The souls vocation or effectual calling to Christ. By T.HThe soules vocation or effectual calling to Christ. By T.H

Passage. 3 The Spirit of the Lord doth witness or certify, throughly and effectually to the Soul, that this mercy belongs to him: that is the upshot of the notice God gives to the Soul.

Passage. 3 The Spirit of the Lord doth witnesse or certifie, throughly and effectually to the Soule, that this mercy belongs to him: that is the upshot of the notice God gives to the Soule.

The third stroke of the Spirit, strikes through the bargain, and makes the understanding close with that grace and mercy, set forth unto it; and without this the Soul of an humble broken hearted sinner hath no ground to go upon. Believing in Scripture is called coming. Now no man can go without some ground; now this is the ground, without which the Soul hath no bottom to bear it up, either to come to Christ, or persuade it self of mercy in Christ. What good doth it do any hungry stomach, to hear ⟨p. 77⟩that there is a great deal of cheer, and dainties provided for such and such men; what is it to him, if he have them not? Take a beggar that hath a thousand pound told before him; he may apprehend the sum of so much gold, and so much silver; but what is that all to me, saith he, if in the mean time I die and starve? It falls out in this case with a broken hearted sinner, as with a prodigal child; the prodigal he hath spent his means, and abused his Father; the prodigal hath now much need, the famine is in the land, and poverty is befallen him, and he knows there was meat enough, and clothes enough in his Fathers house; but alas he can expect no kindness from his Father, but only his heavy displeasure: if any man should say, go to your Father, he will give you a portion of a hundred pounds again; do you think the prodigal would believe this? no, no, he would answer thus; haply my Father will imprison me, or send a Sergeant to arrest me, or an executioner to take away my life; it is my Father that I have offended, my portion I have spent, and his anger I have incensed; and what, will he receive me? no, I will never believe it. Indeed, had I been a good husband, I might have had his favour, and increased my estate, but I have lost his favour, my own estate, patrimony and all: but if a man should come and tell him now, that he heard his Father say so, and bring a certificate under his Fathers hand that it was so, this would draw him into some hope, that his Father meant well towards