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

First, Many of the servants of God before their calling, have been very lewd, wicked, notorious, profane livers, and yet have been within the compass of Gods election to life and glory. Cast your eyes upon Paul, and there you shall find what he was before his call. He tells you himself, I was a blasphemer, (a horrible sin) I was a persecutor, I was injurious ⟨p. 240⟩to God Church. I haled men to prison for professing the name of Jesus. (These are great sins.) Nay further, saith he, I was exceeding mad against the Church of God. A man enraged with malice against the people of God. Now what could be more vile then these? And yet you shall find this man, a chosen vessel of mercy. Nay, you shall find, God to strengthen the confidence of men upon their election, puts a scandalous liver and election together, to make men see, that a scandalous life before conversion, is no prejudice to a mans election. Acts 9.13, 14. And Ananias said, Lord, we have heard of this man by many (speaking of Paul) how much evil he hath done to thy Saints at Jerusalem. We have heard by many what an evil man this is, and that he hath authority from the chief Priests to bind all that call upon thy Name; and that this man did do it, did execute his commission; here was a wicked liver: but now mark what the Lord saith, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel to me. Here you see Ananias lays his offence, and his wickedness before him; and yet, Go thy way, saith God: Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel to me. The like instances we have in Manasseh and Mary Magdalen. This therefore is my first answer, that many of the servants of God have been men of very ill and notorious lives, before conversion, and yet they have been within the compass of Gods election to salvation.

First, Many of the servants of God before their calling, have been very lewd, wicked, notorious, profane livers, and yet have been within the compasse of Gods election to life and glory. Cast your eyes upon Paul, and there you shall finde what he was before his call. He tels you himselfe, I was a blusphemer, (a horrible sinne) I was a persecuter, I was injurious ⟨p. 240⟩to God Church. I haled men to prison for professing the name of Jesus. (These are great sinnes.) Nay further, saith he, I was exceeding mad against the Church of God. A man enraged with malice against the people of God. Now what could be morvile then these? And yet you shall finde this man, a chosen vessell of mercy. Nay, you shall finde, God to strengthen the confidence of men upon their election, puts a scandalous liver and election together, to make men see, that a scandalous life before conversion, is no prejudice to a mans election.