A59685:329
The sound believer, or, A treatise of evangelical conversion discovering the work of Christs…The sound beleever, or, A treatise of evangelicall conversion discovering the work of Christs…
The sound believer, or, A treatise of evangelical conversion discovering the work of Christs spirit in reconciling of a sinner to God / by Tho. Shepard ...The sound beleever, or, A treatise of evangelicall conversion discovering the work of Christs spirit in reconciling of a sinner to God / by Tho. Shepard ...
London: printed for R. Dawlman, 1645
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.
2. It is a particular call; for there is a general call and offer of grace to every one. Now though this be a means to make it particular,1 yet the Spirit of Christ which is wont to apply generals unto particulars particularly, makes the call particular, that the soul sees that the Lord in special means me, singles out me in special to believe; otherwise the souls of the elect will not be much moved with the call of God, so long as they think the Lord offers no more mercy to me then to any reprobate; and therefore the Spirit of Christ makes the call particular. Isaiah 43.1. I have called thee by name: John 10.5. He calleth all his sheep by name; not that the Lord calls any by their christen name (as we say) as the Lord did extraordinarily call Samuel, Samuel, and Paul, Paul; but the meaning is, look as the Lord from before all worlds writ down their names in the book of life, and loves them in special, so in Vocation, (the first opening of Election) the Lord makes his offer and call special, and so special as if it were by name; for the soul at this instant feels such a special stirring of the spirit upon it which it feels now, and never felt before; as also its particular case so spoken unto, and its particular objections ⟨p. 223⟩so answered, and the grievousness of its sin in refusing grace so particularly applied, as if God the only searcher of hearts only spake unto it, and so dares not but think and believe that the Lord meaneth me.
2. It is a particular call; for there is a generall call and offer of grace to every one. Now though this be a meanes to make it particular,1 yet the Spirit of Christ which is wont to apply generalls unto particulars particularly, makes the call particular, that the soule sees that the Lord in speciall means me, singles out me in speciall to beleeve; otherwise the soules of the elect will not be much moved with the call of God, so long as they think the Lord offers no more mercy to me then to any reprobate; and therefore the Spirit of Christ makes the call particular. Esay 43.1. I have called thee by name: