A treatise of effectual calling and election In XVI. sermons, on 2 Peter 1.10.…

Secondly, though men have been notoriously wicked, in their lives before calling, yet if this notorious wickedness doth lay any engagement upon them, to make them labour to be more eminent in grace after calling; this is rather a sign of election, then reprobation. It is observable in Paul, he was ⟨p. 201⟩a notorious wicked man before his call; but now this exceeding wickedness of his before call, did engage him to labour to exceed all others in goodness after he was converted; and the more evil he was before, the more holy he labours to be after. As he laboured before to hale men to prison for professing Jesus Christ, he is now as zealous to draw men to Jesus Christ after his call; he was very industrious to do evil before his call, and this made him after his call, as he saith himself, I was in labours more abundant then they all. And so Mary Magdalen, who before her calling was a vile woman, one that was a common harlot; a woman out of whom Jesus Christ cast seven devils; and yet this woman, after her calling, she laboured to be more eminent in godly sorrow, then any woman before or since; she washed Christs feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. The like of which you do not read of any woman in Scripture. And this was a very good sign; when your notoriousness in ways of sin before calling, shall lay such an engagement upon you to become more eminent in grace after calling; this is a very good encouragement or evidence that you are within the compass of Gods election; and therefore you have no cause to be discouraged. Suppose before the word laid hold upon your conscience, you were guilty of filthy sins, not fit to be named in the congregation; if you will the more honour God, and praise God now, and walk more humbly, and labour to excel each other in grace now, as you did in sin in times past. This is a great sign that you are in the compass of Gods Elect ones.

Secondly, though men have been notoriously wicked, in their lives before calling, yet if this notorious wickedness doth lay any engagement upon them, to make them labour to be more eminent in grace after calling; this is rather a sign of election, then reprobation. It is observable in Paul, he was ⟨p. 201⟩a notorious wicked man before his call; but now this exceeding wickednesse of his before call, did engage him to labour to exceed all others in goodnesse after he was converted; and the more evil he was before, the more holy he labours to be after. As he laboured before to hale men to prison for professing Jesus Christ, he is now as zealous to draw men to Jesus Christ after his call; he was very industrious to do evil before his call, and this made him after his call, as he saith himself, I was in labours more aboundant then they all. And so Mary Magdalen, who before her calling was a vile woman, one that was a common harlot; a woman out of whom Jesus Christ cast seven devils; and yet this woman, after her calling, she laboured to be more eminent in godly sorrow, then any woman before or since; she washed Christs feet with her teares, and wiped them with the haires of her head. The like of which you do not read of any woman in Scripture. And this was a very good sign; when your notoriousness in waias of sin before calling, shall lay such an engagement upon you to become more eminent in grace after calling; this is a very good encouragement or evidence that you are within the compasse of Gods election; and therefore you have no cause to be discouraged. Suppose before the word laid hold upon your conscience, you were guilty of filthy sins, not fit to be named in the congregation; if you will the more honour God, and praise God now, and walk more humbly, and labour to excell each other in grace now, as you did in sin in times past. This is a great sign that you are in the compasse of Gods Elect ones.