A49258:452
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.
Secondly. If you would improve your assurance, preserve a clear conscience, both towards God and man. A good conscience is a continual Feast, Prov. 15.15. Assurance, I may say of it as the Father speaks of the Holy Ghost, and the comforts thereof, The Spirit of God is a very nice thing, every thing will give the comforts of Gods Spirit a check and distaste;1 now if you harbour sin upon conscience, you will never thrive in comfort; every thing will give comfortable motions a check. And as Philosophers say when the Air is foggy, it ariseth from vapours that are exhaled from the earth, which makes the Air so cloudy as it is; So it is filth drawn from our earthly hearts, that makes such foggy mists to arise between our comforts and us, and between God and us. You must keep conscience clear, else you will never keep heaven clear. Heaven will be clouded, if the heart be filthy. Job. 11.14, 15. If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away; If sin be upon the conscience, harbour it not; for then thou shalt lift up thy face before God, thou shalt be steadfast, and not fear. You shall not only not fear but you shall have a degree of assurance. You shall be steadfast, if you put sin far away from you. A sullied and a polluted conscience shall never be in a Christian strong in assurance. You will not grow in assurance, if your conscience harbour guilt.
Secondly. If you would improve your assurance, preserve a clear conscience, both towards God and man. A good conscience is a continual Feast, Prov. 15.15. Assurance, I may say of it as the Father speaks of the Holy Ghost, and the comforts thereof, The Spirit of God is a very nice thing, every thing will give the comforts of Gods Spirit a check and distaste;1 now if you harbour sin upon conscience, you will never thrive in comfort; every thing will give comfortable motions a check. And as Philosophers say when the Aire is foggy, it ariseth from vapours that are exhaled from the earth, which makes the Aire so cloudy as it is; So it is filth drawn from our earthly hearts, that makes such foggy mists to arise between our comforts and us, and between God and us. You must keep conscience clear, else you will never keep heaven clear. Heaven will be clouded, if the heart be filthy.