Yee ſee.

Some read it indicatively, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Yee ſee; others imparetively, See, or look upon your calling. They that read it the firſt way, may urge theſe reaſons:

Firſt, the coherence; it ſeems ſcarſe to be good Engliſh, For look upon your calling.

Secondly, it ſeems more fully to prove what the Apoſtle intended, to read it, For yee ſee your calling; that is to ſay, yee know the truth of what I ſpake already, and have had experience of Gods wiſdome in chooſing you before many wiſer men, and therefore I need not to prove it to you. But the other reading is more conſonant to the Originall and native ſignification of the Greek word; which is not barely to ſee, but to fixe ones eye upon a thing, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . or to look wiſhly upon it, and with conſideration. Now for the Apoſtle to ſay, yee do view or look well upon your calling, peradventure might be more then was true of many of them, for no doubt but there were divers amongſt them that did not throughly conſider of it: It therefore may ſeem more fitting to bid them to do ſo, then to preſume they did ſo already. And this latter reading the Syriack tranſlation followeth, reading it thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 For my brethren look upon your calling alſo. Neither is the ſpeech incongruous, but very emphaticall, and very fit for the Apoſtles purpoſe. As if the Apoſtle ſhould have ſaid, If yee doubt whether the fooliſhneſs of God be wiſer then men, I will not ſend you abroad to look for an example to prove it, only I adviſe you to look inward into your own condition, and ſee if God have not ſufficiently proved it in calling you to the hope of eternall life, when he neglected many wiſer men. For thus hath God ſo provided for your good, that he hath not failed his owne glory. Poor men are moſt glad of riches, and moſt thankfull for them.

But what is it that the Apoſtle would have the Corinthians to view?

Calling. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

Whereby he puts them in mind, that there was nothing bred in them by nature, nor gotten by art or labour, that could advance them to this high honour, but they had it only from Gods calling them.

Next obſerve whoſe calling he bids them look into: not other mens, but their own.

Your calling. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

But what doth the Apoſtle mean? Doth he call his beloved Corinthians fools? Had he no other example in the world of ſimple men called to be Saints but the Corinthians to whom he writes? Surely he did it not to diſcredit them, but to credit God that had called them. They could not ſo well tell what God had done for others, as what he had done for themſelves. The Apoſtle therefore puls down them that he may ſet up God. The Apoſtles were deſpiſed by the Philoſophers, and the Corinthians by the Gentiles among whom they lived. Yet had both the Apoſtles and Corinthians obtained that which neither the Philoſophers nor Princes of the Gentiles could attain unto, to be called of God.

Conſider next what title the Apoſtle gives them.

Brethren. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 et 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , i. e. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Fratres uterini.

This name of kindneſs qualifies the former example, and makes the Corinthians to take it kindly and to hearken to what elſe the Apoſtle ſhould ſay to them, becauſe it came from a brotherly affection and unfaigned love. For what ſtricter name of familiarity could the Apoſtle have beſtowed upon them then this of Brethren?

Now what manner of calling is this which the Apoſtle cals upon them to conſider of?

How what not many wiſe men. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

The Syrian tranſlation addes, Among you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : well expreſſing the Apoſtles meaning, as if he ſhould have ſaid unto them, Conſider your ſelves and conſider them that dayly joyne themſelves unto you; Que vous n' eſtes point beaucoup de ſages ſelon le chaix Gall. Tranſl. That ye are not many wiſe according to the fleſh. you ſhall finde that few men noted for learning joyne themſelves unto you, but many of mean capacity are dayly added to your number.

And leſt the Apoſtle ſhould ſeem to diſcommend wiſdome, he qualifies the matter in the next words.

After the fleſh. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

That is, ſuch wiſdome as is pleaſing to the fleſh, or rather ſuch as is born and bred in the fleſh, or gotten by the ſtrength of naturall wit and by our own labour, as Philoſophy, and other naturall Sciences, and artificiall inventions. Yet the Apoſtle doth not ſay not any of theſe wiſe men, but not many, for though God more freequently call the ſimpler ſort of men, yet doth he not wholly paſſe by the wiſer, but ſometimes makes uſe of them alſo. Elſe had St. Paul been in a worſe condition then the Corinthians to whom he writes. So that as they ſtand for examples of ignorant men called, ſo he ſtands for a patterne of a learned man reclaimed.

If the Kingdome of heaven cannot be taken by craft, yet peradventure fleſh and bloud will imagine it to be like the kingdomes of the earth that are often carried by the ſword. That we may think that force hath no ſtroke in this buſineſſe, the Apoſtle proceeds:

Not many mighty. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 poſſum.

Meaning ſuch as are able to do more then other men are; for ſo the Greek word imports. Gods wiſdome is too great to be overreached, and his power too mighty to be compelled to calany, and that he ſhews by his common calling, in that for the moſt part he ſides with the weakeſt.

Further it may be thought, that Noble men may by their birth make ſome challenge to Gods kingdome, becauſe they are born of greater parents and to greater means then other men. To prevent this conceit it followes in the text:

Not many noble. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Not many that are born of a good ſtock, as the Greek word ſignifies, or of a great kindred, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as the Syriack tranſlation reads it. They may be borne to great poſſeſſions upon the earth, but not to the kingdome of heaven, unleſſe they be twice born as well as meaner men. Joh. 3.3. And that happineſſe fals not upon many of them, unleſſe the text be miſtaken.

The wiſe God then that hath refuſed theſe; whom hath he choſen? Hath he refuſed all? Or will he chuſe the worſt when he hath put by the beſt? Surely God is as wonderfull in his chooſing as in his refuſing. He hath not refuſed the chief to rid his hands of all, or to diſcourage the meaneſt to come unto him. But rather to make way for the meaneſt, and in them for his own glory, hath God put by the greateſt. See his choiſe.

But the fooliſh things. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

The Apoſtle alters his phraſe, he ſaith not the fooliſh men of the world, but the fooliſh things, that is, the moſt fooliſh men and ſuch as are ſcarſe eſteemed men ſometimes, becauſe of their ſimplicity. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , non videre; vel a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 et 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 non cura vel nulla providentia, Etymol. Men that the world will not vouchſafe to look upon, or men that have no manner of forecaſt to provide ſuch an honourable condition for themſelves by their foreſight and providence. And therefore muſt needs have it caſt upon them by the providence of God. So low doth God deſcend in his choiſe among the ſons of men, that he may advance his own honour.

Peradventure may ſome man ſay, God choſe the fooliſh things, becauſe there were no wiſer to chooſe. The Apoſtle ſtops this gap in the next word,

Of the world. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

No doubt but the world had choiſe of worldly wiſe men. It hath its name from ornament and neatneſs in the Greek and in the Latine. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Gr. ornatus et mundus. Mundus, Lat. orbis et purus. As in the heavens then there are bright ſtarres as well as darke clouds, and in the earth there are ſweet flowers, as well as noyſome weeds; ſo queſtionleſſe in the world there are wiſe men as well as fools. Gods choiſe therefore is the more admirable becauſe he chuſeth not fooliſh men for lacke of wiſe, but rather then the wiſe, that not they but he might have the greateſt honout.

But who hath made this choiſe, this ſtrange choiſe the Apoſtle here mentions?

God. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

And no marvail, for it is not like the choiſe of men. If a man were to chuſe, he would take a wiſe friend rather then a fooliſh, a powerfull favourite, rather then a weak one, a wife of a honourable ſtock, rather then of a mean. God who is wiſer then all men doth otherwiſe: they chuſe like men, he chuſeth like a God: they make choiſe of ſuch as may be helpfull to them; he makes choiſe of ſuch as he may be helpefull to, and not they to him.

The next thing conſiderable is the action of God.

Hath choſen. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

God is in the world as in his orchyard, he gathereth one apple of a tree and leaveth the reſt; or as in his garden, where he crops one flower and leaves the reſt where he found them. So God chuſeth ſome fooliſh men, and omits many wiſer then they.

The chuſing which the Apoſtle here ſpeaks of, may be taken for Gods eternall choiſe before the world was made. And then the Apoſtle gives 〈◊〉 a reaſon why God calls not the wiſe, but the fooliſh for the moſt part, becauſe he had choſen them from all eternity. And God is no changeling. It may be taken alſo for Gods ſelecting in time, rather then for his electing before time, and then the Apoſtle confounds calling and chuſing, and takes them for one and the ſame thing; even for a work of Gods Spirit in our ſouls, bringing mean men to true faith in Chriſt, which many greater never attain unto for all their greatneſſe.

Come we now to the end why God prefers the fooliſh before the wiſe,

To confound. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

The Greek word ſignifies to make a man aſhamed by putting ſome diſgrace upon him, ſo that he bluſh or hold down his head for ſhame. And well may wiſe men be aſhamed to ſhew their faces, when they ſhall ſee very idiots learn the way to true felicity, which they having ſtudiouſly ſought after, and ſpent many houres in diſputing; about the chiefeſt good, could yet never attain unto with all the wiſdome and learning the world could afford them.

The perſons confounded come next into our conſideration.

The wiſe. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

It were no great wonder for God to confound a fool by a wiſe man. It were ſtrange to confound one wiſe man by another. It were ſtranger to confound one fool by another. But it is ſtrangeſt of all to confound a wiſe man by a fool. In the former, men have ſome ſhare in the commendation: in the latter all the praiſe muſt needs be Gods. For there is nothing in fools to procure it, but there is much in wiſe men to hinder it. Thus God takes the wiſe in their ſubtilty, and robs the proud of all their glory.

Thus then hath God choſen the fooliſh rather then the wiſe. But he hath refuſed the mighty as well as the prudent.

Whom hath he choſen in their room?

And God hath choſen the weak things of the world. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 et 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 non poſſum.

Thoſe that are able to do leaſt. God hath choſen. So the word ſignifies ſuch as are of no force or can do nothing, to wit, in compariſon of ſuch as God hath refuſed.

To what end God hath choſen theſe weakeſt ones, the Apoſtle declares unto us in the words following.

To confound the things which are mighty. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Hereby God ſhewes us the vanity of all worldly power and force, when thoſe that are mightieſt are through his over-ruling hand confounded and brought low by ſuch as are weakeſt, and have moſt need of ſtrength to do it.

We ſee how ill the wiſe and mighty ſpeed, fares it any better with the noble? no ſurely, for as God hath rejected many of them, ſo he hath choſen baſe and mean men 〈◊〉 their room, for ſo it followes,

Ad baſe things of the world hath God choſen. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſine genere.

That is, ſuch men as are bred of ſo mean a ſtock, that there are no Chronicles of their predeceſſours, nor no pedegrees to be found for them upon record; for it is the faſhion of the world to keep account of the genealogies of Princes and Noblemen: but other meaner men ſcarſe know any thing of their predeceſſors.

Theſe men then whom God chooſeth in the room of nobles are men without ſtock, that is, ſuch whoſe genealogies are not obſerved. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Or, as the Syriack Teſtament reads it, whoſe kindred is ſmall or of no reckoning in the world. That he may the better expreſſe their meanneſſe, the Apoſtle addes:

And things which are deſpiſed. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Such men as go for nobody in the world, and are deſpiſed, as eſteemed worthy of no account. Nay that he may bring them as low as may be, he proceeds further, as if no words were ſufficient to expreſſe their former baſeneſs, except he ſhould put them quite out of the world, and ſaith of them,

Yea and things which are not. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Men that are ſo mean and ſo vile, that they are as much ſlighted in the world as if they had no being at all, nor never had any. Behold how low a foundation God hath laid to raiſe ſo high a building. See how deep he digs in the earth to finde out heires for the kingdome of heaven. And why doth God make choiſe of theſe things that are not? The words following give an anſwer,

To bring to nought. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

This is ſomewhat more then confounding, or making aſhamed. He doth it to bring them to deſperation in themſelves, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 reddo • to make them give over working and ſtudying, for ſo the word imports. And what can wiſe men do leſſe, and great and noble, but caſt away all their naturall and carnall ſtudies and labours and priviledges, and deſpaire of attaining heaven by them, when they ſee fooliſh, weak and mean perſons attain to Gods favour without them? Thus the word uſed elſewhere by the Apoſtle, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Rom. 3.31. Do we their make void the Law, or idle, through faith? God forbid; that is, we do not take away the operation of the Law, when we preach faith in Chriſt, but leave it a work ſtill fit for it. So in the text, by chuſing baſe men, God makes idle the labours and prerogatives of great men, even in their own account, which when they perceive, they either give over all ſeeking for heaven, or ſee themſelves forced to ſeek it another way. But who are they whom God intends to confound by calling theſe contemptible people?

Things that are. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

By things that are, the Apoſtle means things that are in price in the world, and greateſt eſtimation. Things of no reckning in the Scripture phraſe are called things that are not: and ſuch as are of greateſt account, are called the things that are. 1 Joh. 2.16. So St. John reckons the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life to be all that is in the World; meaning, all that is in greateſt account amongſt wordly men. St. Paul then by Gods bringing to nought things that are by things that are not, intends his overthrowing the vain hopes of men of greateſt reckning, by ſuch as are accountleſſe in the world. Now to what end and purpoſe is all this, ſay the great ones of the world? Wherefore doth God refuſe us to chuſe ſuch as theſe be? Doth he envie at our proſperity? Or is he like to the men of this world, that compaſſionate the poor, whether their cauſe be right or wrong? Surely no, ſaith our Apoſtle, God doth not envie your greatneſſe, for he need not fear any evill you can do unto him; neither doth he want any thing that he need be beholding to your greatneſſe to procure. He doth it not on the other ſide out of too much pity to the poor, as if he reſpected their perſons becauſe they are poor, but the main reaſon that moves him to his choiſe is his own glory.

