A88594:625
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.
Secondly, to you that make this plea, I would say this: That at that very same instant wherein God did decree or determine to bring any man to life, at that very instant God did decree likewise that that man should be holy before he died; he shall use all sanctified and holy means conducible to his salvation. Rom. 8.29. Whom he did predestinate, them he did predestinate to be conformable to the Image of his Son. God the Father, in that very decree wherein he did ordain man to life, did ordain, that those men elected should live conformable to Jesus Christ. Ephes. 1.4. He hath chosen us in Christ, ⟨p. 238⟩before the foundation of the world was laid, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. God did decree, that our lives should be holy; he ordains holiness as the means, as well as heaven as the end. So Ephes. 2.10. God hath created us in Christ Jesus unto good works, which he hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. 2 Thes. 2.13. God, before the world was, at that very instant wherein he ordained, and chose men to life, did also ordain, that men should live a holy and blameless life here upon earth. Now then, for men to make this objection, that seeing God hath decreed men to life, therefore men may live as they list, is absurd: for if men do live as they list, it is an argument God did not decree them to life, because God in decreeing men to life and salvation, did decree they should walk in a course of sanctification, and holy living in this world.
Secondly, to you that make this plea, I would say this: That at that very same instant wherein God did decree or determine to bring any man to life, at that very instant God did decree likewise that that man should be holy before hee died; he shall use all sanctified and holy means conducible to his salvation. Rom. 8.29. Whom he did predestinate, them he did predestinate to be conformable to the Image of his sonne. God the Father, in that very decree wherein he did ordain man to life, did ordaine, that those men elected should live conformable to Jesus Christ.