A88594:581
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.
2. A second Query is this, Whether may one that is an elect man, fall away from his election, and come to be a damned man, or no? This the Protestant Divines against the Arminians and Papists have had large controversies about, but I will not handle it in a controversial way, only, as it best becomes a Pulpit, show you those positive Scriptures and reasons that may clear the truth, and then answer the strongest objections they produce to the contrary.
2. A second Query is this, Whether may one that is an elect man, fall away from his election, and come to be a damned man, or no? This the Protestant Divines against the Arminians and Papists have had large controversies about, but I will not handle it in a controversall way, onely, as it best becomes a Pulpit, shew you those positive Scriptures and reasons that may cleare the truth, and then answer the strongest objections they produce to the contrary.
Q. Whether may a man that is elected fall away, and afterward perish? To this I answer. No. A man that is once elected by God can never perish. And this I shall give Scripture, and reason to plead for it. Matth. 24.24. Christ tells us of error, that it came in so easily, that if it were possible, it would deceive the elect. Intimating, that it is impossible so to seduce the elect, as to make them finally fall away. So, John 6.37. All that the Father hath given me, shall come unto me: that is, all that God the Father hath decreed to save by Christ, shall come unto Christ. Vers. 39. This is the Fathers will, that hath sent me, that of all that he hath given me, I should lose none. This is the Fathers will, and Commission to Christ, that of all those that by his decree he had given to Christ to save by redemption, he should lose none. And saith Christ, I have lost nothing. So John 10.28, 29. I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man take them out of my hands; my Father that gave them me, is greater then all, and no man shall pluck them out of my Fathers hands. By his Fathers hands, he means his decree; God by his decree intended to save so many, and Christ to vindicate his Father, tells us, that so many as God the Father had decreed to salvation, neither man nor devil should prevail to pluck them out of his Fathers hand. So