That no fleſh ſhould glory. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

That is, that no man ſhould boaſt himſelf of his wiſdome, his power, or his honour. He ſaith not, no man, but no fleſh; that he may ſhew us what little cauſe we have to be proud or to boaſt, that are but fleſh. Mortall we are and corruptible; our worſer part is here put for the whole man, that we may not be lifted up. Thus when we with the Peacock ſpread our feathers, the Apoſtle gives us juſt cauſe to look down to our black feet. The wiſeſt are but fleſh as well as the fooliſheſt of the ſons of men: the greateſt as well as the weakeſt: the nobleſt as well as the baſeſt. Thus the Prophet puls down that confidence which the Jewes put in the horſes of Egypt; Their horſes are fleſh and not ſpirit. Iſa. 31.3. And ſo the Apoſtle warns us by the weakneſs of our nature, not to glory in our ſelves.

Another Argument to keep us low the Apoſtle takes from Gods greatneſs oppoſed to our weakneſs in the laſt words.

In his preſence. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Great men muſt remember that they are in Gods preſence, and comparing their weakneſs with his power they have little reaſon to be lifted up, but much to be humbled. The word may be paſſed a little further; Before him, that is, over againſt him, or in oppoſition to him. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 dicuntur parietes domus, qui ſunt e regione januae, vel, ad utrum que ejus latus. Hom. ll. θ et Od. χ. And ſo the phraſe in the firſt Commandement may well be underſtood, Thou ſhalt have no other Gods before me, that is, over againſt me, or to ſet in oppoſition againſt me. We muſt not then advance our own good parts and ſet them in oppoſition to God, as if our happineſs came from our ſelves, and not from him. This were to ſet God on the one ſide, and our ſelves on the other; to derogate from God, that we may attribute to much to our ſelves. And this is the finall reaſon why God chuſeth the meaneſt and baſeſt, paſſing by the greateſt that all may give him the glory of their ſalvation, and not rob him of it to magnifie themſelves.

Thus ye ſee the ſenſe of the words, as if the Apoſtle ſhould have ſaid, God hath ſhewed his wiſdome wonderfully in his choiſe. Ye Corinthians are lively patterns of it; ye ſee how few wiſe, or mighty, or noble perſonages; how many ſimple, feeble, and baſe men in the worlds account, dayly joyn themſelves to your Congregation. This cannot come to paſſe without Gods wonderfull work, who by this means humbles the great men of the world by preferring the meaneſt before them: and gives cauſe to all fleſh to ſee their own weakneſſe, that they may not ſet themſelves in oppoſition to God, nor glory in their prerogatives; but give to God the whole glory of all their felicity. And thus the text juſtifies the title, and ſhews us what we muſt drive at in all this diſcourſe, Gods glory in Mans happineſs.

Now that we may the more orderly proceed in the handling of the words, we may well obſerve Two parts, 1. St. Pauls Compellation. 2. St Pauls Application.

In the firſt he beſtowes a loving title upon his beloved Corinthians;

In the ſecond he produceth them for patterns of Gods favour in chuſing mean perſons before great ones.

The title our Apoſtle beſtowes upon them is a very loving and amiable title.

Brethren.

There are in the Scriptures divers kinds of Brethren mentioned.

Firſt, there are Brethren in the fleſh. Theſe are not only ſuch as are borne immediately of the ſame parents, but all our kindred alſo. Thus Abraham and Lot are ſtyled, Gen. 13.8. Let there be no ſtrife between me and thee, for we are Brethren. So the kinsfolkes of our Saviour Chriſt are called, Mat. 12.47. Thy Brethren ſtand without deſiring to ſpeak with thee.

Secondly, there are Brethren in evill: Gen. 49.5, 6. & 34.25. Such were Simeon and Levi; who are called Brethen not becauſe they were born of the ſame parents, but becauſe they conſpired in the ſame wicked act, to wit, in murdering the Shechemites.

Thirdly, there are Brethren in office: And ſo Ahab and Benhadad are Brethen. Is Benhadad yet alive? 1 King. 20.32. ſaith Ahab, he is my Brother; meaning that he was not his ſervant (though he were overcome by him, and the meſſengers to flatter Ahab called him ſo) but a King as free as himſelf, and by office Ahabs brother. So do Kings yet in their Letters call other Kings Brethren.

Fourthly, there are Brethren in friendſhip, 2 Sam. 1.29.

Fiftly, in Spirit: Such are Chriſts Diſciples, Mat. 23.8. All yee are Brethren. The ſame title is elſewhere given to them by the beloved Apoſtle, Joh. 3.16. We ought, ſaith he, to lay down our life for the Brethren. By St. Pauls doctrine then in the text, all the members of the true Church ought to account one another for Brethren. Thus are they called by the ſame Apoſtle, Gal. 1.2. All the Brethren which are with me. Thus are they ſaluted by him in the end of the Second Epiſtle to the Corinthians, • Cor. 13.11. Finally Brethren farewell. This ſpirituall fraternity, becauſe it is ſo frequently mentioned in the Scriptures, requires of us ſo much the more labour in explication of it.

In the proſecution of this Spirituall and Chriſtian fraternity, foure things I have to commend to your ſerious meditations:

To wit 1. The proof of it. 2. The Originall. 3. The Extent. 4. The Continuance.

And firſt for the proof of it. Proof of Spiritual kindred. This new affinity is proved many wayes. We have the ſame Mother: and who knows not that they that come out of the ſame wombe are Brethren? The Church of God is the Mother of us all, a better Mother then the ancient Jeruſalem: ſo the Apoſtle tels us, Gal. 4.26. Jeruſalem which is above is free, which is the Mother of us all. As we have the ſame Church for our Mother, ſo have we the ſame God for our Father: 1 Pet. 1.3. God hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope. So that we are not half Brothers by the Mothers ſide alone, but Brethren in the ſtricteſt ſort, having the ſame Father, and the ſame Mother. Our diet and allowance prove us to be Brethren, we all ſit at our Fathers table; as Joſephs brethren did at his, They ſat before him, Gen. 43.33. the firſt born according to his birthright, and the youngeſt according to his youth. Servants uſe to attend at their Maſters table, children are admitted to ſit down. So is it with us, God diſpoſeth of us as of Brethren among our ſelves, and children to him. He gives us the ſame ſpirituall food in the Word and Sacraments. Laſtly, the portion that we have in our Fathers poſſeſſions ſhews us to be Brethren. It fares with us, not as with Country Gentlemen, whoſe Lands goe to their eldeſt Sons, and the reſt are left poor enough, though they be children of the ſame Parents. But we are uſed like the children of Citizens, who all have a ſhare of their Fathers goods. Our tenure is the freeſt tenure: not like thoſe that were brought in by the Conquerour, but rather anſwerable to the titles that men had in England, before the Conqueſt; or that which yet they uſe in Kent; Gavel kind. quaſi Give all kin. Lambart. Perambul. of Kent. we all hold in Gavell kind, every one hath a ſhare in his Fathers Lands. So then our portion ſhews that we are Brethren, every one ſhall have a ſhare in his Fathers kingdome. Heaven is a common poſſeſſion prepared for all the children of the King of heaven. Rom. 8.12, 16, 17. Thus is the kindred proved. Let us now proceed to the Originall of it.

This fraternity hath a fourfold beginning. Originall.

1. In regard of God our Father. Look what title we have to be the Sons of God, the ſame title makes us Brethren. Now we are Gods children by a double right.

The one is by regeneration; God hath renewed his image in us. Col. 3.10. And as Adam was the Son of God at firſt, becauſe God had marked him for his own, and ſtamped his image on him: ſo are we made to be Gods own when he renews his image in us. Then do we put on the new man which after God is created in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe; Eph. 4.24. and having put on this image of God, God takes us for his own.

The other right is by adoption, God chuſeth us for his own: Gal. 4.5. God ſent his Son, that we might receive the adoption of ſons. We were unworthy ſervants, Digne fratres habentur qui unum patrem Deum agnoverunt, qui unum ſpiritum biberunt ſanctitatis, qui de uno utero ignorantiae ejuſdem ad unam lucem expiraverunt veritatis. Tert. Apol. c. 39. nay which is more, we were perverſe enemies; but now we are the adopted ſons of God. Rich men uſe to take the children of poor men for their own, and to beſtow an inheritance on them, whoſe parents can leave them none: So God chuſeth us that by nature have no inheritance to expect but his wrath, and makes us his children and the heirs of glory. As children begotten by the ſame parents are counted Brethren, ſo are they that are adopted by the ſame parties.

2. In regard of our ſelves we are the children of God by faith, and ſo Brethren by conſequence among our ſelves; Joh. 1.12. As many as received Chriſt, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that beleeve on his name. For faith puts us into Chriſt, it knits and unites us to him, and through him it makes us Gods children and brethren one to another. Fructus quidem primogenitus in multis fratribus qui unigenitus erat, adſciſcet cos fine dubio in haereditatem, quos vocavit in adoptionem. Si enim fratres et cohaeredes. Ber. de annunciat. Domini. And ſurely the firſt begotten fruit among many brethren, ſaith Bernard, who was the only begotten before, will out of queſtion call them into part of the inheritance, whom he hath called to participate of the adoption. For if we be Brethren we are coheirs. Thus do we begin to be Gods children by faith in Chriſt in regard of our own ſelves.

3. We become Brethren in regard of thoſe without the Church, in that by one Baptiſme, Eph. 4.5. wherein all without diſtinction of ſex or ſtate partake, 1 Cor. 12.13. being a type of the new birth, Joh. 3.3. Tit. 3.5. were declared to have been bred and born within the pale of the Church, in that family whereof God the Father is paterfamilias, Eph. 3.14, 15. and have therefore as his children, his livery put on us, and his marke ſet upon us, Gal. 3.26, 27. Whereby we are to be diſtinguiſhed from Jewes, Turkes and Infidels.

4. We are compleatly Brethren in regard of other members of the Church, when we are firſt admitted to the Lords table. It is true that children baptized are our brethren, becauſe they belong to Gods covenant, yet they are in a degree below ſuch as are admitted to the Lords table; as a child that ſucks, though he be a brother, yet doth not enjoy the comfort of his being ſo, till he come to the uſe of reaſon. The Lords Supper at leaſt declares us to be Brethren one to another, if it do not make us to be ſo. Hence it is called a Communion, becauſe there all true beleevers do truly communicate of the body and bloud of Chriſt.

The extent of our Spirituall kindred offers it ſelf next to our conſideration. Extent. It doth not extend it ſelf to matrimonall caſes. Spirituall kindred is no impediment to marriage. They are the kindred of our fleſh that no man muſt come near by the Law of God. Levit. 18.6. There is a queſtion among the Papiſts, whether ſpirituall kindred be an impediment to marriage; that is, whether God-fathers, god-mothers, and their god-children may be married one to another. If ſuch perſons may not marry becauſe of that ſpirituall kindred that is between them; then Chriſtians muſt all marry Heathen wives, for they are all of this ſpirituall kindred, all Brothers and Siſters in Chriſt. So then, ſpirituall kindred doth not hinder marriage, nay it furthers it, for we are commanded to marry only in the Lord. Cor. 7 39. The nearer the kindred of the fleſh is, the more unlawfull is the marriage: the nearer the ſpirituall fraternity is, the marriage is the more commendable. Moreover, this ſpirituall affinity extends not it ſelf to hereditary caſes: if a Brother dye without children, his brother requires his inheritance as heir at the common Law. But it is not ſo in this fraternity of the Spirit. One cannot expect anothers inheritance: it muſt goe to the heirs according to the fleſh. So much our Bleſſed Saviour teacheth us, when he ſhews, that his Kingdome is not of this world, and though men look for honour or wealth from the favour or kindred of Princes, yet it muſt not be ſo with us. Mat. 20.26. Luk. 12.13, 14. Our ſpirituall kindred affords us no ſuch priviledge. Our Saviour Chriſt himſelf, the top of this kindred, would not divide inheritances between brethren, but left it as a work for worldly Judges. Spirituall kindred then hath nothing to do with temporal inheritances. But it extends it ſelf firſt to conjunction of ſpirits and hearts; ſo St. Luke teſtifies that the primitive Chriſtians were affected, Act. 4.32. The multitude of them that beleeved, were of one heart, and of one ſoul. Such were they in the dayes of the perſecution. They were of one heart at liberty, of one minde in priſon, of one ſoul in the fire. Cecilius the Heathen man pleading againſt the Chriſtians, and ſpeaking of their troubles, mentions the affection that they bare to one another at firſt ſight, yea though they never met but in priſon, Amant mutuo pene antequam noverint. Min. Fael. Octav. They love one another before they well know one another. And Minutius Felix gives a compleat pattern of this affection in himſelf and Octavius, Crederes unam mentem in duobus eſſe diviſam. Ibid. He that had known us, would eaſily bee drawn to beleeve, that we had but one minde divided in two bodies: Dilectionis operatio notam nobis inurit penes quoſdam; vide, inquiunt, ut invicem ſe diligant • Tert. Apol. c. 39. ſuch is the ſtrength and force of this ſpirituall fraternity.

Furthermore, this kindred extends it ſelf to the communication of all good things ſpirituall and temporall, to the good and comfort of one another. He that is wiſe thinks himſelf bound to adviſe ſuch as are ſimple; and he that is rich thinks himſelf tyed to relieve ſuch as be poor. Brotherly love is not forgetfull to entertain ſtrangers: Heb. 13.1, 2, 3. It remembers them that are in bonds and in adverſity. Exſubſtantia familiari fratres ſumus, quae penes vos fere dirimit fraternitatem. Quia animo anima que miſcemur, nihil de rei communione dubitamus. Tert. Apol. c. 39. We are Brethren, ſaith Tertullian, in regard of outward ſubſtance, which among you doth well-nigh break all fraternity: we that are joyned in minde and ſoul, make no queſtion at all of communicating of our goods to one another. So free were the former Chriſtians of their purſes to them whom they had firſt ſet up in their hearts, that they would not ſuffer ſuch to want as ſuffered perſecution for the cauſe of Chriſt, although they did not formerly know them.

