Effectual Calling and Election 2, Frontispiece – To the reader
T. Croſs Sculpsit
A TREATISE OF EFFECTUAL CALLING AND Election.
In XVI. SERMONS, On 2 PET. 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 faithful Servant of CHRIST, Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE, late MINISTER of Lawrence Jury, LONDON.
LONDON, Printed for John Rothwell, and are to be ſold by John Clark entering into Merc…rs Chappel, at the lower end of Cheapſide. 1653.
TO THE Reader.
Good Reader,
IT's a true ſaying, that the Aſſurance of an eternal life, is the life … temporal life. The Apoſtle… … that if in this life only we … in Chriſt, we were of all men moſt …rable. None being expoſed to ſo many troubles and tribulations in this life a… the beſt Chriſtian; And what could ſuſtain and beare 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 wayes of duty, as the charets of Amminadab; 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 alwayes 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 is it hard to come by; Difficilia quae pulchra. '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 eaſily attained, but Chriſtian aſſurance not without great difficulty.
'Tis therefore much to be lamented, that there is ſo little diligence uſed, for obtaining the aſſurance of our effectual Calling and eternal Election, which is of ſuch great concernment to every Chriſtian. What care do men take, & 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 deſparate hazards 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 wiſedome to ſecure every thing except their own ſoules. What evil have they deſerved of you, that you ſhould neglect them ſo much?
The deſigne 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 appears 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 wilt 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 ſhalt 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.
SIME ON ASHE.
JEREMIAH WHITAKER.
WILLIAM TAYLOR.
ALLEN GEERE.