Vox Dei & hominis.: God's call from heaven ecchoed [sic] by mans answer from earth. Or a survey of effectual calling. In the [brace] explication of its nature. Distribution of it into its parts. Illustration of it by its properties. Confirmation of it by reasons. Application of it by uses. Being the substance of several sermons delivered to the people of Heveningham, in Suffolk. / By J. Votier, minister of the gospel.

CHAP. X. IX. The time of effectual calling; when God doth call.

1. MOre generally: In the time of this [S. 1] life: while we have a natural life, we must have a Spiritual life, if ever we have any: As Christ saith, so must we, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. John 9. 4. This life is our Market, our fair day: when this life is ended, time is no more with us, but hath taken wing, and is fled away: This is Gods Preaching day; now he speaks, pleads, calls, invites: when life is done, then is the glasse out, the time is spent, the Preacher cea∣seth: and never shall we hear him again in that way: Therefore to day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Heb. 3. 7, 8. Those that live not now, shall never live; those that die not now, shall never die: I mean to grace, to sin: Those that are not effe∣ctually called now, shall never be. Now is the day of grace, the season of Salvation, the accep∣table time; in this sence as well as otherwise. 2 Corinth. 6. 2. And care you not though you * 1.1 die before you live? how shall you then live when you die? after this life there is no

Sacrifice for sin: no grace to be had, no cal∣ling voice to be heard: Therefore whatsoever thine hand findeth to do (for thy Soul) do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisedom in the grave, whi∣ther thou goest. Eccles. 9. 10. We may now, and we will not, we would hereafter, and we shall not: when this life is ended, we may say, the Summer is past, the Winter is come; the time of the singing of birds is gone, and the voice of the Turtle is heard no more in our Land: the time of this life is the time of our marring, or making for ever.

2. More especially: In the time of youth: [S. 2] The Lord can convert, and bring home to himself at all times, in middle age, in old age: at the very last, as the Thief upon the Crosse; you know the saying: One, that none might de∣spaire; but one, that none might presume: The Lord is tender hearted, and ready to reach out * 1.2 his Armes of love to a returning, mourning, believing Soul, whensoever. True repentance is never too late, but late repentance is seldom true: but for any upon this account to run on in excesse of riot, and to resist the Holy-ghost, is most desperate and sad: and yet many do thus, presuming upon the last: but as one saith wittily, this is as if a man should break his neck willingly, to trie the skill of the Bone-set∣ter: The time of your youth is the choice time, therefore saith Solomon, Remember thy Creatour now, (mark now) in the dayes of thy youth, and illustrates it by the contrary. Ec∣cles. 12. 1. &c. Some have observed the time

of effectual calling to be between the years of eighteen, and thirty most commonly: Though but few can speak punctually as to the parti∣cular time and means of their conversion, as a parted & pious man observeth: yet I do believe * 1.3 that most Saints experience saith, that the Lord wrought upon them in their younger dayes; and therefore the Lord tells his people, he re∣members the kindnesse of their youth; though youth there may be otherwise understood: and this early conversion is meant of those that sit under the dewes of grace, the distillings and droppings of Heavenly Doctrine; as for Hea∣thens, and such, who never heard of Christ, and his Laws, and their sins; when they come under the sound of the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel, though in old age; their conversion may be more likely, because they never had the means before: I limit not the Holy one of Israel; if he can convert at all times, yea even then when thou hast worn up thy body, and yet will not, and doth not use it: What is that to thee? Follow thou his present call; as Christ said to Peter in another case. Prize * 1.4 then your youthful time; when those dayes are gone, you shall never see such dayes again: You may be twice a Child, but you can never be twice a young man: The mor∣ning * 1.5 is observed by Schollers to be best for stu∣dy: The morning of our age is the best time for Spiritual study; for studying the conditi∣on and state of our Souls: The spring of youth is the best time to take Physick, Heavenly Pur∣gations in, for the working out of sin, the clean∣sing

of our Soules, the making of our Spirits whole: It is the best time for the digging up the Garden of our hearts: then doth the Lord sow the seeds, plant the slips of grace. There is a latter spring, but that is not so good: In youth are the white houres, the Golden seasons: Marriages are most in younger time; so are Spiritual Contracts with Jesus Christ. Da∣vid was good when young; Daniel a young * 1.6 Prophet; Timothy a young Preacher; Sa∣muel began with God betimes; Abijah good when a Child; so was Jofiah; John the youn∣gest of Christs disciples, and most beloved, for he leaned on Christs bosome: There is a season for every thing under the Sun, saith Solomon: then certainly for grace and Soul-affaires: there is a time to be Spiritually born, to be planted in the house of the Lord, to kill the heart of sin, to heal the hurt of the Soul; to be built up a Spiritual house; to lament for sin, to laugh in a sence of Gods love; to embrace Christ, and refrain from embracing sin; to love vertue, to hate vice: It is true as no place, so no time can prescribe against the King of Heaven and Earth: yet in this season doth the Spirit usually breed, and bring forth its young: This is Gods more common order, which he can alter when he pleaseth; and this time he seemeth to take for these reasons.

• 1. The excellency of firstlings.
• 2. The probability of a change.
• 3. The necessity of service.

1. The excellence of firstlings: The Lord doth [S. 3] this, that he may have the first Fruits, in which

he delighteth: First fruits are savoury meat, such as the Soul of the Lord loves: the first of our E∣state, our health: the first of the day, the first of * 1.7 the week, the first of our life: the first in regard of time, in regard of dignity is to be the Lords. In the time of the Law the Lord challenged the * 1.8 first of men, of Beasts, of the Fruits of the Earth. How welcome is the Primerose to us, because it cometh forth early? ye creamy mornings, and not the flotten afternoons are of great price: we are loath to take into our services of those that have been worn up in others imploy∣ments? and will the Lord think we accept of our drie bones, when the Devil hath sucked * 1.9 out the Marrow? as one saith wittily: and yet this is the way of the world, the common course: The first, and best; not last, and worst is to be given to God: The morning rather than the evening, the Spring rather than au∣tumne; Monday rather than Saturday; our flourishing rather than our fading dayes are to be devoted to the Lord: and such Sacrifices smel sweet in his nostrils: The Lord loveth to be served in the first place; to have the chief of our strength, the choice of our ability: The Lord * 1.10 looketh upon it as uncomely behaviour to himself, that we passe the flower of our age, and never seek for Marriage with himself: It is dearly delightful, so purely pleasing to begin with wisedom, when we begin with the world, that a gracious promise is made to it: I love them that love me, and they that seek me early shall find me. Prov. 8. 17. An early new heart is a rich Pearl; timely grace finds great grace

in the eyes of the Lord. God calleth, and ca∣reth for early Piety: the Blossomes, Buds, Fruit of Godlinesse in younger years is grateful to him; a young man or woman green all over, and putting forth the tender shoots of grace, is Jehovah's darling; a youth Saint, or a Saint youth is the Benjamin, the Son of the right hand of the most high; his dearest Joseph; as the apple of his eye; written in his heart, and wrought on the palmes of his hand by the en∣gravings of love: such indeed are his chosen, his choice ones; his loved, his loving, his love∣ly ones: Thus then you see God is in love with early goodnesse: to give grace at all times li∣eth in his hand; to receive grace betimes lod∣geth in his heart.

2. The probability of a change: This is the [S. 4] second reason: Young ones are more likely to be wrought upon; grace in youth is most like to be grace in truth; soon grace is likest to prove sound grace; and early goodnesse hath a pro∣bability * 1.11 to become ever goodnesse; the twigs of youth are more tender, when the grown boughes of age are more tough; young ones are more plain and simple; when old ones are more plicated and subtle: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it. Jer. 17. 9. These words are a fit measure for the hearts of all; for young hearts, and old hearts, are hard and naught: but yet the older they grow the worse they grow, and the more unlikely to be mended; as the expression of the Holy-ghost doth warrant: Can the Aethio∣pian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots?

Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil, Jer. 13. 23. It is true, the spirit of God knoweth the things of a man as well as his own spirit; yea, more of man than man doth of himself; and hath line and lead, where∣with it can sound and reach the profundity * 1.12 of wickedness, and hath a clue wherewith it can find a way into the midst of the intricate labyrinth of mans deceitful heart, notwith∣standing all the windings and turnings that are in it: The Lord hath a fountain wherein he can wash Black-moors white; he hath soap and nitre wherein he can take out spots of the deepest stain: yet aged, inveterate, custo∣mary sinners, contract more rust, more filth, which calls for more rubbing, more filing: A tree long rooted may be pulled up, yet with more ado than a plant of a years growth: As * 1.13 a godly Man illustrates this, by Christs raising to life several that were temporally dead, as Jairus his daughter, to which sinners of the * 1.14 lower form may be resembled, and the wid∣dows son of Naim, who was carried forth to be buried, to whom may be resembled such sinners as have broken out into more notori∣ous wickednesse, and have stood in the way of the ungodly; and Lazarus, who was laid * 1.15 in his grave, and nigh unto stinking, to whom may be resembled great sinners, that have continued in their sins a great while; all these Christ raiseth up, one as well as other, but with various dispensations: the first with a touch of his hand; the second with a work and a word; a touch and a call; the third