The laſt thing is the continuance of this ſpirituall kindred. 4. Continuance. And herein it excels all other kindred. The kindred of the fleſh ceaſeth when the fleſh dyeth. It hath nothing to do in heaven. It had his beginning from marriage. But in heaven they neither marry nor give in marriage, Mat. 22.30. but are like the Angels of God. Death then ends carnall conſanguinity. It ſtretcheth no further then this life. Whereas ſpirituall kindred is not diſſolved by death, but perfected. It is begun in grace here, it is conſummated in glory hereafter. Earthly affinity ends with the earth, but heavenly kindred laſts for ever and ever.

Ʋſe 1 How far are they from any true title to this ſpirituall kindred that divide the very name of Brethren? We have loſt the thing, and the name grows odious. St. Paul himſelf, if he were alive, ſhould paſſe under the reprochfull name of one of the Brethren. That word which in his mouth ſounded out honour and affection, now ſounds in the mouth of profane perſons hatred and infamy. Indeed we do not carry our ſelves like Brethren. Every man lives to himſelfe, no man to his Brother. The world is grown to that paſſe, that they are counted the wiſeſt men, who by privy ſtrains of inbred policy are able to circumvent their Brethren with leaſt obſervation, and to accompliſh their own ends to the infinite prejudice of others with the cloſeſt conveyances. All which ſhews that we count not our ſelves to be Brethren in our hearts, what ever we profeſſe in our mouths. It is with us as it was with the Jews when the Romans beſieged Jeruſalem, They fought together againſt the common enemy, and when they had done, they ſlew one another within the wals. We all ſpeak againſt Turks, Jews, and Papiſts, yet we carry not the affection of Brethren one to another. And what wonder is it, if they that are not acquainted with the nature, ſcoffe at the name of Brethren?

Ʋſe 2 Secondly, it condemnes the ambition of this age. When one looks askew upon another, we forget that we are Brethren. Deut. 17.20. It is a precept that concerns Kings,

Sit dives humilis: plus gaudeat, quia Chriſtianus eſt, quam quia dives eſt. Non infletur: non extollatur: attendat pauperem fratrem: non dedignetur frater pauperis appellari.

Quantumcun que enim dives eſt, ditior eſt Chriſtus, qui fratres ſuos voluit eſſe pro quibus ſanguinem fudit. Aug. de Temp. ſer. 212.

their hearts muſt not be lifted up above their Brethren. Great is their power on earth, yet are they Brethren in Religion, and muſt remember that others may be as great as they in heaven. The rich man muſt not be proud, becauſe he releeves others, but remember that they are his Brethren: Let the rich man, ſaith Auguſtine, be humble; let him more rejoyce that he is a Chriſtian man, then that he is a rich man. Let him not be puft up: let him not lift up himſelf: let him have an eye to his poor Brother: let him not think ſcorne to be called the poor mans Brother. For let him be as rich as he can, yet Chriſt is richer, who would have them to be his Brethren, for whom he ſhed his bloud. It is too much to inſult over an enemy, but too too much ambitiouſly to triumph over a Brother, whoſe honour ſhould be accounted our reputation, whoſe diſgrace ſhould be eſteemed our proper infamy.

Ʋſe 3 Thirdly, it cryes down all unchriſtian contention among Chriſtians. Our caſe is Abrahams caſe. He yeelds to his nephew Lot for avoiding of quarrels, Let there be no ſtrive, I pray thee, Gen. 13.8. between me and thee, for we be Brethren. Yet we rather juſtifie the proverb, then follow Abraham. Fratrum quo que gratia rara eſt. Ovid Met. For as with naturall Brethren, ſo with us, Brethren ſeldome agree. Whence come ſo many ſuites about ſyllables, about words and trifles, but that we forget that we are Brethren? Contention may become enemies rather then Brethren, though indeed it become no man.

Ʋſe 4 Fourthly, the covetouſneſs of Chriſtians is likewiſe reproved. Juſtus ac ſapiens nemini injuriam facit. Scit enim cunctos ab eodem Deo, et eadem conditione generatos jure fraternitatis eſſe conjunctos. Lact. l. 5. c. 23. It becomes not Brethren to oppreſſe one another, that they may inrich themſelves. The just and wiſe mon, ſaith Lactantius, doth wrong to no man. For he knows that all they who are brought forth by the ſame God and in the ſame condition, are joyned together by the right of fraternity. It is an unnaturall cruelty for one Brother to oppreſſe another. Helpin • , not hindering, beſeemeth Brethren.

Ʋſe 5 Fifthly, here are we taught commiſeration and relieving the neceſſities of our Brethren. But we with the Prieſt and the Levite paſſe by another way when our brethren are in miſery, Luk. 10.31. and leave pity for the Samaritane. We know not how to pity others, but all our compaſſion terminates in our ſelves. When will he have pity on his brethren, Quando compat • etur frat •• , qui in propria voluntate neſ ••• compati ni ſi ſibi? Ber. de reſ. Dom. ſer. 2. who by his own good will knows not how to pity any body but himſelf? ſaith Bernard. The Divine ſhould pity other mens afflicted conſciences, as he would pity his own. The Lawyers ſhould be as tender over other mens cauſes, as if they were their own; and plead with as much earneſtneſs in other mens ſuites, as if their own inheritance lay at the ſtake. Fratribus noſtris inter quos vivimus, ipſo jure fraternitatiset ſocietatis humanae, conſi • i • ſumus et auxilii debitores. Ber. de advent. Domi. • er. The Phyſitian ſhould have a fellow-feeling of other mens pains, and cure their diſeaſes with as much tenderneſſe, as he would cure his own: For we are brethren. To our brethren among whom we live we owe both counſell and help by the very right of brotherhood and humane ſociety: this was Bernards judgment. In our Brethren we have the image of God to behold. Haſt thou thou ſeen thy Brother? ſaith Clemens, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Clem. Alex. Str. l. 1. thou hast ſeen thy God. And would any man ſuffer his God to want? Our Saviour preſſeth us to compaſſion with this argument, Mat. 25.40. In as much as ye have done it unto one of the leaſt of theſe my Brethren, ye have done it unto me. Brethren we are then in Chriſt, and Chriſt accounts what pity we ſhew to others, to be ſhewed to himſelf. And what ſtronger incouragement can any man have to commiſeration?

Ʋſe 6 Sixtly, we muſt ſeek for the glory of our family, and for the proſperous eſtate of the Church of God, becauſe we are Brethren. This was Davids affection to Sion, Pſal. 122.8, For my brethren and companions ſake, I will now ſay, Peace be within thee. By this means the houſe of Auſtria grew to their greatneſſe. They did all with joynt forces ſeek to maintain the glory of their houſe. So muſt we. The Magiſtrate muſt remember that his ſubjects are his Brethren, and may be right dear and precious in the ſight of God; and ſo muſt guide them in a pleaſing and cheerfull faſhion. The Miniſters muſt not be flatterers of great men to ſooth them in their oppreſſing of meaner perſons: but ſtudious of Gods glory, and ſeek for the publick benefit of the Church. The people muſt be obedient to the Magiſtrate, as to one of their own race ſet up by God for the raiſing of the whole houſe. They muſt alſo be perſwaded by the Miniſter, as by an elder Brother appointed by the Lord, for the inſtruction of the whole houſhold. They that throw ſtones in at the windowes ſtrike at the maſter of the family. They that oppoſe ſuperiours Eccleſiaſticall or Politicall, ſtrike at God himſelf, who hath committed their authority to them. They ſeek not the good of the family, but the ruine of it, while they goe about to disjoynt it.

Ʋſe 7 Sevently, falſe Brethren come here to be arraigned, who ſeek for the title of Brethren, but carry not themſelves like to Brethren. Some there are that are falſe to their Father, as the Papiſts, who boaſt of the Church and triumph in their Mothers title, but are idolatrous, and diſhonour their Father. Others are falſe to their Mother, as they of the Separation, who boaſt of God their Father, but caſt the fouleſt aſperſions they can upon the Church their Mother, wherein they were begotten to God, even themſelves being Judges: yet ſince they have forſaken and reviled her. Others are falſe to their Brethren, as Hypocrites, who bear a great ſhew of zeal to God, and love to the Church, but ſeek underhand to pull down the forwardeſt of their brethren. Such were the Phariſees, who ſeemed zealous to the people: but ſought underhand to pull down Chriſt and his Apoſtles. St. Paul concludes with theſe as with the moſt perilous of all his perils, 2 Cor. 11.26. I have been in perils among falſe Brethren. Such the Church of God hath ever had upon earth, and will have ever till it come in heaven.

Ʋſe 8 Laſtly, although we muſt love our Brethren according to the fleſh, yet our greateſt affection muſt be reſerved for our ſpirituall Brethren. All Davids delight was in the Saints: theſe he accounts the excellent of the earth. Pſal. 16.3. This Brotherhood will laſt when the other will decay. Theſe we ſhall finde faithfull upon earth. Theſe we ſhall have for companions in heaven. Greater and better is that fraternity, ſaith Auſtin, Major et melior eſt fraternitas Chriſti, quam ſanguinis. Sanguinis enim fraternitas, ſimilitudinem tantummodo corporis reſert: Chriſti autem fraternitas unanimitatem cordis animae que deinonſtrat. Illa interdum ſibi mimica eſt, Chriſti antem fraternitas ſine intermiſſione pacifica eſt. Illa inter ſe communia cum aemulatione dividet: haec etiam cum gratulatione communicat. Illa in conſortio ſaepe deſpicit germanos: haec aſſumit frequenter alienum. Aug de verb. Apoſt. ſer. 25. which we have in Chriſt, then that which we have in bloud. The latter carries only ſome bodily reſemblance: the former ſhews forth conſent of heart and minde. The latter ſometime is at enmity with it ſelfe: but the former is peaceable without intermiſſion. The latter divides things that are common to them with emulation: the former communicates with gratulation. The latter often deſpiſeth brethren, and refuſeth their ſociety: the former often admits the ſtanger. To conclude the point. Brethren in religion are to be preferred before Brethren in bloud, kindred in ſpirit, before kindred in fleſh. A laſting conſanguinity is to be prized above a vaniſhing: an eternall affinity far above a temporary.

Thus have I done with St. Pauls compellation: And now I come to St. Pauls application. Wherein I obſerve

Two things; 1. Pauls exhortation. 2. Gods vocation.

St. Pauls exhortation is contained in theſe words, For look upon your calling. Wherein our eyes muſt firſt be caſt upon the coherence; Gods fooliſhneſſe is wiſer then men; for men chuſe the greateſt, but God chuſeth the meaneſt. Where we may ſee plainly that Gods wayes are contrary to our wayes.

So much the Lord teacheth us by his Prophet, Iſa. 55.8, 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your wayes my wayes, ſaith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher then the earth, ſo are my wayes higher then your wayes, and my thoughts then your thoughts. This the Lord made good in the choiſe of David before all his elder brethren, contrary to the expectation of Samuel himſelf, whoſe errour in preferring Eliab, God corrects, and tels him, 1 Sam. 16.7, The Lord ſeeth not as man ſeeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. The Apoſtles ſome of them were poor fiſhermen, and followed Chriſt, looking at no further end, but the ſalvation of their own ſouls: But Gods wayes are above theirs. He hath a further reach then they could aime at: an higher ſtrain then they could aſpire unto. His purpoſe is to make mean fiſhermen great Apoſtles: Joh. 1.40, 41. Mat. 4.19. and thoſe that would have been fully ſatisfyed with the ſalvation of their own ſouls, to be the means to ſave many thouſand more. Thus are they made the pillars of the Church, and the fillers of heaven, who before were aboundantly ſatisfyed if they might but fill their nets with fiſh, and their ſouls with grace. This one example were ſufficient to make every one of us to cry out with St. Paul, O the depth of the riches, Rom. 11.13. both of the wiſdome and knowledge of God! how unſearcheable are his judgments and his wayes paſt finding out! Gods wiſdome doth infinitely exceed ours. There is a greater diſproprotion between them, then between a fountain that never dryes up, and a ſtanding pool whoſe waters are dryed up by the heat of Summer, and fail when there is moſt need of them. The wiſeſt men have need of the counſailes of others, and therefore Kings have their privy Councels. One mans head, though it were Solomons could not reach to all occurrents of State: If it could, yet muſt it have much time to plot and to conſider which is the beſt way to bring things to paſſe. Angels themſelves doubtleſſe accompliſh not Gods will without ſome kinde of meditations. But Gods wiſdome goes beyond Men and Angels. He needs no counſaile of others to direct him, nor no meditations of his own to fiſh one thing out of another. His wiſdome is alwayes ready. Nothing can happen ſo difficult, but he knows what to do without counſail or ſtudy. For he knew before what would be done, and had determined what he would bring out of it. Look now upon a wiſe man, and ſee what difference is between his wayes, and the wayes of a fool: He tunrnes and winds the fool which way he pleaſe. He overrules him in his own actions. What the fool intends for his own credit, he turnes to his diſcredit. Yet he knows not certainly what the fool intends. Only out of his wiſdome he gueſſeth by words and geſtures. No marvell then if God who knows all our purpoſes before we know them our ſelves, can turn our actions to other ends then we entend, nay to contrary ones. For as his wiſdome and ours, ſo his wayes and ours have an infinite diſproportion, and are further diſtant then the higheſt heaven from the center of the earth. Gods power alſo goes far beyond ours. Men may be potent: God is omnipotent. Their power is but weakneſſe compared unto his. God doth what he will: Men do what they can. When they have done what they can, God goes on with the work. He begins where they end, and turnes all to a new end which they never dreamed of. He ſubverteth the wayes of men by his power when he pleaſe: but all the world cannot hinder him in his purpoſes. The greateſt power that men have, is but a rivulet let out of the Ocean of Gods omnipotency. How often hath he clean altered the courſe of things? How often hath he croſſed the undaunted expectations of the proudeſt of the ſons of men? He hath ſent deliverance when naturall reaſon hath ſet nothing but deſtruction before mens eyes. He hath defeated proud Tyrants, who in their own hopes and hearts have undoubtedly eaten up, and ſwallowed down his people like bread. Thus doth God as it were play with the great affaires of the world. He brings light out of darkneſſe; darkneſſe out of light. He raiſeth ſuch as think themſelves ruined, and ruins them that think themſelves firmly rooted. Our ends are reeds: he ſhakes them when he pleaſe. His ends are cedars: we cannot reach to the top, nor dive to the bottome of them. His power and wiſdome do conſpire to ſhew ſtrong men their weakneſs, and wiſe men their folly by chocking their actions in the blade. Gods wayes differ from ours, becauſe they are ſecret, and unknown unto us. He gives his Commandements to men, but reveals not his ends and purpoſes to them. His revealed will we have in his word to direct us; his ſecret purpoſe concerning the event of all things he locks up in heaven, and keeps the key himſelf. Men that uſe the counſaile of others, are often diſappointed of their ends, becauſe their plots are revealed by them whoſe heads they were forced to make uſe of. But no man knows Gods ends, that he may reveal them. He knows ours, and can diſappoint them. We know not his, and therefore muſt ſubmit unto them: for we cannot (if we would) prevent them. A Mine may be prevented by a Countermine, if it be known or ſuſpected. Otherwiſe no man knows how to work underground to diſappoint it. Gods works are like Mines. No man knows where he works, what he intends, nor how to croſſe it. Yet he knows how to countermine the ſecreteſt of our actions, becauſe all things are open to him.

