gratitude that lieth upon you: Though you be unable to pay God for what he hath done, yet be not unmindful to praiſe him for it. Let him have the ſongs of Zion, who hath ſaved you from your ſins; God hath brought you into an eſtate of holineſs, be much therefore in the returns of Hallelujahs. Say as David, My ſoul, praiſe thou the Lord, and all that is within Pſal. 103. 1.me praiſe his holy name. Be much in Pſalming his praiſe. Learn of Paul, to give thanks Col. 1. 12, 13.unto the father, who hath delivered thee from the power of darkneſs, and hath tranſlated thee into the Kingdom of his dear Son. There is great reaſon there ſhould be glory to God on high, becauſe of his good will to thee a ſinful creature; you cannot give too great thanks, for whom God hath done ſo great things; and that the muſick may be the more melodious, let the conſort be maintained upon theſe three ſtrings, viz.
1. Thoughts.
2. Words.
3. Works.
1. Let your thoughts be grateful; let S. 4 gratitude be engraven on the thoughts of your ſoul; the Lord is in your heart by ſanctification, let him be there alſo by admiration; his thoughts have been upon you for your good, let your thoughts be upon him for his glory; and let them be ſwallowed up in the conſideration of the work of converſion. Luke 1. 43. Pſa. 48. 9. Optima beneficiorum cuſtos, est ipſa memoria beneficiorum.And as ſhe wondered that the Mother of her Lord ſhould come to her; ſo do thou, that the Lord himſelf vouchſafeth thus to viſit thee. Chriſtians ſhould think of Chriſt's loving kindneſs in the midſt of his Temple; ſpiritual renovation ſhould be followed by ſerious recordation; carnal mens thoughts are taken up in contemplating their external accomodations; why ſhould not a Chriſtians heart be taken up in conſidering their internal advantages? Tho. Anello, that made an inſurrection in Naples, ſome 8. years ſince, could hardly ſleep for thinking of his greatneſs; how much more ſhouldeſt thou be tranſported with thoughts of God's graciouſneſs? Wonder at his work, admire him for admitting thee into his boſome, adore him for adoption. Thou mayſt well be at a loſs in thy cogitations, who hadſt been loſt in thy tranſgreſſions, if he had not cauſed thee to live by converſion.
2. Let your words be the trumpet of his S. 5 praiſe. In his Temple doth every one ſpeak of his glory. Tell how he taught thee the truth; Pſal. 29. 9.ſpeak how he ſaved thee from thy ſins; declare how he delivered thee from ſpiritual death. Come and hear all ye that fear the Lord, and Pſal. 66. 16. Quid melius & animo geramus, & ore promamus, & calamo explanemus, quam Deo gratis? Pſal. 149. 6, 6.I will declare what he hath done for my ſoul. Let others know what God hath done for thee; let it not be confined within the narrow compaſs of thine own breſt, but let thy mouth be a means to convey it from thy heart to others heads; eſpecially communicate it to the Saints, to thoſe that are in the ſame predicament of grace with thy ſelf. Sing aloud upon thy bed, and let the high praiſes of God be in thy mouth. The Lord hath turned thee from ſin to grace, there is reaſon therefore thy tongue ſhould be tuned to his glory: ſay, truly I was a vile ſinner, but the Lord through his grace hath planted in me the ſeeds of vertue; I was nigh to periſhing and deſtruction, but the Lord prevented me with pity and deliverance; let the glory of the Lord due to him for the conquering of your ſins be born in triumph in the open chariot of ſincere and ſerious expreſſion.
3. Let your works alſo be the Heralds of S. 6 his praiſe; not only ſpeak, but do thankfulneſs; if only oral and not real, it is but complemental gratitude; it may be in the tongue and not in truth; it may be in words, but is not of worth unleſs it be alſo in works; let thankfulneſs be impreſſed and ſtamped upon your actions; let them bear the image and character of your grateful mind; grateful works from man ſuite well with a gracious work from God; which are theſe three eſpecially,
1. An humble abaſement.
2. An heavenly improvement.
3. An holy deportment.
1. An humble abaſement. Walk ſelf denyingly S. 7 and humbly with thy God: when Saints bear a low ſail, they acknowledge their Father's gracious ſoveraignty; God's honour is moſt advanced, when his peoples hearts are moſt abaſed; holy ones are called humble ones in Scripture; of all the ſpiritual clothing in the Saints wardrobe, humility beſt becomes Nihil excelſius humilitate.them next to Chriſt's righteouſneſs, and ſpeaks much the glory of their God: what have they that they have not received? therefore they ſhould lie low in their own eyes: ſelf-denegation is their Saviour's exaltation; humble ſouls are an ornament to their Father's houſe.