and the last, in a more solemn manner, first speaking to his living father, then to his live∣lesse friend, and that not with a low, but a loud voice. As our Saviour saith in another case, this kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer, Matth. 17. 21. the like may we say of sins riveted by custome and time, they may be loosed, but with much a do: the Ice of a months freezing may be broken as well as the Ice of a nights freezing, though with more knocks. Many shifts and evasions do people find for themselves by continuance of time, whereby they keep sin in, and grace out; by use sin groweth strong, sense of sin weak, and their hearts little affected with the word; being like the people that dwell by the water falls of Nilus, who regard not the great noise there∣of, whereas it is troublesome to strangers: so they being accustomed to the sound of the word, little regard it.

3. Necessity of service: Therefore doth [S. 5] God use to convert mostly in the spring; for all that are sanctified in conversion, are to serve him in their conversation: Those that are called, are called not to loyter, but to labour; not to be truantly, but trusty; not to play in the open field of the world, but to ply his work in the walled vineyard of his Church; not to sit with folded hands in our bosomes, but to run the way of his command∣ments. Much there is for a Christian to do for God, for himself, for his relations, for his neighbours; for Gods praise, for his own and others peace: for the illustration of Gods

glory, for the salvation of his own and others * 1.16 souls; and the time of people upon earth, at longest is but short; at most is but little; and if they begin not betimes, what can they do? a long journey from earth to heaven, we had need take the morning, and set out by Sun: a great deal of business to do, and it must be done in the day of this life; we had need then be stirring very early: the good hous∣holder (which may well be an emblem of Gods calling sinners) is said to go out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vine∣yard, Matth. 20. 1. As the whole man, so the whole time doth the Lord require; as our spirits, soul, and body, so our youth, middle, and old age; death often comes sooner than old age; and if nothing be done before, no∣thing can be done after. Much work, and many works hath a Christian to do; There is the fostering of faith, the renewing repentance, subduing of sin, conquering corruption, guarding his grace, fearing his falling, watch∣ing his walking, studying the Scriptures, per∣using the promises, conversing with converts, admonishing acquaintance, defying the Divel, growing in grace, and in all glorifying his God; and as the Apostle saith in another case, * 1.17 Who is sufficient for these things? so may we in this, What time is sufficient for these things? Besides, in youth there is bodily strength for the task of duties; for the body as well as the soul is to be and do for God; and spiritual services take a tincture from the bodies temper: Though the spirit be willing,

yet the lesse will be done if the flesh be weak; fervent prayer, frequent meditation of God, his works, his word; of it self, its ways, its wants; solemn fastings, whether publike or private; much reading, often hearing, self examining; for which and many more is re∣quisite the vigor of the souls powers, the viva∣sity * 1.18 of the bodies parts; which in age do age; lurk and languish; grow feeble and faint; the former whereof are evacuated in regard of spirits, the latter enervated in regard of strength.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Quidam antè desie∣runt vive∣re, quàm inciperen••.
• * 1.2

  Conversio nostra semper in∣v niet De∣um para∣tum. Aug. Ezek. 18. 21, 22. Nunquam sera con∣versio ve∣ra. R. Jun.
• * 1.3

  Master Baxter of Bap∣tisme. Jer. 2. 2.
• * 1.4

  John 21. 22.
• * 1.5

  Aurora Musis a∣mica.
• * 1.6

  1 Sam. 17. 23. Dan. 1. 3. 4. 1 Tim. 4. 12. 1 Sam. 2. 18. 1 Kings 4. 3, 13. 2 Kings 22. 1, 2. Discipu∣lum mini∣mum Chri∣stus ama∣vit psuri∣mum. Eccles. 3. begin. Psal. 92. ••3. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Nullum tempus oc∣currit Re∣gi.
• * 1.7

  Prov. 3. 9.
• * 1.8

  Exod. 34. 19, 20, 23.
• * 1.9

  R. Jun.
• * 1.10

  1 Cor. 7. 36.
• * 1.11

  Quo semel est imbuta testa, &c. 2 Kings 22. 19.
• * 1.12

  Jer. 17. 10.
• * 1.13

  Mr. Bridg.
• * 1.14

  Matth. 9. 25. Luke 7. 14.
• * 1.15

  John 11. 41, 42. 43.
• * 1.16

  Ars longa, vita bre∣vis.
• * 1.17

  2 Cor. 2. 16.
• * 1.18

  Meus sanein corpore sano.