To conclude, the event in all Gods actions, anſwers to the intent. He never was, nor can be diſappointed. It is far otherwiſe with us. Other things ariſe out of our actions then we intended. Many evill things and croſſes happen which we could not prevent: many good things betide us which we could not expect, becauſe the ſucceſſe of our actions is unknown unto us. We judge of the ſucceſſe of our courſes by likelihoods, God only knows certainly what will be the event. We deal altogether by gueſſes, God proceeds out of a certain preſcience. No wonder then if his wayes be contrary to ours, and his counſailes do exceed ours, to the diſappointing of our hopes, and the curing of our fears. This have I preſſed • he more, becauſe in the greateſt occaſions of our life it is very uſefull. Many things happen to us beſides our expectation, not out of any worldly reaſon, but out of Gods • erruling hand, who aimes at deeper • nds.

Ʋſe 1 Firſt, from hence then we learn a leſſon of patience. When our actions • e croſſed, and evill happens to us where we expected good, we muſt look up to God, and acknowledge that his • nds have gone beyond ours. It is • r ſuch as doubt of, or deny Gods • rovidence, to fret when their hopes • re fruſtrated, who think they are • oſſed by their enemies or by ſome • ance. But we that know Gods wayes • o be contrary to ours, muſt not be • und reſiſters of God. Gamaliel wiſely • dviſes the Phariſees, when they were • oubled to ſee that religion grow • hich they would fain have ſup • reſſed, to reſt quiet, For, ſaith he, 〈◊〉 it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, Act. 5.39. leſt apply ye be found even to fight againſt • ed. A hard leſſon it is for men to • eſt ſatisfyed when their ends are • roſſed. Achitophel forſakes David, and leaves to Abſolom, that he may be the Oracle of Iſrael, and King and State guided by him. When he ſees his counſail neglected, and Huſhai's followed, all his wiſdome cannot ſatisfie him, 2 Sam. 17.23. He puts his houſhold in order, and hangs himſelf. Cato the embleme of morality, yet had ſo proud an heart, that when he ſaw his ends croſſed, and himſelf likely to become ſubject to Ceſar, he kils himſelf. They that aime moſt at their own ends, leave no ſtone unrowled, that may help to accompliſh them. But God ſets himſelf againſt them, and puls down their ends to ſet up his. They never look up to ſee who croſſeth them, but in a paſſionate diſcontent turne Achitophels, and for want of other, prove their own executioners. Religion teacheth us to attribute all to Gods providence. It ſhews that his purpoſes often differ infinitely from ours. It perſwades us that his drifts muſt ſtand, and therefore ours cannot. Upon theſe ſure grounds it brings us to patience in the greateſt • croſſes. We breed children for comfort, and they prove croſſes. We trade for profit, and our trading undoes us. This is marvailous in our eyes, yet we bear it patiently, becauſe it is the Lords doing.

Ʋſe 2 Secondly, from hence we learn a leſſon of temperance and watchfulneſſe. The world comes upon men ſometimes before they be aware. Inheritances, Merchandiſe and Treaſure, fals upon us unlookt for, and ſometimes when we are aſleep. This we muſt acknowledge to be Gods work, whoſe power goes beyond ours: who wakes for us when we ſleep. But to what end God doth it, that paſſeth our capacity. Some men are ſuddainly exalted, that they may have the greater fall. Thus God profeſſeth that he dealt with Pharaoh, Exod. 9.16. And in very deed for this cauſe have I raiſed thee up, for to ſhew in thee my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. The higheſt Towers have the greateſt fals. Low ſhrubs outſtand the fury of the winds, when tall and aged Okes are tumbled down. Gods hand lights heavy upon the greateſt oftentimes, when the meaneſt eſcape. Great ones act a part in the Tragedy of Gods anger, when mean men are but ſpectatours. Mighty ones fall with their own weight. Gods lightnings light upon the hardeſt things, and paſſe by the ſofter. David in the height of his proſperity, Pſal. 30.6, 7. upon Gods turning away his face, is troubled. He that lifts up, can pull down. God keeps the reins of our proſperity in his own hand; he lets them out, and puls them in at his own pleaſure. If therefore unexpected proſperity fall upon us, let us be ſober and temperate in the uſe of all worldly comforts, leſt God do but fatten us like the Oxe to deſtruction, and make us an high example of his mercy, that he may make us a deep preſident of his power and juſtice.

Thus have I done with the coherence, and come to faſten my meditations upon the matter obſervable.

It is not their riches, nor their wiſdome, nor any thing in themſelves that the Apoſtle bids them look upon, but their calling.

Gods calling of his ſervants is worth obſerving and looking into.

It is reckoned by the Apoſtle as a ſpeciall priviledge even in Rome, and greater then the freedome of the City, Among whom, Rom. 1.6. ſaith he, yee alſo are the called of Jeſus Chriſt. It is St. Pauls wiſh, that God would give to the Epheſians the Spirit of wiſdome, and enlighten the eyes of their underſtanding, that they might know what is the hope of his calling, Eph. 1.18. and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints. Worth inſpection is this heavenly calling, were it but for Gods ſake, who is the caller. His works contain far more within them, then the outſide promiſes. Nutſhels are but trifles, yet the kernels give contentment to the eater. Oiſterſhels are caſt to the dunghill, yet the fiſh is meat for curious palats. Many men have but little-promiſing countenances, that have deep-reaching underſtandings. The ceremonies of the Law are but trifles to look upon, yet were there deep myſteries contained • nder them. Men judge of works not • o much by the outſide, as by the fame • f the workman. Books are often ſold upon the Authors credit. Gods works • re of ſuch a value, as whatſoever they promiſe at firſt ſight, we are ſure much good matter is to be obſerved in them, • nd from them. Now we are not cal • ed by any mortall Prince, but by the • mmortall God, whoſe ends are often • r different from mortall mens.

Our calling is the more conſiderable becauſe of our former miſery, out of which Gods calling delivers us. So Davids preferment was the greater when he was made a King, becauſe he was taken from following the Ewes with young. Pſal. 78.70, 71, 72. Gen. 32.10. Jacobs two bands were the greater riches, becauſe with his ſtaffe only he went over Jordan. The mercy of the caller is the greater, becauſe of the miſery the called did endure before. Our condition was obſcure before; now it is famous. It was ſervil before; now it is free. It was full of impiety formerly; but now God hath planted piety in us. It was loaden with impiety at firſt; yet now our hearts are ſet upon equity and righteouſneſſe. This promotion of ours cals for the more inſpection, becauſe of the high honour and great riches we are called unto. What greater honour then to be Gods children? What greater riches then the inheritance of the kingdome of heaven? 1 Theſſ. 2.12. Walke worthy of Go • who hath called you unto his kingdom • and glory. Great diſproportion there i • betwixt darkneſſe and light, Eph. 5.8. Ye wer • ſometimes darkneſſe, but now are ye ligh • in the Lord. No leſſe difference between life and death, 1 Joh. 3.14. Yet we know that we have paſſed from death to life. Every man is willing to underſtand his own honours. And we count them but bad husbands that dive not into their own Eſtates, and are ignorant of their own Poſſeſſions. Look then how far ſpirituall honours and treaſures goe beyond temporall, the ſoul beyond the body, immortall poſſeſſions beyond mortall; ſo much the more reaſon have we to pry carefully into our vocation, and all the circumſtances of it, and dependences upon it. Laſtly, conſider we the way which God cals us by, and that is his word. Great is the power of Gods word, and worthy to be lookt into. By it God made the world, and all the creatures in it. By it he brought all things out of nothing. By it he brought light out of darkneſſe. Yet hath Gods word a very different operation in calling of ſinners. The ſame Sermon reclaimes one, and offends another. One man obeyes it, and another reſiſts. This diverſity of operation proceeds not out of the diverſity of the ſoil, for we are all naturally corrupted. But it comes from the aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit joyned to the Preaching of the Word, or reſtrained from it. And are not all theſe things worthy of admiration?

Ʋſe 1 A ſort of ſecure perſons come here to be cenſured, who ſlight Gods choiſe and calling. They never look into the worth nor the price of it. Yet are they wonderfull curious in obſervation of earthly things. They fully underſtand what belongs to their inheritances. There is no corner of their offices unſearched. If new honours be beſtowed upon them, they know quickly how to take ſtate upon them. But although God dayly call men by the myſtery of the Word, yet do they never look into the worth of that heavenly calling. Hence it comes to paſſe that this ſpirituall honour is ſlighted. This is the cauſe why the means of ſalvation is neglected; becauſe men never look into the worth of our vocation. Yet in the mean while worldly ſtudies are embraced: all means of gain and new projects, are attended. Yea ſuch as often end in loſſe, are embraced in hope of gaine, becauſe men enriouſly pry into every hole where worldly profit may hide her ſelf, but neglect to take to peeces and view the ſeverall parts of our divine vocation.

Ʋſe 2 Yet let their careleſneſſe make us the more carefull. Let their negligence make us the more diligent in ſearching the myſteries of our calling. Let us looke into all the parts of it. This is the way to make us thankfull to God that hath called us. This is the way to make us profitable to men that are not yet called. Let us when we look up to God that cals us, remember his greatneſſe. Let us when we look downward to the miſery out of which he hath called us, remember the depth of it. Let us when we look forward to the honour unto which he hath called us, ponder upon the height of it. Let us when we look backward upon the means whereby he hath called us, conſider the ineffectualneſſe of them upon others. So ſhall we finde the totall ſum to be this, That the higheſt God hath called us out of the loweſt degree of miſery to the greateſt ſtep of glory out of his own grace and free mercy.

One thing more ere we leave St. Pauls exhortation, offers it ſelf to our meditation. He bids them not look upon other mens calling, but their own; Look upon your calling. Remember how mean ye were once, and how miſerable, whom God by his calling hath now made ſo high and glorious.

Such as be exalted by God muſt often call to minde their former meann • ſſe.

Such a meditation it was that made David a King to cry out, Who am I O Lord God, 2 Sam. 7.18. and what is my houſe, that thou haſt brought me hitherto? And St. Paul a glorious Apoſtle remembers himſelf, and leaves it written for others to read, that he had been a blaſphemer, 1 Tim. 1.13. a perſecutour, and injurious. A low meditation for an high Apoſtle, yet very profitable to himſelf, and exemplary to others.

Many and great are the commodities that ariſe to the higheſt of men from ſuch low meditations as theſe. Benefits of remembring our low eſtate.

Firſt, Thankfulneſſe. it breeds thankfulneſſe to God that hath preferd them. As for generall favours that are common to us and others, they do not ſo much affect us, much leſſe make us thankfull to God, as thoſe peculiar mercies which are proper to us, and which others have no ſhare in. Thus the remembrance of our own particular baſeneſſe, firſt affects us with joy, and then ſtirs us up to thankfulneſſe towards God.

Secondly, Admiration of Gods providence. it breeds admiration of Gods providence in us, who raiſeth up the poor out of the duſt, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; Pſal. 113.7, 8. that he may ſet him with Princes; even with the Princes of his people. The changes that are wrought in others, do not commend Gods providence to our cogitations, ſo much as thoſe that are wrought in our ſelves. Gods providence then, which though it work many ſtrange things for others, and it may be more ſtrange then it works for us, is ſlighted and neglected by us, by calling to minde our former lowneſſe is highly wondered at by us and admired.

