A Body of Practical Divinity

Use 3. Of Comfort to them who are the called of God; This Call evidenceth Election, Rom. 8.30. Whom he predestinated, them he also called. Election is the cause of our Vocation, and Vocation is the sign of our Election. Election is the first Link of the golden Chain of Salvation, Vocation is the second; he who hath the ⟨p. 130⟩second Link of the Chain, is sure of the first Link. As by the Stream we are led to the Fountain, so by Vocation we ascend to Election; Calling is an earnest and pledge of Glory. 2 Thess. 2.13. God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification. We may read God's predestinating love in the work of Grace in our heart.

Branch 2. To such as are called, to be thankful to God for this unspeakable Blessing; be thankful to all the Persons in the Trinity, to the Father's Mercy, to the Son's Merit, to the Spirit's Efficacy. To make you thankful, consider, when you had offended God that he should call you, that when God needed you not, he had Millions of glorified Saints and Angels to praise him, yet he called you. Again, consider what you were before God called you, you were in your sins; when God called Paul, he found him persecuting; when he called Matthew, he found him at the Receipt of Custom; when he called Zacheus, he found him using Extortion. When God calls a Man by his Grace, he finds him seeking after his Lusts, as when Saul was called to the Kingdom, he was seeking the Asses. That God should call thee when thou wert in the hot pursuit of sin, admire God's Love, exalt his Praise. Again, that God should call you, and pass by others, what Mercy is this? Matth. 11.26. Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight. That God should pass by the wise and noble Persons of sweeter disposition, acuter parts, guilty of less Vice, and that the Lot of Free-grace should fall on you, O astonishing Love of God. It was a great favour of God to Samuel, that God called to him, and revealed his Mind to him, and passed by Eli, though a Priest and a Judge in Israel,