ROM. 8. 10.
I Shall conclude this Text with an instance of some choice properties or effects that do accompany this calling. For seeing to such only belong Predestination, Justification and Glorification, Our life and eternal happiness lieth in this, to he found in the number of these called ones. Our Saviour told the Disciples, That they should not rejoyce in that they wrought miracles, that the devils were subject to them, but rather that their names were written in the book of life, Luk. 10. 20. Much lesse then may men rejoyce in being rich, honoured and blessed in this world, if they be not also called to grace and glory. The former are good things of this life only, the later of the life to come.
First then, Wouldst thou know whether thou art inwardly called, as well as outwardly,1 then examine thy self in thy real answer and obedience to it; For to be called according to Gods purpose, is to have the event accompanying it. God no sooner cals but they hear. What God bids them do they do, what God bids them forsake they forsake. Oh but to how many do the Prophets stretch out their arms in vain! To what deaf men do we call? In what a Babel and confusion hath sinne cast men, they are commanded to live holily, but oh the prophanenesse! God cals them to purity, but oh the uncleanness! Thus in stead of answering, there is the contrary disobedience, God looks for grapes, and behold wilde grapes. Think not then it can be well with thee, that there are any hopes of thy Justification of Glorification, as long as thou stoppest the ear against Gods call: if effectually […]lled, thou wouldst cry out, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth; when God gave Abraham a call and command to sacr fice his only Sonne, he riseth early in the morning, and can lay his kinfe to the very throat of his only childe; Even thus when God commands thee to mortifie such a sinne, to crucifie such a lust, spare it not, kill it, else it will kill thee, it will damn thee; now the effectually called person, he gets up betimes, he layeth his knife to the throat of his dearest lusts, and now he hates this Tamar more then ever he loved her: Oh, he crieth out, I must either part with God or sinne, I must either leave Christ or this lust, I cannot keep them both together, and then with much zeal and detestation, he casts away his beloved transgressions, God then careth not for thy formalities, thy complements, thy duties, but is thy obedience ready? God cals thee to love him, to hate sinne; Is this command obeyed? Obedience is better then Sacrifice: Didst thou obey God in giving over thy swearing, thy drunkenness, thy lusts; This would be more acceptable then ten thousand Sacrifices, or outward duties of Religion. Even the very inanimate creatures have obeyed when called upon, as when the Prophet cried, O Altar, Altar, hear the word of the Lord, and it rent in pieces; but thou continuest obstinate.
Secondly, The effectually called, they do carefully observe and watch against all those contrary cals, that would turn them out of the way: For you must know as2 God hath his voice calling; so sin and the devil they have their sweet Syrenian Songs; They have their cals also, one cals one way, the other a contrary way. Solomon tels us of wisdom, that is, Godlinesse uttering her voice in the streets, crying aloud, Pro. 1. 7. To the simple and unwise that they get understanding: and then again he tels us of the whorish woman, as diligent to call in the simple man that passeth by, to defile himself. Our Saviour bids us Be wise as Serpents, Mat. 11. 16. Now as he stoppeth his ear that he may not hear the charmers, though charming never so wisely, because it’s for his destruction; so much rather ought we to close up the ear against all those sweet allurements of sinne, and temptations thereunto: Ulysses his companions were all turned into beasts, (as they feigned) because they would drink of those inticing cups, and hearken to the Syrenian Songs. And therefore men are degenerated into all lusts and beastlinesse, because they hearken to sense, to lusts, they attend to their call and cry. As Eve giving ear to the Serpent, and not refusing him at first, was immediately destroyed; now then the truly called ones, they stop the ear against the world, against carnal wisdom, and hearken only what God saith, what the Scripture saith. It is many times the profession of a Christian; Oh if I could but know when God cals to me! If I could but understand his will what he would have me to do, then I would run after him; now there is no such way to finde out God calling of thee, as to bid all carnal reasonings, all fleshly consultations stand aloof off. If a man would see the true representation of his face in a glasse; he must wipe off all the dust and filth, and so if thou wouldst discern Gods calling of thee from all other false cals, be sure that earthly considerations be not laid in the scale: Thus Paul refused that consulration which flesh and bloud profered him, Gal. 1. 16. and so Christ bid Peter, Depart for he was a Satan to him, Mat, 8. 33. an adversary to him.