Thirdly, Patience. it brings forth patience in all adverſities, that can happen unto us. There can nothing happen to ſuch as are exalted from a low to an high eſtate, but the ſame or the like they have had experience of before. If poverty fall upon them, they have been poor before. If want trouble them, they have been in want before. Experience makes a man better able to bear any calamity. Theſe things may be ſtrange to ſuch as never knew what want meant: that were nobly borne and richly provided for by their parents. But to him that hath been in a Sea of wants and tempeſts of troubles before, though he have had a calme of plenty between, theſe ſecond ſtormes are far more portable then to the other freſhwater Souldiers.

Fourthly, Sobriety. it produceth ſobriety in them. They have learned by experience, what it is to want fleſh and food, and apparell, and other comforts; and therefore will not abuſe Gods gifts and bleſſings, leſt God take them away, and reduce them to their former neceſſities.

Fifthly, Humility. it makes them humble to remember how low they have been before either in their ſpiritual or temporal condition. They that always have been rich, or great, or civilly good, are eaſily puffed up. But ſuch as have taſted of poverty, or been ſcandalous in their courſes, are more eaſily humbled. Thus Abraham humbles himſelf before God by calling to minde his beginning, duſt and aſhes. Whereupon Baſil of Seleucia infers, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Baſil. Seleuc. Orat. 28. There might you have ſeen an unuſuall thing, a tongue made of earth talking of heavenly things. When Abraham ſet it as a preface before his ſpeach, I am duſt and aſhes, then did he by the acknowledgment of his nature moſt of all exceed the bounds of nature in worth and dignity. So alſo Moſes, Abrahams ſucceſſour in manners, being made more honourable by his conference with God, caſt downe himſelf as a vile perſon, ſaying, I am ſlow of ſpeach and of a ſlow tongue. For look, how much he puls down high-mindnedneſſe, ſo much doth he draw grace unto himſelfe: and the power of humility is the meaſure of encreaſing grace.

How great the benefit is that ariſeth out of the remembrance of our former condition, Magnus eſſe 〈◊〉 a minimo incipe. Cogitas magnam fabricam conſtruere celſt • udinis? de functarnemo prius cogita humi • itat • s. De verb. Dom. ſer. 10. and how great a furtherance it is to true humility, Auguſtine very well underſtood, and therefore preſcribes it as the road-way to exaltation: Wouldeſt thou be great? ſaith he, begin at the leaſt. Doſt thou intend to build a great frame and an high one? think firſt of the foundation of humility. Now of all thoughts that can come into a mans minde, there is nothing more fit to humble him, then the remembrance of his low eſtate before God exalted him.

Sixtly, Charity. it workes in us Charity to thoſe that are in a mean condition. They that have never felt poverty themſelves, know not how to pity others. Such as were never afflicted in minde themſelves, eſteem light of other mens pangs. But they that have been low, know how to commiſerate ſuch as are mean, though they be now advanced.

Ʋſe 1 The firſt concernes all true Chriſtians in generall: they have been limbs of Satan, now they are members of Chriſt. Think often what ye have been. A Chriſtian muſt have two ſpirituall eyes: one of memory, to look backward to what he hath been; the other of providence, to look forward to what he may be. The former will make him humble; the latter will make him wary. The profit of this looking backward will appear in his prayers, and in his prayſes. In his prayers, for it will force him to call upon God in an humble and lowly manner, and to ſay with the prodigall, Luk. 15.21. I am no more worthy to be called thy Son. In his prayſes it will make him ever to ſlight his own, and to magnifie Gods goodneſſe, ſaying with Jacob, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant. Gen. 32.10. It is a ſpeciall worke of grace, to make a man humble that hath grace. Nature would teach him to be puffed up and to contemne all others, that are beneath him, yea to condemne them for reprobates and naturaliſts; but grace teacheth him to remember what he was of himſelf, and what he is, it tels him, comes of Gods grace. His own meanneſſe then muſt humble him, but Gods goodneſſe muſt not make him proud.

Ʋſe 2 Secondly, it concernes ſuch Chriſtians in particular as have been raiſed from poverty to great meanes and honour. It cals upon them to be mindfull of their former penury. The dung that yeelds a noyſome ſavour to the noſe, being laid upon the ground, makes it fruitfull: So doth the remembrance of mens former poverty bring forth many good fruits of humility and liberality in them, although it be diſpleaſing to the pride of nature. Meekneſſe and lowlineſſe of heart become Godly men, though they grow great in the world. Pius in eo quod mitis eſt, nulla adverſitate frangitur: in eo autem quod humilis eſt, nulla proſperitate, vel gloria elevatur. Aug. ad frat. in eremo. ſer. 16. A godly man, ſaith Auguſtine, becauſe he is meek, is broken by no adverſity: and becauſe he is humble, he is not lifted up by any proſperity of glory. It is no ſhame for the greateſt in the world to remember that they have been mean. It is profitable to remember it, but very prejudiciall to forget it.

Ʋſe 3 Thirdly, let not ſuch as are oblivious, be offended if Gods miniſters put them in minde ſometimes of their low and forgotten condition. St. Paul puts the Corinthians in mind of what they had been, after they were waſhed. Having ſpoken before of Theeves, and Covetous and Drunkards, and the like, he addeth, 1 Cor. 6 11. And ſuch were ſome of you. The Coloſſians he admoniſheth more largely, For theſe things ſake cometh the wrath of God on the children of diſobedience, Col. 3.6, 7. in the which ye alſo walked ſometime, when ye lived in them. But moſt largely of all he rubs up the memory of the Epheſians; Remember that ye being in times paſſed Gentiles in the fleſh, Eph. 2.11, 12. who are called uncircumciſion by that which is called circumciſion in the fleſtirmade by hands, That at that time ye •• ere without Chriſt, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the covenants of promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the world. And have not we as much need to be put in mind of it as they? Let us then hear and • ear it with patience.

Thus much for St. Pauls exhortation.

Now followes Gods vocation. In which we are to note:

1. The perſons called or choſen.

2. The impulſive cauſe.

The perſons are deſcribed two wayes.

Firſt, Negatively.

Secondly, Affirmatively.

Negatively in theſe words. How that •• t many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. In which words obſerve,

1. The condition excluded.

2. The limitation.

For the condition of men that are excluded, they are called wiſe according to the fleſh, mighty and noble.

The naturall good things of ſoul, body and eſtate prove more often impediments to ſalvation, then furtherances.

Rich men are often the greateſt enemies of Religion and religious perſons. This St. James acquaints us withall, Do not rich men oppoſe you, Jam. 2.6, 7. and draw you • before the judgment-ſeates? Do not they blaſpheme that worthy name by the which yee are called? The rich Citizens of Jeruſalem, the wiſe Scribes, the chief Prieſts, the noble King Herod, all oppoſe themſelves againſt our bleſſed Saviour. So we are taught by the Evangeliſt, Mat. 2.3. Whe • Herod the King had heard theſe things, he • was troubled and all Jeruſalem with him, And in the verſe following he imploye • the chief Prieſts and Scribes to find ou • the Meſſias that he may deſtroy him▪ So far were they from ſeeking ſalvation from him. This point that it may ſink the deeper, we will take it 〈◊〉 pieces, and ſhew what impediments 〈◊〉 ſalvation

Are 1. Naturall wiſdome, 2. Riches and Greatneſſe, 3. Nobility and honour

Firſt for knowledge and naturall wiſdome. 1 Cor. 8.1. It puffes up thoſe that have it. It is like boyles and ſwellings that grow upon the body, which make the bulk of the body the greater, but yeeld no benefit to the body at all. Thus knowledge often puffes up the mind, but doth not edifie it. And thus Ambroſe gloſſeth upon the text, they are called wiſe according to the fleſh, becauſe they are rather puffed up with the wiſdome of the world, then truly learned. Mundi rationibus inſtati magis quam eruditi ſunt. Ambroſe on the text. Mat. 11.25. Now what little acquaintance God hath with theſe wiſe and proud perſons our Saviour teacheth us, Thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent. And that made Auguſtine to cry out, Behold, Auſtin ſaid thus in a Sermon, Ecce ipſi idiotae rapiunt coelum, ubi nos ſapientes in inſerno mergimur. Pierce Plowm. viſion. Paſſ. 10. the very idiots ſnatch the kingdome of heaven, while we wiſe men are overwhelmed in hell fire. Neither doth knowledge make men proud only, but alſo curious. That excellent naturall capacity that God hath given them to enquire after neceſſary things, they uſe it to dive into unneceſſary queſtions. The grounds of Religion they deſpiſe, as common things fit for vulgar capacities, and table-talke for ſhallow brains. Curious things they pry into, and ſuch as neither God hath revealed, nor man can comprehend. Thus while they ſpend their choiſeſt thoughts, and chiefeſt times about needleſſe niceties, like the men of Sodome while they ſeek the door, Gen. 19.11. they loſe their eyes. While they ſeek to be wiſer then others, they loſe the felicity that meaner wits through Gods grace attain unto. 1 Sam. 6.19. And as the men of Bethſhemeſh pry into the Arke, and loſe their lives: ſo do theſe curious Maſters dive into quiddities, while they loſe their ſouls. Hence it is that none of theſe want their rare inventions, which they magnifie themſelves, while other men laugh at them, as idle crotchets. They do te upon thoſe opinions that meaner men upon better grounds explode, and like Lucifer ſink down into hell, while their thoughts mount up above heaven. By theſe means knowledge becomes the bane of many great Clerks, while ſimple men attain eternal happineſſe.

Secondly, Diſcommodities of Riches. Riches and greatneſſe prove the ruine of many.

1. Pride. Becauſe they lift up the ſoul. He that wants nothing, knows not what need he hath of God or Man. Now as the ſenſe of want humbles the ſoul; ſo the contrary exalts and lifts it up. The great man and rich, hath for his coyne the uſe and command of the beſt of Gods creatures for food and apparell, and other neceſſary uſes. Yea men like himſelf, and choiſe ones too, are fain to attend upon him. This lifts up his heart within him, and ſo hinders him from the care of ſaving his poor and miſerable ſoul. Omnibus nobis ut res dant ſeſe, ita magni ai que humiles ſumus. Ter. Hec. The Heathen man could ſay, that our minds ebbe and flow with our means, and we grow higher or lower in our own conceits, as riches offer themſelves more o • leſſe unto us. Salvian counts pride the richmans inheritance, Taceatur ſuperbia et tumor, tam p •• uliare hoc divitem re • rum eſt, ut • liquid forſitan de tur • ſuo 〈◊〉 p •• ent p •• dere, 〈◊〉 hinc ſila alius quicquam veluerit vendicare. Salv. de gub. Dei. lib. 7. as if poor men that were proud did him open wrong. To ſay nothing, quoth he, of pride and ſwelling, wich is the rich mans peculiar kingdome, ſo that perhaps they would imagine, that they had loſt ſome part of their own right, if any man elſe ſhould challenge any part thereof from them. So hard a thing is i • for a rich man to be humble, and much harder for a proud man, between whom and his Creator there is ſuch an antipathy, to come to the Kingdome of heaven.

2. Becauſe riches delight the ſoul, Delight. and afford many pleaſures to it, which poor men cannot reach. And the ſoul when it is delighted, growes ſecure, like Peter upon the mount, concluding, Maſter it is good to be here. Mat. 17.4. Thus riches ſteal away the hearts of men from Religion. It is an hard thing for a man to paſſe from delights on earth to delights in heaven.

3. Trouble. Becauſe they fill the ſoul with cares, fears and griefs. The rich man vexeth himſelf with his own proſperities. He is more dejected oftentimes with fear of loſſe, then comforted with poſſeſſion of plentifull means. They are like paſſengers in a ſhip in the midſt of a ſtorm; when the wind blows ſtiffe upon them, they are hardly able to keep the hatches: So do fears and cares blow ſo ſtiffely on the ſoul, that every moment it is in danger of periſhing. Every morning affords new cares. What ſhall I do with my money? Luk. 12.17. My barns are too little for my corne? Shall I turn Merchant? Every wind will make my heart ake. Pirates will get in a moment what I have laboured for many a year. Shall I buy Lands? I may ſpend half the price of the purchaſe in trying the title. Shall I put my money to uſe? Beſides the unquietneſſe my own conſcience may afford me, and the ſcandall of the Church, I may loſe my principall while I ſtudy the Table of Intereſt. Theſe are the rich mans cares and fears. The rich mans labour (ſaith Bernard) is in plotting inwardly, Sudat pauper in opere for is, ſed numquid minus anxie dives • nt us in ipſa ſua cogitatione laborat? Bern. de obed. pat. et. ſap. while the poor man ſweats in labouring outwardly. One ſweats in body, the other in minde. One toyles to get to ſupply his wants, the other toyles and cares to diſpoſe of his goods to the beſt advantage. Theſe cares keep the rich man from caring for heaven. The farme, Luk. 14.18, 19. the oxen muſt not be neglected, though the ſoul be famiſhed and deprived of her part of the heavenly banquet. Mat. 13.22. Theſe are the thornes in the parable, that choak the good ſeed and make it unfruitfull. Whereupon Ludolphus elegantly, Divitiae ſpinae ſunt, quia ſicut ſpinae ſuis punctionibus corpus laniant, et cruentant, ac ſaedum in oculis h • minum red dunt • ſic divitiae curis ſuis vulnus animae infligunt, et miſeram • coram oculis Dei faciunt. Ludolph. de vita Chriſt. Part. 1. c. 64. Riches are thornes, becauſe as thornes with their prickles, tear the body, and wound it, and make it bloudy and filthy in the eyes of men: ſo riches with their cares wound the ſoul, and make it filthy in the ſight of God. Yet many count it a pleaſure to be under theſe thornes, and as ſoon as they begin to think of ſpirituall affaires, by and by thruſt themſelves into worldly cares again. So great impediments are worldly riches to heavenly happineſſe.

4. Neglect. Riches make men neglect and ſlight the meanes of ſalvation. What cares he for prayer, or for hearing Gods word, that hath his God in his purſe? What care takes he for his ſoul, that hath his body ſo pampered that he knows not what belongs to inward or outward neceſſities? Or if ſome ſlight thought of another world run through his mind, yet it paſſeth away like a travailer. So many accounts are to be taken, ſo many reckonings to be caſt up, ſo many ſervants to be lookt after, ſo many buſineſſes to be ordered, that the Preacher may ſpeak to poor folkes, Sicut ovis converſans inter ſpinas ſemper ibi de lana dimittit: ſic vacans curis temporalibus et mundo multa bona ſpiritualia amittit. Lud. de vit. Ch • . p. 1. c. • 4. that have little elſe to do: they are otherwiſe imployed. As the ſheep rubbing againſt the thornes, leaves alwayes ſome of his wooll behind: ſo be that attends upon worldly cares, loſeth many ſpirituall comforts. Thus grow men rich in ſtate by trading in the world, and poor in ſoul by neglecting to drive a more profitable trade, which tends to a better world.

5. Wickedneſſe. Riches provoke the heart to many unlawfull things. Without theſe ſin wants her wings: Drunkenneſſe, Gluttony, Wantonneſſe, Pride, require a ſtocke to maintain them, for vices are more coſtly then virtues. Virtue obſerves a mean, but vice knows none. They do enlarge our skore, and make our reckoning the greater at the day of judgment. Seldome do ſervants run in arrears with their Maſters, Pierce Plowmans Viſion. Paſſ. 10. but Stewards often. The former is betruſted only with their work; the latter with their goods. So rich men run further into Gods books then poor. Thus ſtrangely do we alter the nature of things, and make goods evills. We know not how to enjoy the comfort of a plentifull eſtate, Facimus rem bonorum operum materiam tantum eſſe vitiorum. Mutamus naturas rerum iniquitatibus noſtris. Salv. de gub. Dei. l. 6. without overflowing and running into wickedneſſe. We make, ſaith Salvian, the ſubſtance of good things to be only matter of vices. By our iniquities we alter the very nature of the things themſelves. So thoſe things that are good in themſelves prove hurtfull to us, as the ſame Father gravely elſewhere admoniſheth, ſaying, Impediment a ſunt haec, non adjumenta, onera, non ſubſidia. Bona appellantur, cum ſint cauſae malorum aeternorum. contra avar. l. 2 Theſe things are hinderers, not helpers, burdens they are, not aides. They are called goods, but indeed they prove the cauſes of eternall evills. Too many may lament this in themſelves, which this good man compaſſionately bewailes in others. The luxury and prodigality of rich men gives too plain an evidence of this truth. So that we may boldly affirme with Clemens, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . C • m Al • x. liv. 2. cap. 3. Riches ill adminiſted are the magazine of miſchief The heathen man could informe us, that Riches are even as the minde of him that poſſeſſeth them. To him that knows how to uſe them, they are good: to him that uſeth them amiſſe, Haec per inde ſant ut Illius animus, qut ea p • ſſi let. Qui u • t ſe • t, ci hona • illi qut non uti tur • ec • e, mala. Ter. Heaut. Act. 1. Sc. 2. they are evill And how hard a thing it is to uſe them a right, appears by the dayly abuſe of them, which ariſeth out of naturall corruption, and careleſneſſe. So are we judiciouſly informed by I eo, There compaſſe us about on every ſide dangers of innumerable ſinnes, and we paſſe through the lawfull uſe of things to immoderate exceſſe: Circumſtant undi que puricula innumerabili • um d • li ••• rum, et per licit •• uſus ad immoder • atos tranſi • ur exceſſus, dum per curam ſalatis obrepitdel • ctatio volunt •• is, et non ſufficit c • n • up • ſ • emiae, qued p • te • t ſatis eſſe naturae. Leo de quadrag. ſer. 11. for delights and pleaſures creep into us under the title of care of our health: neither can thoſe things ſuffice concupiſcence, that might give nature comentment. So eaſie a thing is it to paſſe from uſe to abuſe. So hard a thing to moderate the ſailes of our affections, when the winds of riches drive us to the quick-ſands of unlawfull pleaſures.

6. Hardneſſe of heart. Wealth hardens the heart in unlawfull courſes, and keeps it in impenitency. Luk. 15. Poor men are with the prodigall child brought home ſometimes by want. Sometimes the ſhame of the world affrights them, becauſe they want means to hide their offences. Sometimes the execution of good laws drives them from evill. But rich men know how to prevent all theſe means of reclaiming. They can for coyne make other men father their Baſtards, and ſtop the wheel of execution, that good laws may not bruiſe them. The threatnings of Gods law that breake poor mens hearts, do but harden rich mens; as the ſun-beams which ſoften the wax do nevertheleſſe make the clay harder. We threaten death, and they live. We threaten poverty, and they are rich. We threaten want, and they abound. Long enough may we threaten ere they amend. If we ſeek by fair means to reclaime them, what care they for promiſed happineſſe, who think they have attained preſent ſelicity? All theſe things conſidered we muſt needs conclude, that the wealth of the world, however it be in great requeſt here, and of ſpeciall uſe to command ſuch worldly comforts, as time and place afford, yet is it oftentimes a great impediment to the ſerious ſeeking of the kingdome of heaven.

Now for the third member of our diviſion. The damage of Honour.

Nobility and honours are no little lets and pul-backs in the paths of piety.

Firſt, it layes them open to much flattery. As the Crowes flutter about carrion, where there is hope of food, ſo flatterers prove good trenchermen at great mens tables. Carneades in Plut. Com. de adulat. et amico diſcern. The Philoſopher being demanded the reaſon, why great mens ſons learne nothing ſo well as to ride, anſwered, becauſe the horſe would not flatter. If they cannot ride well, they muſt fall. Other things they cannot learn ſo well, becauſe their friends and ſervants flatter them, being either affraid to offend them, or hoping to get by them.

Secondly, it makes them lyable to luxury. They do not conceive themſelves ſubject to laws ſo much as other men. Their inbred corruption is the fire. Their wealth is the fuel, that • akes it burn more fiercely. Their at • ndants are the bellowes that blow the • re. Salvian complaines, Servilibus vitiis etiam nobiles polluuntur. Illa quae in ſervis peccata puniunt, ipſi quaſi licita committunt. Quotus n. quiſque eſt connubii ſacramentum conſervans? cui non demus ac familia ſua ſcor tum ſit? Salv. de gub. Dei. l. 4. that Noble • r ſonages were polluted with ſervile vices. • nd that, Thoſe vices which they puniſhed 〈◊〉 their ſervants, themſelves committed as • wfull things. Who is there among them, • ith he, that keeps his promiſe in marriage? Who is there whoſe houſe ſerves not for a • rumpet to him?

Thirdly, it makes them impatient. They are greater then other men, and • herefore know not how to bear croſſes • hat come from God. They conſider what men owe them, but they conſider not what they owe to God. And much leſſe can they bear rebukes from men; no not from Gods Mini • ters. Their greatneſſe makes them ſo • lind, that they cannot ſee their own • rrours, and ſo deaf, that they cannot • ear others with patience reveal them, although they ſeek not to diſgrace nor deſtroy them, but to amend and ſave their ſouls. They think that infericurs ſhould be ſilent, and ſuffer their ſuperiours quietly to goe to hell, and ſay nothing to the contrary.

Fourthly, honour and greatneſſe often breeds oppreſſion of meaner perſons. For great men look not upon a ſuperiour law of God or Man, nor upon a future account, but upon their preſent power, and the weakneſſe of their neighbours. This we may ſee in warres, in robberies, in covetous perſons that have power over others how forgetfull they are of law and right, how far they ſtretch their own power and greatneſſe. Too much honour or greatneſſe put upon one man, proves often hurtfull to a whole nation as in the body the overflowing of one humour endangers the life it ſelf, and threatens the ruine of the whole. He that is on the top of an hill, forgets how he came up, and overlooks all the countrey about him: ſo great men eaſily forget their common originall, and trample inferiours under their feet. For fear of this Moſes enjoynes the future King of Iſrael, whoſoever he ſhould be, to write him out a copy of the law, and to read therein dayly, Dent. 17.20. That his heart be not not lifted up above his brethren. Great men that are Covetous or Luxurious, no bands of nature can keep them from oppreſſion, as Baſil of Seleucia comments upon the ſtory of Herod, O the ••• e fetches, ſaith he, of Satans fury! 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Baſ. Seleuc. in Hero • aden. He • akes the King his executioner upon John. •• e ſaw indeed that Herod was a Lord of •• en, but a ſlave of paſſions. He ſaw the •• ing a ſervant of intemperance, and a Ruler •• deed in the ſhew of his power, but over •• led by the weakneſſe of his ſoul. Look •• ell upon the ſleight of the Devill, how he •• aws him from ſlighter errours to impiety. • irſt he makes him a violatour of his Bro • ers bed, that he may from the pit of adul •• y make him venture upon the ſlaughter of • ohn the Baptiſt. Now this miſchief in time • eing bred up grew into all licentiouſneſſe. He • akes his brothers wife his own, while the bro • er lives and looks on, uſing the authority • f his royal power for an helper to his intempe • ency, while he couples his lawleſſe purpoſe • ith his inbred boldneſſe.

This hurt doth honour and great • neſſe often bring to a man: it makes • his skore of oppreſſion to be much the • onger. For honours, ſaith Ludolphus, are as certain logges which increaſe the fire i • the torments of hell. Honores n. ſunt quaſi quaedam ligna ad augmentandum, ignem in futura po • na. Lud. de vit. Chr. p. 1. • . 68, f. 5. So that althoug • wit, honour, and riches be Gods goo • gifts, and might be ſo uſed that they might further our ſalvation, yet ſuch i • the ſtrength of corruption within us, that they prove great impediments to grace, and often ſhut up the gates o • heaven againſt us, and increaſe our otherwiſe deſerved condemnation.

To bring home all that hath bee • ſpoken in this point. I muſt divide the ſonnes of men into ſeverall ſtations, as God hath divided them in their means. I may ranke them all in the three degrees of Compariſon. In the Poſitive, I may put the poor: in the Comparative, the mean ſort of men: in the Superlative, the rich. Some leſſons o • profit I may hence read to them all, and as the order of the diviſion requireth, I will begin with the poor, becauſe as they have leaſt, ſo I have leaſt to ſay to them.

The mouths of the poor are ever open againſt the rich. The conſideraon of their own wants, and comparing them with the aboundance of other men makes them foul-mouthed, becauſe they want grace as well as money. Let theſe envious complaints ceaſe. What if rich men have the wind always proſperous? yet have they it ſo violent withall, that it oftner overturnes them in the ſea, then brings them ſafe into the haven. Envy them not then, but labour to be richer in grace then they are in wealth. So mayeſt thou be happyer. Lazarus envied not the rich man, for he was happyer himſelf. Sine domo, non ſine Domino: ſine veſte, non ſine fide: ſine cibo, non ſine Chriſto: canibus expoſitus, ſed Angelorum ſocius. Fulg. Ep. 2. He was bouſe-leſſe, ſaith Fulgentius, but not Lord • eſſe: without apparell, not without faith: • e wanted food, but wanted not Chriſt to feed upon: he was expoſed to the dogs while he lived, but received for a companion of Angels when he dyed. Conſider well their troubles and dangers with their riches, and the happineſſe that thou mayeſt have without them, and then, Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of evill doers, Pſ. 37.1, 2, 3, 4. neither be thou envious againſt the workers of iniquity. For they ſhall ſoon be cut down like the graſſe, and wither as the green herbe. But do thou truſt in the Lord, and do good: ſo ſhalt thou dwell in the Land, and verily thou ſhalt be fed. Delight thy ſelf alſo in the Lord, and he ſhall give thee the deſires of thine heart.

Secondly, as poor mens thoughts are often envious, ſo their defires are for the moſt part boundleſſe. They think none happy but richmen and great men: and the more rich, the more happy. This conceit makes them ſwallow an ocean of riches in their wiſhes. Let them learn for time to come to moderate their deſires of thoſe things that may prove great impediments to the ſaving of their ſouls. Let them pray with Agur the ſon of Jakeh, Prov. 30.8, 9. Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me; leſt I be full and deny thee, and ſay, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and ſteal, and take the name of my God in vain.

Now for men of middle condition that are neither ſo rich as to give much, nor ſo poor as to aske, but have a convenient portion to bring them through the world; Here is for them:

1. A leſſon of Thankfulneſſe to God, who hath placed them in the ſafeſt condition in the world. Let them look down upon poorer men, and behold the manifold wants which thoſe poor ſouls and pined bodies dayly do indure: They want apparell and fire in the Winter, meat and drink in the Summer, houſes to dwell in, beds to lie on, and what not? All which men of middle rank enjoy. Then let them look up ward, and number, if they can, the manifold cares that attend upon rich men in the world. They are affraid of all men, friends and foes, acquaintance and ſtrangers, yea of wives and children, leſt they ſhould embeazle their eſtate, or diminiſh their treaſures. Their loſſes fetch more tears from their eyes, then their wealth brings ſmiles into their faces. All which fears and griefes men of middle condition are free from and exempted. Then let them lift up their heart with their hands unto God that hath freed them from the rich mans cares and fears on earth, and from his ſighs and grones in hell: And yet hath exempted them from Lazarus tears on earth, Luk. 16. and will give them of his joyes in heaven, if they ſerve him faithfully in their generations. Let them not henceforth praiſe the rich mans plenty: let them rather extoll their own ſecurity.

