A88594:518
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.
First, The Apostle doth not speak of men that have a grounded assurance of their election; but to men that lie in carnal security, and have deluded persuasions of their good estate; and this appears by the Text; for he saith, let him that thinks he stands. He doth not say, let him that stands; for he cannot fall, but he that thinks he stands. Those men that nourish presumptuous, and ungrounded persuasions, that they are in a good estate, and in a happy condition, let them take heed, lest they fall.
First, The Apostle doth not speak of men that have a grounded assurance of their election; but to men that lie in carnall security, and have deluded perswasions of their good estate; and this appeares by the Text; for he saith, let him that thinks he stands. He doth not say, let him that stands; for he cannot fall, but he that thinks he stands. Those men that nourish presumptuous, and ungrounded perswasions, that they are in a good estate, and in a happy condition, let them take heed, lest they fall.
Secondly, the falling here is not meant a falling away from ⟨p. 204⟩grace, or a falling away finally after election, for that is impossible; but it is only meant of a falling into sin: and so the meaning is this, Let him that thinks he stands, i. e. that thinks he is strong in grace, and stands upon his own legs, let that man take heed lest he fall into sin. Now a man may take heed of falling into sin, yet no way question his assurance. And if you ask how I make it appear that this is the intendment and scope of the place; I answer, by the Context. Read the foregoing verse, Let not us tempt Christ, as they tempted him; let not us murmur, as some of them murmured, for these things happened to them for ensamples, and are written for our admonition. Therefore let him that thinketh he stands, take heed lest he fall. As much as if he should say, you have here seen some men fall into sin, you have heard some men murmur, some men tempt Christ; this should make you afraid, lest you fall into sin, and suffer the punishment they did. But what is this to the denying of assurance, that men cannot be assured of their election?