You hear much talk of Gods eternal and everlasting election, and we are to apt to rest on this, that if we are elected to salvation we shall be saved, and if not, we shall be damned, troubling our selves with Gods work of Predestination, whereas this works no Change in the party elected, until it come unto him in his own Person. What is God's election to me: Its nothing to my comfort, unless I my self am effectually called. We are to look to this effectual calling. The other is but Gods love to sever me from the Corrupt mass of Adams posterity. But what is my effectual calling? Its that, when God touches my heart, and translates me from the Death of sin, to the life of Grace. Before this effectual calling, even the elect Ephesians were without Christ, Aliens from the Common-Wealth of Israel, Strangers from the Covenant of promise, having no hope and without God in the World. Ephes. 2.12. Now there are certain times which God appoints for this effectual calling, wherein he uses the means to work on us, and of which he can say, what could I do more then I have done? And mayst thou not fear an actual rejection, since thou hast lived thus long under the means of Grace; That God hath waited these, not only three, but m•ny years, the dew of Heaven, continually falling on thee, and that yet thou shouldst remain unfruitful. Doest thou not fear, I say, that dismal sentence, cut it down why combereth it the ground; Gods grace is not to be dallied with, as wanton Children do with their meats, if we do thus slight him, he may justly deprive us of all. See a terrible place to this purpose, Heb. 6.7, 8. The earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth Herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God, but that which beareth Thorns and Briers, is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. Consider these places, God calls us, where the droppings of his Grace are distilled; consider then, do we bring forth that fruit which is meet for the dresser, answerable to those continual distillings and droppings on us? If our consciences witness for us, happy are we, but when there have been these showers of grace out of Gods word flowing down upon us, and yet we have received so much Grace in vain; O what can we expect, but a curse in this life, and eternal death in the World to come?
You hear much talk of Gods eternal and everlasting election, and we are to apt to rest on this, that if we are elected to salvation we shall be saved, and if not, we shall be damned, troubling our selves with Gods work of Praedestination, whereas this works no Change in the party elected, until it come unto him in his own Person. What is God's election to me: Its nothing to my comfort, unless I my self am effectually called. We are to look to this effectual calling. The other is but Gods love to sever me from the Corrupt mass of Adams posterity. But what is my effectual calling? Its that, when God touches my heart, and translates me from the Death of sin, to the life of Grace. Before this effectual calling, even the elect Ephesians were without Christ, Aliens from the Commoa-Wealth of Israel, Strangers from the Covenant of promise, having no hope and without God in the World. Ephes. 2.12. Now there are certain times which God appoints for this effectual calling, wherein he uses the means to work on us, and of which he can say, what could I do more then I have done? And mayst thou not fear an actual rejection, since thou hast lived thus long under the means of Grace; That God hath waited these, not only three, but m•ny years, the dew of Heaven, continually falling on thee, and that yet thou shouldst remain unfruitful. Doest thou not fear, I say, that dismal sentence, cut it down why combereth it the ground; Gods grace is not to be dallied with, as wanton Children do with their meats, if we do thus slight him, he may justly deprive us of all. See a terrible place to this purpose, Heb. 6.7, 8. The earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth Herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God, but that which beareth Thorns and Briers, is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. Consider these places, God calls us, where the droppings of his Grace are distilled; consider then, do we bring forth that fruit which is meet for the dresser, answerable to those continual distillings and droppings on us? If our consciences witness for us, happy are we, but when there have been these showers of grace out of Gods word flowing down upon us, and yet we have received so much Grace in vain; O what can we expect, but a curse in this life, and eternal death in the World to come?