2. An heavenly improvement. Improve S. 8 and increaſe your talent of effectual calling; ſtir up the gift of God that is in you; husband your ſtock to purpoſe. Take Peter's counſel, Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Now you have 2 Pet. 3. 18.a principle do not let it lie dead; manage it to the main end; draw it out into act; receive not the grace of God in vain: you know the doom of the idle ſervant, that did not trade with his talent.
3. An holy deportment. Live like a Saint; S. 9 let ſaving converſion be known by a ſuitable converſation; let your doings be anſwerable to effectual calling. I beſeech you, with Paul, to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye Epheſ 4. 1. Matth. 21. 30.are called. Be not like that ſon in Matthew, that ſaid, I go, Sir; but went not. Fight in the field againſt ſin, as thoſe that have taken the Lord's preſs-money; ſtand faſt in the faith, againſt winds and ſtorms, as thoſe that are rooted in Chriſt; if you profeſs your ſelf to be a Saint by calling, and not by carriage, if you profeſs to be converted by the work of God, and be not conformed to the word of God, what is it? In all carry your ſelf as one that is born of God, as one that is governed by the Spirit.
2. Faithfulneſs to their earthly friends. You that have grace, and are effectually called, look after your relations and friends, families, S. 10 and company, doing what in you lieth that they may be effectually called; as ye are one fleſh, ſo indeavour that ye may be one ſpirit. There is no right love if it be not demonſtrated by a ſpiritual care; you that are alive by grace, O put on bowels of compaſſion towards your friends and acquaintance that are dead in ſin. Do theſe three things for them,
1. Pity them.
2. Pray for them.
3. Preach to them.
1. Pity them. Bemoan and bewail their S. 11 condition. Say with the Church in the Canticles, We have a little ſiſter, and ſhe hath no breſts; Cant. 8. 8.what ſhall we do for our ſiſter in the day when ſhe ſhall be ſpoken for? Say, I have a father, brother, ſiſter, mother, husband, wife, couſen, &c. that are dear to me, but I cannot perceive they are dear to God; my loving friends, but they have no living faith. It is reported Plut. Mor.of the Egyptians, Lybians, &c. that when their friends die, they go down into the caves of the earth, and deprive themſelves of the light of the Sun, becauſe their dead friends enjoy Nihil ad miſericordiam ſic inclinat, atque proprii periculi cogitatio.it not. So do thou pity the condition of any belonging to thee, that are in ſpiritual darkneſs; it is a condition to be condoled, a miſery to be mourned over; none can tell the greatneſs of the miſery, but thoſe that have taſted the goodneſs of mercy.
2. Pray for them. Be often at the throne S. 12 of grace for your friends that have no grace; their ſtate is ſuch, that there is need for them to be ſpoken for to the King of heaven. One Xenophon, in Plutarch, ſaid, He never prayed that his ſon Gryllus might be long lived, but that he might be a good man. How much more ſhould Saints thus pray for their relations and friends, of one kind or other. There are many that owe much to the prayers of their pious parents and friends; ſay, Lord, make all mine to be thine; let winged prayers make haſte to heaven gates on the errand of your dear friends ſouls: Real petitions may Oratio pura vacua non redibit.be means to bring your friends to religious profeſſion.
3. Preach to them. I mean private teaching S. 13 and counſel, according to the ſphear wherein God hath ſet you. Teach your children, Deut. 6. 7.admoniſh your friends, exhort your acquaintance. God makes counſel ſometimes a means of converſion; & ſavoury admonition a means of the ſouls alteration; do not ſpare right words, it may pleaſe God to enliven them with force and vertue.
2. To graceleſs ones, and ſuch as are not S. 14 effectually called. Be you perſwaded to look out for effectual calling, and ſeek after it; ſpread all your ſails, and flee away as faſt from a natural condition as you can; there is no ſafety in ſitting ſtill on natures ſeat.
Ob. But thou wilt ſay, There are ſo many S. 15 ſides and Sects, I know not what to do.
