A49258:257
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.
That Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls, that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ. In the prosecution of which, I have resolved one case of conscience, and am yet upon the second case; namely, what suggestions the Devil doth use to keep men off from embracing the call of Jesus Christ: I have laid down and answered three already.
That Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their souls, that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ. In the prosecution of which, I have resolved one case of conscience, and am yet upon the second case; namely, what suggestions the Devil doth use to keep men off from imbracing the cal of Jesus Christ: I have laid down and answered three already.
4. Now there is one suggestion more. When the Devil sees either of these will take place, then he comes in with a fourth, to dissuade men from embracing the call of Christ, and that is this: Why, saith the Devil, if you will entertain the call of Christ, you will abridge your selves of all the joy and comfort of your lives; you will never have merry days while you live upon earth: You see men that pretend to be converted, and do hear Sermons, what lumpish and melancholy men they are, not so jocund and jolly as others are, that walk not so precisely; if you follow Christ, and his Gospel, this will cashier all your merry days, and this will put you into a sad temper; all your jovial days are gone. Therefore to take off this aspersion, that the ways of Christ are sad and melancholy ways, which hath been an aspersion that from age to age, and generation to generation, hath been as a Gin the Devil hath used to keep men from Christianity. And I remember it is one of the greatest Engines Antichrist ⟨p. 74⟩useth to support and uphold his Kingdom. The Papists, to deter men from Christianity, and the Protestant Religion, they would hold their Disciples in hand with this, that the spirit of a Calvinist is a sad and lumpish spirit, and therefore they would dissuade all Nations from turning to their Religion; and this the Priests were to tell in all the Churches of Rome, how sad and melancholy they were that turned to the Calvinists religion; and this did mightily stay the people from embracing the truth. And this aspersion hath passed from hand to hand, and is many times prevalent upon the spirits of men that are of the true Religion, that they must not be too forward in the practice of Religion, fearing lest this should work melancholy and sad thoughts in them.