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

This is the cunning that Satan hath to deceive poor souls withal, because these holy affections are inward and retired, as hope, and desire, and love, and joy; because I say they are secret things in the soul, and do not discover themselves outwardly to the view of the world, further than the fruits thereof manifest the same: Therefore men not knowing these affections themselves, and not conceiving of the nature of them, that is the cause that many lean upon the expectation of what they have in frame of heart, though they want in the course of their lives: this is that which every man almost doth challenge to himself, as that whereby he will bear up his heart in time of trouble, and cheer up his soul in the day of distress. Wicked men when every one cannot but see and behold their base courses, and loath their sinful practices, nay when they themselves cannot but confess their filthy behaviours, &c. Why they confess they fall foully, and they fall daily and scandalously; but that which heals all & helps all is this, they say it is true it is so with their lives, but yet they love the Lord Jesus with all their hearts; every vile varlet will say thus when he hath sworn by a Saviour, and torn his flesh in pieces, his blessed body, his blood, his wounds and all; yet when he hath done this, he loves a sweet Saviour still. Oh poor deluded miserable sinful ⟨p. 263⟩wretch: that I may apply my self particularly to such a one; I beseech you give me leave to do two things. First, I will make it good that most men have not this love of God: Secondly, I will plead the Indictment, and then when I have laid out the Indictment and pleaded it, and showed who they are that have not this love of God, the point will be clear.

This is the cunning that Satan hath to deceive poore soules withall, because these holy affections are inward and retired, as hope, and desire, and love, and joy; because I say they are secret things in the soule, and doe not discover themselves outwardly to the view of the world, further than the fruits thereof manifest the same: Therefore men not knowing these affections themselves, and not conceiving of the nature of them, that is the cause that many leane upon the expectation of what they have in frame of heart, though they want in the course of their lives: this is that which every man almost doth challenge to himselfe, as that whereby he will beare up his heart in time of trouble, and cheere up his soule in the day of distresse. Wicked men when every one cannot but see and behold their base courses, and loath their sinfull practices, nay when they themselves cannot but confesse their filthy behaviours, &c. Why they confesse they fall foully, and they fall dayly and scandalously; but that which heals all & helps all is this, they say it is true it is so with their lives, but yet they love the Lord Jesus with all their hearts; every vile varlet will say thus when hee hath sworne by a Saviour, and torne his flesh in peeces, his blessed body, his blood, his wounds and all; yet when he hath done this, he loves a sweet Saviour still. Oh poore deluded miserable sinfull