Sol. Many indeed wil be of one religion, becauſe there are ſo many. I ſhall here give two anſwers
1. Anſw. Thou mayſt be of every part in a good ſenſe.
1. Thou mayſt be a royaliſt for the King Chriſt, and yet a Saint, Pſal. 24. 7, 8, 9, 10.
2. Epiſcopal: the word ſignifies to overſee: thou muſt overſee and watch thine heart with all diligence.
3. Parliamentarian; Thou mayſt be one of, and for the aſſembly of the firſt born, Heb. 12. 23.
4. Presbyterian; the word ſignifies elder: ſo be thou an elder in regard of grace, a grown man, Epheſ. 4. 13.
5. Independent; viz. upon all ſublunary things, and depend only upon God, Pſal. 73. 25.
6. Anabaptiſt; labour for a rebaptization for thy ſelf and thine with the holy Ghoſt.
7. Antinomian; by the works of the Law ſhall none be juſtified.
8. You may be of the family of love; be much in love, Rom. 13. 8.
9. A Libertine; Rom. 6. 18. the Lord in mercy make thee ſuch.
10. A Perfectioniſt; 2 Cor. 7. 1.
11. A Pointer; Let all thine actions aim at Chriſt; point at thy ſins, let thy finger be upon the ſore; keep to ſound points and doctrines; let them be founded upon Scripture; for if the points you hold be not tagged with Scripture authority, they will ravel out.
12. An Antitrinitarian; adore not the worlds trinity of profit, pleaſure, and preferment.
13. A Separatiſt; viz. from ſin, 2 Cor. 6. 17.
14. A Seeker; Iſa. 55. 6.
15. A Shaker, or Quaker; Hab. 3. 16. Pſal. 119. 120. Tremble at the thought of God's juſtice and power.
16. An high Attainer; Phil. 3. 12, 14. labour after great things.
17. A Ranter; haſt a mind to curſe and ſwear? do it ſpiritually. Neh. 10. 29. Pſal. 119. 106. or to be drunk, be ſo ſpiritually. Pſal. 36. 8. the word ſignifies they ſhall be drunk with the fatneſs, &c. Epheſ. 5. 18.
2. Anſw. The more and the greater diverſity of opinions and ways there are, the more cautelous and careful thou oughteſt to be to look after the right eſtabliſhment of thy ſoul with grace.
Therefore notwithſtanding look after effectual calling: and as, John 7. 37. on the laſt day of the feaſt, our Saviour cried more earneſtly, ſo do I the more preſs this upon you, this being the laſt day of ſpeaking to this ſubject. One of the Chamberlains of the King of Perſia uſed to ſay to him every morning, as he entred into his chamber, Ariſe, my Lord, and have regard to thoſe affairs for which the great God would have you to provide. So ſay I to you, Beſtir you for the work of effectual calling, for this is the will of God, even your ſanctification. Oh, let me prevail with you in the name of Chriſt, it may be the laſt that I ſhall propound, and the laſt that you ſhall hear. What ſhould you look after if not ſpiritual life? what ſhould you ſeek if not ſanctity? care for if not calling? I ſhall back this uſe, and ſo conclude all with theſe three things,
1. Means.
2. Manner.
3. Motive.
Means. The means I propound ſhall be by way of
1. Counſel.
2. Caution.
1. Counſel. Make conſtant and conſcionable S. 16 uſe of the ordinances of God, reading, hearing, prayer, meditation, conference. Read the Scriptures and good books dayly; hear good Sermons diligently; pray devoutly, and ſay, Lord, file off the too willing chains of my captivity. Take words with you, as Hoſ. 14. 2. Quamdiu quis permiſtus est turbis, non vacat ſoli Deo.Hoſea directs; meditate duly on ſpiritual concernments on thy ſouls condition. Be therefore retired ſometimes, for ſolitarineſs is the nurſe of contemplation.
Ob. 1. But thou wilt ſay, I can do nothing.
Sol. Be not like the Poeonians, that would S. 17 not ſo much as break down a bridge to hinder Darius his paſſage, though they were his vaſſals. It is true, thou canſt not make thy ſelf whole, yet thou mayſt do as the impotent man did, lay thy ſelf at the pool; thou mayſt be in God's way; thou mayſt read, hear, &c. The Mariner can make neither wind nor tide, yet he goes down and waiteth for both. Though thou canſt not turn thy ſelf, yet thou mayſt deſire Chriſt to tough thee at his royal ſtern.
That thou mayſt be launched and thruſt forth into this ſea of ordinances, duties, and endeavours, conſider
1. The ſayings of God.
2. The ſucceſs of the godly.
1. The ſayings of God by way of
1. Precept.
2. Promiſe.
1. Precept. It is the command of God to give all diligence to make thy calling ſure, as S. 18 well by firſt acceptance, as following aſſurance; as well by converſion as confirmation; he hath bidden thee uſe theſe helps, and thou oughteſt to obey his command; if he bid thee let down thy net, do not refuſe it; regard not Juſſa ſine culpâ non negliguntur.objections of improbability, or impoſſibility: Do as he requires, thou mayſt catch ſomething.
