A49258:184
A treatise of effectual calling and election In XVI. sermons, on 2 Peter 1.10.…
A treatise of effectual calling and election In XVI. sermons, on 2 Peter 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 Laurence Jury, London.A treatise of effectual calling and election In XVI. sermons, on 2 Peter 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 faithfull servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence Jury, London.
London: printed for John Rothwell, 1655
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
8. That God in the dispensations of his grace, doth not ordinarily let effectual calling run to the richer sort of men in the world; but rather to the poorest sorts and ranks of men that are.1 I remember that Austin in one of his books hath this saying, Unlearned men they snatch away heaven from us that are great Scholars: and truly, as it was in his time, so it is now: Men that are great Scholars, that understand Scripture, know Languages, they are turned into hell, when unlearned and poor men, they get heaven. God hath chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith. In all the dispensations of his grace (though he calls some rich men, it is true, to carry ⟨p. 50⟩on the work, and countenance his people; yet Gods effectual calling doth not so commonly come among rich men, as the poor of the world: the poor, saith Christ, receive the Gospel; the Learned Scribes, and Doctors among the Jews, and the rich Pharisees, they did all spurn at Jesus Christ, when the poor and ignorant people that knew not the Law, they followed him. 1 Cor. 1.26. Not many wise, not many noble, not many mighty are called; but God hath chosen the poor things of this world, and things that are despised, yea and things that are not, to bring to nought things that are. Here you see plainly this conclusion proved, that Gods effectual calling doth not ordinarily and commonly run among the greater sort of men in the world, but it runs among the poorer sort of men, they ordinarily give best entertainment to the Gospel. And the reason of this is, 1. To magnify the riches of his grace: if Christ should call rich men only and chiefly, many would think, it was only mens riches and mens honour did move Christ to call them: Now, Christ to vindicate and magnify his grace, he will call poor despicable wretches, that one would think there should be nothing in the eye of reason or sense, why God should cast an eye of favour upon them.
8. That God in the dispensations of his grace, doth not ordinarilie let effectual calling run to the richer sort of men in the world; but rather to the poorest sorts and ranks of men that are.1 I remember that Austin in one of his books hath this saying, Unlearned men they snatch away heaven from us that are great Scholars: and truly, as it was in his time, so it is now: Men that are great Scholars, that understand Scripture, know Languages, they are turned into hel, when unlearned and poor men, they get heaven. God hath chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith. In all the dispensations of his grace (though he cals some rich men, it is true, to carrie