A49258:596
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.
To which I answer. I confess in this place the book of life is taken for Gods decree; and that a man may be said to be blotted out of this book, and yet this no way follow, that a man elected may be damned. And here let me give you Austins words upon the place, which is a very clear and satisfactory answer. That a man may be said to be blotted out of the book ⟨p. 190⟩of life in two regards: First, it is equivalent to this phrase, that this name shall never be written in the book of Life. And you have often such phrases in Scripture. As it is said in Matthew, He that doth evil himself, and teacheth men so to do, he shall be least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Intimating, not as if he should come to heaven, but that he should not come there at all. To be least there, is never to be there. So here, to be blotted out is equivalent to this, that they were never in.
To which I answer. I confesse in this place the book of life is taken for Gods decree; and that a man may be said to be blotted out of this book, and yet this no way follow, that a man elected may be damned. And here let me give you Austins words upon the place, which is a very clear and satisfactory answer. That a man may be said to be blotted out of the book ⟨p. 190⟩of life in two regards: First, it is equivalent to this phrase, that this name shall never be written in the book of Life. And you have often such phrases in Scripture. As it is said in Matthew, He that doth evill himself, and teacheth men so to doe, he shall be least in the Kingdome of Heaven. Intimating, not as if he should come to heaven, but that he should not come there at all. To be least there, is never to be there. So here, to be blotted out is equivalent to this, that they were never in.
Secondly, A mans name may be said to be blotted out of the book of life, not as if it were there in deed and in truth, but in their own opinion; they thought they were elected, and thought their names were written there, they had strong conceits of this; and though they are now deluded, and mistaken, yet God will make them know one day, when they are in hell, that their names are blotted out of the book of life. Again,