2. Promiſe. As his command is upon thee S. 19 to compel thee, ſo his promiſe is before thee to countenance thee: he hath ſaid, Seek, and Mat. 6. 7.ye ſhall find, &c. and God's promiſes ſhould be ſeeds of obedience to his commands.
2. The ſucceſs of the godly. Others have S. 20 met with God in this way, and why not thou? Samuel, while in God's courts, had God's call 1 Sam. 3.to his confirmation. Simeon, while in the Temple, met with Chriſt in his conſolation. So the Diſciples, after Chriſt's aſcenſion, while Acts 2. begin.they were waiting, found the Spirit working.
Ob. But thou wilt ſay, What can ordinances S. 21 do? can they give grace?
Sol. No; yet they are helps; though they be not maſters of grace, yet they are means to it: they are like oyls, which having no ſmell of their own, perfumers uſe in the making of Plutarch.their odours and precious oyntments. They are like the Ark, which though it were not the Numb. 10. 33.reſting place, yet went before the people to ſeek it out for them. They are like John Baptiſt, who was not Chriſt himſelf, but his 1 John 20. 23.harbinger.
2. Caution. And here take heed of two things,
1. Satanical deluſions.
2. Sinful communion.
1. Satanical deluſions. The Divel, like S. 22 Antiochus, deſtroys many by falſe peace. Dan. 8. 25.When we have more than ordinary tempeſts, we are ready to think the Divel hath an hand in them; but undoubtedly he hath an hand in the calms that are in the breſts of natural people: deſpair may have ſlainits thouſands, but preſumption hath ſlain its ten thouſands. More birds are caught with lime-twigs, they ſay, than are killed by the fowlers piece. It will never be well ſo long as you think all is well.
2. Sinful communion. Avoid evil ſociety; S. 23 take heed of much drink and drinking company. Sampſon's mother was forbidden to Judg. 13. 4, 5.drink wine or ſtrong drink, while ſhe carried him in her womb. Some think the reaſon of that to be, becauſe much ſtrong drink withers the child in the mothers womb. So will it do by all good motions, if thou be immoderate that way. It will be like the Dodonean well, that will Elriſtus est daemon ſponte in animum admiſſus.quench a burning torch: Thereby you make the divel an inmate, and ſo keep out grace. Take heed of bad companions, of what ſtrain ſoever they be.
2. Manner. And that is three fold,
1. Seriouſneſs.
2. Soundneſs.
3. Speedineſs
1. Seriouſneſs. Be ſerious in this work; be not like the Athenians, at whom one laughed becauſe S. 24 they were ſerious and earneſt about plays and ſhows. How may are ſerious in triflles, and ſlighty in weighty things? triflles will hardly prove tumets.
2. Soundneſs. See that your work be perfect, be S. 25 not an half Chriſtian. Once a child in Spain, Rev. 3. 2.when it was coming out of its mothers womb returned thither again. Let it not be ſo with thee; when thou haſt put thine hand to the plough, do not look back again for all the world: ſee that your calling be indeed effectual and to the purpoſe.
3. Speedineſs. Set about this work betimes; S. 26 even now, while thou art reading theſe lines; many think of it, when it is too late; many are deſtroyed through delays. Thoſe that Eccleſ. 12. 1.would be good truly muſt be good timely.
3. Motive. And that ſhall be but one, viz. S. 27
Neceſſity. Conſider how neceſſary it is to be made new; without regeneration to ſolid Ab omni nequitia mundum neceſſe est eſſe, qui cupit regnare cum Chriſto.piety, there can be no reſtauration to ſpiritual peace: as the Oracle told a people once, ſo tell I you, if you would have peace for the future, you muſt for the preſent have war with your ſins by converſion-conflicts. No true ſecurity without through ſanctity; no heaven without holineſs; no ſalvation without ſanctification. Phocas, thinking to ſecure himſelf with his high built walls, after he had killed Mauritius, heard a voice ſaying, that ſin within would undermine all: So, though thou be compaſſed about with natural and temporal good things, they are but weak rampiers; ſin in thine heart will be thy mine; if thou have not grace, thou canſt not poſſibly have glory.
I conclude all I have ſpoken in Moſes his S. 28 words, Set your hearts unto all the words which I teſtifie among you this day, for it is not a vain Deut. 32. 46, 47.thing for you; becauſe it is your life. Oh that the Lord would write them on your minds, and work them into your hearts; that through his mercy and might, his goodneſs and greatneſs, they may be means of affecting your ſouls, of effecting this work of effectual calling upon your whole man; which ſhall be a crown of rejoycing to me, of true comfort to you; and that which is above, over, and the end of all, of eternal glory to the Lord, Amen.
FINIS.