2. Let them reſt contented and abundantly ſatisfyed with their own condition. As they have not the tide of the world flowing in abundantly upon them, ſo they have not the winds of penury blowing ſtiffely againſt them. Their journey requires more labour in rowing, yet they paſſe with leſſe danger. While poor men are bewailing their wants to ſuch as are images rather then men, that know not how to pity them; and rich men are numbring their Cattell, viewing their Lands, telling their Coyne: they may with quietneſſe worke in their ſhops, or ſtudy in their cloſets, and often between while commend themſelves and their labours to Gods benediction. There is no happyer ſtate on earth for them to envy. If they will aſpire, let them in their meditations mount up into heaven, where they may injoy felicity with eternity.

The greateſt part of my perſwaſions are yet to come, for I have yet to do with the greateſt men. What Rhetorick ſhall I uſe to perſwade theſe men? Shall I tell them that Bees have ſtings as well as honey? That riches have diſcommodities as well as commodities? How carefull and cautelous had they need to be in the uſe of them, that they may not exclude them from greater riches? Shall I tell them that Jezabel was the daughter of a King, 2 King. 9.34. yet was ſhe devoured with dogs? Shall I ſhew them the wiſdome of Achitephel, that could not keep him from hanging himſelf? 2 Sam. 17.23. Shall I ſet before them the rich man, Luk. 16. in his gorgeous apparell and dainty fare, and then bring him in groning and lamenting in hell torments? Their worldly cares dead heavenly affections within them. The common tenet is, that while the heavens move, the earth ſtands ſtill. Copernicus made the earth to move, and the heavens to ſtand ſtill. But never any man made both moveable. Rich men are often of Copernicus ſect: the earths motion in them, makes heavenly affections unmoveable. The heathen men, as Fulgentius notes, called the Peacock Juno's bird who was eſteemed the Goddeſſe of riches, Junonis in tutelam ponum pavum, quod om • nis vitae petentia petax in aſpectum ſui ſemper quaerat ornatus; ſicut pavus ſtellarum caudae curvamen concavans anterius faciem ornat, poſteriora que turpiter nudat. Fulg. Myth. l. 2. Fab. de Jun. becauſe as the Peacocke while he ſtretcheth out his tail to ſhew the ſtars of it, adornes his fore part, but ſhewes the deformity of his naked back-parts: So do rich men while they ſet out their bravery, lay open their infirmities. The wiſer ſort of men among the heathen were ſo well acquainted with this, that ſome of them refuſed great treaſures offered; as Phocion, who refuſed the talents offered him by Alexanders Embaſſadours as a preſent from their Maſter. And when they preſſed him to receive them, telling him that their Maſter ſent them to him, becauſe he conceived him to be a worthy man, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Iſid. Pel. l. 2. Ep. 146. he anſwered, If he thinke ſo of me, let him ſuffer me both to ſeem and to be ſo. Others when they had riches, gave them away: as Crates who gave his goods to the Senate with this Motto, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ibid. as Iſidore delivers it, Crates ſets Crates of Thebes at liberty: Or as Nonnus delivers it better, alluding to the name of Crates in the Greek (which the Engliſh phraſe will not bear) Crates ſets the goods of Crates at liberty, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Non. Synag. Hiſtar. in Naz. Stel. 1. that the goods of Crates may not overcome Crates. I ſpeak not this to bring in Monkery, or to perſwade men to give away their goods to maintain idle drones, but to make men wary in the uſe of their riches: For I think with Auguſtine, Ʋilius terrena opulentia humi liter tenetur, quam ſuperbe re • inquitur. Proſ. Aug. ſent. 319. that Worldly riches are better humbly kept, then proudly caſt away. For want of moderate uſe of them, honours and riches do many men harm. Which makes the ſame Father to exclaime, O curſed nobility, which through pride makes it ſelfe ignoble and baſe in the ſight of God. Mala nobilitas, quae ſe p • r ſuperbiam apud Deum reddit ignobilem. De Temp, ſer. 127. And many men have ſuffered many loſſes for their poſſeſſions as Iſidore complaines, Riches have hur • many, and having whetted the ſword againſ • hem have fled into the power of their enemies. But authority and kingly power, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Iſid. Pel. l. 3. Ep. 154. that all men contend for, hath often deprived the owner not only of a happy life, but even of life it ſelf. They that paſſe over the Humber when the Sea comes in, ſeldome ſee the ſhore. They that in tempeſtuons ſeaſons paſſe over the Iriſh Seas ſeldome eſcape. So rich men are ſo puzled with the thorny cares of wealth, that they ſeldome attain to the true treaſure. I know, the fault is not in the riches, but in the mens ill uſing of them, yet I take it to be a difficult thing to do otherwiſe, and ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 73.18. Surely thou haſt ſet them in ſlippery placces. Edward I. was a renowned Prince, he dyed at Borough upon the Sands, to ſhew how weak a foundation all worldly honour is built upon; Dan. coll. Hiſt. Angl. p. 171. Hayw. 3. Nor. Kings p. 63. as one of our beſt Hiſtorians collects. Riches, ſaith another, are like hangmen: they hide mens faces with a covering, that they may not ſee their own end, and then they hang them. The mounting up to honour is very pleaſing, but the downfall is terrible. We are • ver-joyed, ſaith J • rom when we mount up: Laetautur ad aſcenſum: timeamus lapſum: non eſt tanti gaudii excelſa tenuiſſe, quanti terror is de exceiſis eccidiſſe. Hicron. in Ezech. 4. but let us rather fear the fall: it is not a matter of ſo great joy to have been at the top, as it is of terrour to fall from the top. The hurt of the fall remaines, when all the benefit of the riſe is gone. Damo • les commended the condition of Dionyſius the tyrant of Sicily. To ſhew him his errour Dionyſius invites him to a plentifull feaſt ſets his ſervants to attend on him, and gives him muſick into the bargain: Val. Max. lib 6. et Polychr. l. 3. c. 21. but he had cauſed a ſharpe ſword to hang over his head by a horſchair; which made Damocles for fear to forbear both meat and laughter. Such, ſaith Dionyſius, is that life of mine, which thou deemeſt a pleaſant life. O happy ſoul then, ſaith Leo, which runs through the days of herpilgrimage with chaſt ſhbriety, Brata mens, 〈…〉 ſu • e tempora caſta 〈…〉 , et in iis per quae neceſſe eſtream ambala • e, 〈◊〉 remanct, ut 〈◊〉 magis quem domira terrerorum, 〈◊〉 affections ſit im • ixa humanis, 〈◊〉 . promiſſionibus deſit 〈◊〉 . Leo. ſer. 11. de qua • reg. and abides not in theſe things through which of neceſſity ſhe muſt walke: and as a gueſt rather then a Miſtreſſe of earthly things, neither leanes upon mans afflictions, nor falls ſhort of Gods pronuſes. The reaſon is truly delivered by the ſame Author elſewhere. We have undertaken, ſaith he, a famous warfare, and a diſcipline of a great profeſſion. Magni nominis militiam, magnae profeſſionis ſuſcepimus diſciplinam. Sectatores Chriſti a regia diſcedere via non licet, ſed dignum eſt temporalibus non occupari ad aeterna tendentes. Leo ſer. 2. de paſſ. Dom. The followers of Chriſt may not depart out of the Kings highway. For it beſeems not them to be taken up with temporall affaires by the way, that travail towards eternall happineſſe. If we be rich in our eſtates, let us carry our ſelves ſo moderately, that we may be rich in our ſoules to. Let us take one pill of St. Auſtins preſcription, Dives in couſeentia ſecurior dermit, quam dives in purpuva. Aug. de Temp. ſer. 212. He that is rich in conſcience, ſaith he, ſleeps more ſoundly, then he that is richly clothed in purple. There are ſome whom the Apoſtle cals rich in this World, 1 Tim. 6. and ſome rich to another World. Would you know the difference? Let the ſame holy man informe you: If you ſhould ſee two bladders, the one filled, Ʋtres duos ſi vide • s; ugum plenum, alterum inplatum: in utro que cadem eſt magnitud • ; ſed non in utro que cadem pl • nitudo. St attend • s, fallerts: ſi app • ndis, invenies. Qui plenus eſt, difficile 〈…〉 : qui infiatus eſt, 〈…〉 Ibid. the other blown up: there is 〈◊〉 both the ſame greatneſſe, but there is not in both the ſame fulneſſe. If thou book upon them, thou mayeſt be deceived: but if thou weigh them, thou ſhalt eaſily finde the difference. The full blad • er is hardly moved: but the blown bladder is quickly t • ſſed away. Such is the dinerence between thoſe that are rich in the World, and thoſe that are rich in Grace. The former are blown up, the latter are filled: the former are ſoon turned upſide down, the latter remain firme and unmoveable. Be thou then ſo temperate in the midſt of worldly riches, that thou mayſt be much richer in grace and godlineſſe.

Another leſſon here is for rich men, not to content themſelves with their worldly proſperity: but to be earneſt ſuiters to God to add to their temporall, eternall felicity. God divides his gifts diverſly, Gen. 25.5, 6. as Abraham did his ſubſtance: Iſaac had the inheritance; others were ſent away with gifts. Some there are that have their portion in this life only, Luk. 16. as the rich man in the Goſpell. Others that have it in the life to come only, as Lazarus. Other croſſe children there are whom God diſinherits, as poor men that are both wicked and wretched, that are neither happy here, nor hereafter. Others there are that are Gods darlings, that are both here rich and in heaven, as Abraham, and David, and many other. Pray then that thy riches here, may be no let to thy happineſſe hereafter. Luk. 15. Do not with the prodigall child take thy eſtate here for thy whole portion, and then ſpend it, and become a companion for ſwine: but let theſe worldly comforts mount up thy thoughts to try Gods bounty a little further, and to become a begger of eternall happineſſe: He that hath given the leſſer, will give the greater if thou deſire it. For God is as free of heavenly as of earthly comforts, if men would ſeek them as earneſtly.

Object. But, ſaith the rich man, I have no time to pray. I have ſo many worldly imployments and ſecular cares, that I have no vacation to pray for heavenly happineſſe.

Sol. Haſt thou no time to pray? Haſt thou • o time to eat? Every day affords • ew buſineſſes: yet every day affords a • inner and a ſupper time: might it not • s well afford time for a morning • nd an evening prayer? Look upon Jonahs mariners; Jon. 1. when the tempeſt • as upon them, they caſt out the goods • ut of the ſhip, and every man prayes • his God. Go thou and do likewiſe. • the ſhip of thy trading be too heavi • y loaden to the danger of thy ſoul, • ghten it of as many wares as thou well canſt, and pray to God for help. In a word, do leſſe, pray more. Art thou rich? thou art ſubject to the more temptations. Thou haſt the more need of Gods help. Pray for it then the more often. It goes hard when weakeſt folk take feweſt cordials. Art thou great? God is greater: yea, and thine enemies may be greater then thou art. Seek Gods help againſt them. Art thou wiſe? Satan is too ſubtill for thee. Thou hadſt need to pray to God to keep thee out of the Devils ſlavery. Earthly felicity cannot laſt alwayes: it will bring a miſerable end, if men build upon it. The concluſion of temporall felicity without Gods favour is eternall infelicity. Prayer is the • means to procure Gods favour. Se • all buſineſſes then apart, and pray dayly to God, that thy happineſſe may no • end with thy life, but thy death may be a paſſage from a tranſitory to a laſting felicity.

Thus much of the condition excluded. Now followes the limitation.

The Apoſtle doth not ſay, not any but, not many wiſe; rich and noble There are ſo few that the Scriptur • ſometimes cals them none. Mat. 11.25. Thou haſt • idden theſe things, ſaith our bleſſed Sa • iour, from the wiſe and prudent, without naming any exception. The wiſdome of God, ſaith St. Paul, was • nown to none of the Princes of this World. 1 Cor. 2.8. Yet muſt we not exclude all great men from the kingdome of heaven, for the text doth not. The Scripture ſometimes ſpeaks in generall, though it ſpeak not of all, but of the moſt part. So John the Baptiſt accuſeth all, No man received his teſtimony, Joh. 3.32, 33. yet in the next verſe mentions ſome receivers, He that hath received his teſtimony hath ſet to his ſeal, that God is true.

The ſumme is, that rich men are not wholly excluded from the Kingdome of heaven. Elſe where ſhould we look for Abraham the father of the faithfull? Where for Iſaac the ſon of the promiſe? Where for Iſrael that prevailed with God? Where for David a man after Gods own heart? All theſe were rich in this world, yet never any good man queſtioned their happineſſe in a better world. God is no accepter of perſons. All men naturally pity the poor, whether their cauſe be right • or wrong; and condemn the rich ere their cauſe be diſcuſſed. God doth not ſo. His commiſeration is not ſo great as to ſave all the poor: nor his auſterity ſo great as to condemn all the rich. Though he be a friend to the poor, yet is he not an enemy to the rich. Though the poor more commonly finde his ear open, yet is he not hard to be entreated by the rich and wealthy. It were the way to make rich men deſpaire, if God had rejected them. Who ſhould receive them to favour whom God had refuſed? Who can make them happy, whom God had devoted to eternall miſery? Without Gods favour there is no ſalvation. It is a hard thing for rich men to be ſaved, yet is it poſſible to God. It were the way to make poor men to inſult, and almeſmen ingratefully to deſpiſe their benefactous, and to trample their perſons under feet, by whoſe purſes they are maintained.

