
A Treatise of Effectual Calling and Election, by Christopher Love.
A treatise of effectual calling and election In XVI sermons, on 2 Peter 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 faithfull servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence Jury, London. 1655.
Sermon VIII.
2 Pet. 1.10.
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
~ Jeremiah 1:5
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
~ Romans 9:16
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
~ 1 Peter 1:2
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
~ Acts 13:48
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
~ Romans 8:29-30
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
~ 2 Peter 1:5
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2 Peter 3:17
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
~ Hebrews 6:11
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
~ 2 Timothy 2:19
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
~ 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
~ Philippians 2:12-13
The Doctrine I am yet upon, is this, That Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their soules, that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ. In the prosecution of which I have gone over many particulars, and answered some doubts, in reference to godly men who are effectually called. As first, in regard of some seeming defects they apprehend to be in the manner of their calling. Secondly, in the means of their calling. And thirdly, (which I am yet upon,) of some defects they apprehend about the concomitants that accompany those that are effectually called, of which I have spoken onely of one in particular, to wit, that they cannot call upon God in prayer; I now passe to the second.
Secondly, They apprehend that those that are effectually called, they have this to accompany their calling, that they are brought out of a state of ignorance into a state of knowledge, out of a state of darknesse into a state of light; hence they will urge this against themselves, 1 Pet. 2.9. Ye are to shew forth the praises of him, who hath callβd you out of darknesse into his marvellous light. And Acts 26.18. He sent forth his Word to call them from darkness to light, and from the Power of Satan unto God. Now saith the poor soul, Alas, I do not finde this concomitant to be in my heart, I do not finde this marvellous light the Scripture here speaks of, 2 Cor. 4.6. Alas, my heart is like a dungeon of darknesse, and like a house that hath no inlets, no windows to let in the Sun-shine of the Gospel upon it: and many times this gravelleth many a godly minde. Now to those that make this doubt, I shall onely speak two or three things to take it off.
First, to you that make this complaint, I would say this: that those that know most, they know but little in the mysteries of Jesus Christ; as you are not perfect in other graces, so you are not here perfect in knowledge; You know but in part. 1 Cor. 13.9. therefore you have no need to be discouraged at this.
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