A88594:261
A treatise of effectual calling and election. In XVI. sermons, on 2 Pet. 1.10…
A treatise of effectual calling and election. In XVI. sermons, on 2 Pet. 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 Lawrence Jury, London.
London: printed for John Rothwell, 1653
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.
4. Now there is one suggestion more; when the Devil sees neither of these will take place, then he comes in with a fourth, to dissuade men from embracing the call of Christ; and that is this, Why, saith the Devil, if you will entertain the call of Christ, you will abridge your selves of all the joy and comfort of your lives; you will never have merry days while you live upon earth. You see men, that pretend to be converted, and do hear Sermons, what lumpish and melancholy men they are, not so jocund and jolly as others are, that walk not so precisely; if you follow Christ, and his Gospel, this will cashier all your merry days, and this will put you into a sad temper; all your jovial days are gone. Therefore to take off this aspersion, that the ways of Christ are sad and melancholy ways; which hath been an aspersion that from age to age, & generation to generation, hath been ⟨p. 81⟩as a Gin the Devil hath used to keep men from Christianity. And I remember, it is one of the great Engines Antichrist useth to support and uphold his Kingdom. The Papists, to deter men from Christianity, and the Protestant Religion, they would hold their Disciples in hand with this, that the spirit of a Calvinist, is a sad and lumpish spirit; and therefore they would dissuade all Nations from turning to their Religion; and this the Priests were to tell in all the Churches of Rome, how sad and melancholy they were, that turned to the Calvinists Religion; and this did mightily stay the people from embracing the truth. And this aspersion hath passed from hand to hand, and is many times prevalent upon the spirits of men that are of the true Religion, that they must not be too forward in the practice of Religion, fearing lest this should work melancholy and sad thoughts in them.
4. Now there is one suggestion more; when the Devil sees neither of these wil take place, then he comes in with a fourth, to disswade men from imbracing the call of Christ; and that is this, Why, saith the Devil, if you will entertain the call of Christ, you will abridge your selves of all the joy and comfort of your lives; you will never have merry daies while you live upon earth. You see men, that pretend to be converted, and do hear Sermons, what lumpish and melancholy men they are, not so jocund and jolly as others are, that walk not so precisely; if you follow Christ, and his Gospel, this wil casheer all your merry daies, and this wil put you into a sad temper; all your jovial daies are gone. Therefore to take off this aspersion, that the wais of Christ are sad and melancholy waies; which hath been an aspersion that from age to age, & generation to generation, hath been