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

Answ. I answer, When these two things meet together in the soul, then it hath learned this lesson: ⟨p. 47⟩The first is this, when the soul having heard of that plentiful redemption that is in Christ, as also having apprehended the revelation thereof; it cometh to close with the work of the Spirit, revealing, presenting, and offering grace to the heart: nay, it comes to give entertainment to he riches of that mercy revealed to the soul. There is in the mercy of God, and in the blessed truth of the promises, a great excellency. Now when this is so plentifully brought home to the heart, that it breaks through all oppositions, which may hinder the work of the Spirit upon the soul, when it is brought home by the spirit of God; and the heart gives way, and closes with it, so that there is nothing between that and the soul; this I take to be the first frame of the soul, that begins to learn this lesson, it begins to close to the truth, to give way to the sweetness that is in it, and bids adieu to all delight and sins, and whatsoever may be a hindrance unto it, from receiving of this grace into the soul. This is the first passage.

Answ. I answer, When these two things meet together in the soule, then it hath learned this lesson: ⟨p. 47⟩The first is this, when the soule having heard of that plentifull redemption that is in Christ, as also having apprehended the revelation thereof; it commeth to close with the worke of the Spirit, revealing, presenting, and offering grace to the heart: nay, it comes to give entertainment to he riches of that mercy revealed to the soule. There is in the mercy of God, and in the blessed truth of the promises, a great excellency. Now when this is so plentifully brought home to the heart, that it breakes through all oppositions, which may hinder the worke of the Spirit upon the soule, when it is brought home by the spirit of God; and the heart gives way, and closes with it, so that there is nothing betweene that and the soule; this I take to be the first frame of the soule, that beginnes to learne this lesson, it beginnes to close to the truth, to give way to the sweetnesse that is in it, and bids adieu to all delight and sinnes, and whatsoever may be a hindrance unto it, from receiving of this grace into the soule. This is the first passage.