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

First, thou suspectest thy call, because the means hath been, sayest thou, not by hearing a Sermon, or the Word preached, but by living among good Christians, and seeing their example and their living, thou camest by this means to love the ways of God; and this was the first means that converted thee. Beloved, I doubt not, but I speak to a great many, that cannot say a Sermon ever converted them, but only, that they were gained to Gods ways, to embrace the truth, this way: now what shall I say to such men as these? why, I would say thus much; that though the Lord did not use his Word preached, the ordinary means of converting souls, in calling thee, yet God is not tied ⟨p. 114⟩and bound up to his Word preached, but he may use other means to convert thy soul.

First, thou suspectest thy call, because the meanes hath been, sayest thou, not by hearing a Sermon, or the Word preacht, but by living among good Christians, and seeing their example and their living, thou camest by this meanes to love the wayes of God; and this was the first meanes that converted thee. Beloved, I doubt not, but I speak to a great many, that cannot say a Sermon ever converted them, but onely, that they were gained to Gods wayes, to imbrace the truth, this way: now what shall I say to such men as these? why, I would say thus much; that though the Lord did not use his Word preached, the ordinary meanes of converting soules, in calling thee, yet God is not tied ⟨p. 114⟩and bound up to his Word preacht, but he may use other meanes to convert thy soule.

Secondly, and more particularly, that living among good people, and seeing of their example both in life and worship, we find in Scripture to be a very efficacious means oftentimes to convince, sometimes to convert; and if you can find out this in Scripture, you may have abundance of comfort. It hath been a means oftentimes to convince,