Laſtly, it might be a means to bring Gods good gifts and temporall bleſſings into contempt: and to make men caſt away their goods, that they might not damn their ſouls. Who would keep thoſe treaſures that muſt neceſſarily bring him to eternall confuſion? Who would thank God for thoſe riches that muſt needs keep him from heaven? Who would count that a bleſſing, that • infallibly brings an everlaſting curſe upon him? No man in his right wits. Some have been ſo far from hurting themſelves with their riches, that they have helped others. So far from encreaſing their pain in hell by the abuſe of them, that they have through Gods mercy increaſed their reward in heaven, by the right uſe of them. They have built houſes for Gods worſhip. They have maintained Miniſters. They have ſetled Schooles. They have founded Hoſpitals. Many other good things have they done pleaſing to God, and profitable to the world. They have ſowne their ſeed liberally in this world, and received a plentifull harveſt in the Kingdome of heaven: They have not laid up treaſures upon earth, but ſent them before to heaven. Shall I ſay that theſe mens riches are periſhed with them? God forbid. They were rather wings to mount them toward happineſſe, and ladders to clime by to a greater degree of glory.

Ʋſe. The former meditation might drive rich men to their prayers: this may urge them to the praiſing of God, that hath not clean refuſed them. Although he have given them a more liberall portion then others upon earth, yet hath he not deprived them of all hope of the Kingdome of heaven. Thoſe great men that have been good, have been very thankfull to God, becauſe they have perceived Gods ſpeciall love to them in their double portion. But it ſufficeth them not to acknowledge Gods bounty to them, unleſſe they make uſe of it. Their earthly portion muſt not ſatisfy them, nor make them negligent in ſeeking after an heavenly. Salvation is a matter of great conſequence, and is not attained without hard labour and much diligence: worldly wealth cannot be gotten with looking about, much leſſe can heavenly, which is of far greater eſtimation. If there were no hope at all of obtaining heaven for great men, them needed they not labour for it. It is invain to waſh a Blackmore. But the difficulty of obtaining it, ſhould not diſcourage, but incourage noble natures to endevours beſeeming ſo great happineſſe. None but a mad man beſiegeth a Town that cannot poſſibly be taken. But if the town be hard to be taken, yet if it be rich, the warlike Governor will not give over the ſiege • till he be Maſter of the Town: He knows that the labour is great, and • he coſt not ſmall, but the ſpoyles will pay for all. So ſhould great men • eckon for heaven. It will coſt them more pains then poorer men to attain • o it, but the glory and happineſs thereof will make a full amends. Let them • hen purſue it with courage, and they • hall not miſſe of it.

So farre have we waded in the Negative deſcription of Gods called • nes.

Now it is time to come to the Affir • ative. Wherein the Apoſtle,

Firſt, ſets out their Election. And

Secondly, the end of it.

In their Election, note,

1. The Electour.

2. The Elected.

The Electour is God, But God hath • oſen. Where the Apoſtle informeth us • at Mans ſalvation depends upon Gods Election.

Gods choiſe is the true ground o • our happineſſe. Hence it is that in Scripture they have that honourable title of Gods Elect. Luk. 18.7. Rom. 8.33. Shall not God avenge his own Elect? Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? When the Jewe • were caſt out, and the Gentiles received in their room, yet was there among the Jews a remnant according to the election of grace. Rom. 11.5, 7. And this election hath obtaine • that which Iſrael could not. The free dome of Gods election, and foundation of mans felicity, appears in Ja •• and Eſau, born of the ſame parents lying in the ſame womb, at the ſan • time, yet one received, the other refuſed: not for any thing in themſelves for it was before the children had do •• good or evill; Rom. 9.11. but for Gods choiſe, th • the purpoſe of God according to election mig • ſtand. God hath indued us with a • ſpirituall bleſſings in heavenly thing in Chriſt, Eph. 1.3, 4. ſaith the Apoſtle: but it is according as he had elected us. So th • every where the beginning of our ha • pineſſe is aſcribed to the ſame fountain, even to Gods choiſe alone an • to nothing beſides. For our caſe a •• and condition in nature is alike. I • Adam we are all dead. We are children indeed, Eph. 2.3. but it is but children of Gods wrath as well as others. This is our greateſt title in Gods ſight, whatſoever titles elſe we be born to in the world. At Gods beck we eſcape or periſh. His mercy may ſave us: his juſtice may condemn us. What happineſſe then can we look for, but from his election? The price of our redemption is the bloud of Chriſt. Joh. 1.29. He is Gods Lamb, that muſt take away the Worlds ſin. Him God would not give for the Angels that were falne. Him he did give for men that had offended him. What is the reaſon why Men are more happy then Angels? Why Chriſt dyes for Men, not for Angels? Gods choiſe. And is not that the reaſon why one man rather then another ſhall be ſaved by his death? Queſtionleſſe it is ſo. When Chriſt is dead for us, how comes the merit of his paſſion to be applyed to us? We are dead in ſins, and cannot ſtretch out our hand to take it, nor open our mouth to feed on it. As men in a trance muſt have their mouths opened, and hot water put in by others: ſo muſt we have Chriſts paſſion applyed unto us by Gods Spirit. And how comes Gods Spirit to apply it to one ſoul and not to another, but becauſe God hath choſen the one and not the other? This kind of proceeding doth much illuſtrate the glory of God. Had God choſen all, election had been a common favour: And common favours are lightly ſet by, when peculiar priviledges are highly rated, as betokening more love in the giver, and bringing more profit to the receiver. If there were any thing in thoſe whom God chuſeth, more then in others, the choiſe would not tend ſo much to Gods glory as to Mans. The honour would not be the Electors, but theirs that are elected. But that favour that proceeds from pure election, redounds altogether to the glory of the Electour. Thus is Gods glory moſt promoted by the freeneſſe of his own choiſe.

But why ſhould this free choiſe of God offend the ſons of men? What means the lowing of the Oxen and the bleating of the Sheep? Many things are objected againſt Gods liberty ſhewed in his choiſe.

Obj. 1 Firſt, it is muttered that this choiſe is injurious to ſuch as are rejected, who by this means are made uncapeable of eternall happineſſe.

Anſw. I anſwer, That it cannot be injurious to any, becauſe God is moſt free. If a King may receive what ſervant he will, and refuſe whom he pleaſe; raiſe whom he liſt, and neglect whom he pleaſe; ſhall God be held injurious becauſe he neglects thoſe whom he was not bound to receive? We ga • her one flower, and neglect another. We chuſe one friend, and refuſe ano • hers friendſhip, as we pleaſe our ſelves. Yet are we more obliged to our • ellow creatures, then our Creator can • e to us. God then is bountifull to ſuch • s he receives, but cannot be injurious • o ſuch as he refuſeth.

Furthermore, God conſiders both • orrupt in Adam, falne from their in • egrity, and lyable to his wrath, and eternall condemnation; ſo that he might •• ſtly have rejected both; and how •• en can he do wrong in rejecting one? When Pharaohs ſervants had both de • erved death, what wrong could he 〈◊〉 to him that was hanged in pardo • ing his fellow? A malefactor hath no • uſe to complain of his deſerved pu •• ſhment whatſoever favour be ſhewed • thers. It is free for God to ſhew mercy, 〈◊〉 execute juſtice.

Secondly, Obj. 2 It is objected that this derogates infinitely from Gods mercy, which would be far more glorious if it were extended to all men, and if all had been choſen to eternall happineſſe.

Anſw. To this objection many ſolid anſwers may be framed.

1. We ſay, that Gods mercy is ſufficiently ſhewed in ſaving thoſe whom he chuſeth. He might in juſtice have condemned all men, and therefore it was abundant mercy in him to chuſe any to eternall happineſſe.

2. We ſay further, that if God ſhould have had pity upon all, and taken all, it had been no election at all. He that refuſeth none, chuſeth none. It is one thing to pick and chuſe: another thing to take all, and put by none.

3. We ſay God is juſt as well a mercifull. Now if God ſhould have elected all, he had loſt the occaſion o • ſhewing his juſtice upon the ſons o • men, which could never have been redeemed again, unleſſe God ſhould a •• ter his reſolution and change his decree, which is impoſſible.

Laſtly, why do not theſe objecto • conſider, that if this reaſon taken from the extending of Gods mercy to the uttermoſt bounds were good, they muſt be forced with Origen to bring in the Devils too into heaven, to leave hell empty, and to make our Saviour falſe of his word: who affirmeth expreſſely, that there are ſome ſins which ſhall not be forgiven, neither in this world, Mat. 12.32. nor in the world to come? Well may Gods mercy then be ſufficiently ſhewed, though ſome be left for patterns of his juſtice.

Obj. 3 Thirdly, We hear men objecting, that the means of ſalvation are made fruſtrate by this doctrine of Gods particular choiſe. And that it is in vain to preach the Goſpell, if our ſalvation depend upon Gods election: for as much as it will be unprofitable to the moſt, who are refuſed.

Anſw. To drive out one nail with another, we aske why men do not reaſon ſo in temporall things? Why do they not ſay, I ſhall be rich if God have ſo determined: what need I labour? And if it be otherwiſe determined, I labour in vain? Why do they not ſay, I ſhall live long, if God have ſo decreed, and not otherwiſe? What need I eat? Why do they not conclude, I ſhall recover of my ſickneſſe, if God have ſo appointed; and what need I take Phyſick? Unleſſe they think that he without whoſe providence not a ſparrow fals to the ground, take no care what becomes of mens lives or eſtates. Yet becauſe this ſtopping of gaps in Divinity is but half ſatisfaction: We anſwer further, that our ſalvation depends primarily upon Gods choiſe, but not upon it alone. God that hath choſen us, hath kept his counſail to himſelf, but hath appointed certain ſubordinate means to bring us to the aſſurance of our ſalvation. Even as in our temporall ſtates God doth not acquaint us who ſhall be rich, and who ſhall be poor, but appoints us to labour, and to commit the ſucceſſe to him: ſo for our ſouls, God keeps his determinations to himſelf, but wils us to uſe the means, and to commit the event to him, not doubting of his favour, if we be not failing to our ſelves.

Obj. 4 Fourthly, This is ſaid to be a doctrine that maintains ſecurity, impiety, laſciviouſneſſe; and overthrows prayer and watchfulneſſe. For what need he to pray, or watch, or forbear evill, that cannot but be ſaved, whatſoever he do, becauſe he is choſen to eternall life?

Anſw. We anſwer, 1. That we muſt pray and watch as much as if our choiſe were uncertain to us: So St. Act. 27.24, 31. Paul in a like caſe reaſons, that although God had promiſed him the lives of all that were with him in the ſhip, yet they could not be ſafe, if they let the mariners go. Gods decrees may be comfortable to us, if we can by any means come to know, that God hath determined good unto us. But Gods laws, not his degrees are the rule of our lives. Was David wicked, becauſe he was ſure of a Kingdome? Or St. Paul careleſſe, becauſe he was ſure that a Crown was laid up for him in the heavens?

2. We ſay, that ſuch as know that God hath choſen them are freed from this baſe diſpoſition and careleſſe humour. For they cannot know it but by the teſtimony of Gods Spirit given unto them. And the ſame Spirit which brings this comfortable aſſurance to them, makes them carefull to pleaſe God; for he is a ſanctifying, as well as a comforting Spirit.

Ʋſe 1 This point then firſt condemnes the doctrine taught by ſome of the Papiſts, (for many of them maintain the freeneſſe of Gods choiſe) who ſuppoſe that God did chuſe becauſe he fore ſaw out merits. Though we had nothing in us then, yet God knew what we would have in us, and what ſervice we would do him in after times, and in expectation thereof he choſe u • . But this is to derogate from Gods mercy in our election. That which the Heathen man ſpeaks of ſuch as mourn too much for the loſſe of their friends, and uſe to reckon up the comforts they had by them to increaſe their ſorrow for the want of them; Non eſt amici, ſed ſe amantis. De Conſol. This is not the part, ſaith he, of a friend, but of one that loves himſelf: The ſame may be ſaid of ſuch a choiſe. It is not the choiſe of a friend, but of a ſelf-lover. To chuſe a wiſe, a loving, an able ſervant before an unfit one, is not properly to chuſe, but to take one choſen by his own fitneſſe before. Look how much there is in, or may be hoped of from the perſon elected, ſo much leſſe is the grace and favour of the Electour. The Apoſtle therefore oppoſeth grace and works in this matter of choiſe, Rom. 11.6. If it be of grace, it is no more of works; or elſe were grace no more grace: but if it be of works, it is no more grace; or elſe were work no more work. By this means therefore they overthrow Gods grace and Gods choiſe at once, while they ſeek to give a reaſon of it, and to eſtabliſh mans works.

Ʋſe 2 Secondly, it condemnes the doctrine of the Lutherans, who make Gods choiſe to depend upon the foreſight of our faith, and ſo by conſequence our happineſſe to depend upon the uſe of our own will. But this is not to chuſe neither, but to declare who have made themſelves fit to be choſen. This is not to put a difference between man and man, but to ſee who would diſtinguiſh themſelves. If St. Paul ſhould aske again, Who hath ſeparated thee, by this opinion; the beleever might anſwer fa • otherwiſe then St. Paul expected, and might ſay, I ſeparated my ſelf, for God ſaw that I would beleeve • when others would not, and therefore choſe me. But St. Paul might well reply, Then did not God chuſe thee nor ſeparate thee, and therefore thou mayſt not expect the happineſſe of Gods elect. Seeing we have no power in our ſelves to beleeve, how can God foreſee that we will do it, unleſſe he determine to give us grace to do it? Regeneration doth not work upon our Underſtanding only to ſhew us what we are to do, but upon our Will alſo, and principally to, too alter and reform it; which which it is done, our affections are altered withall, and we have not a power to beleeve put into us, but do actually beleeve. So that here is no room at all for faith foreſeen. There are two beggers that want means to live. Who can ſoreſee that one will build an Hoſpitall, and the other will not, unleſſe he determine to give him means to do it? So neither can there be any foreſight of faith in us, who are deſtitute of all power of beleeving.

Ʋſe 3 Thirdly, when we look for an originall of our happineſſe, it teacheth us not to faſten our eyes upon our ſelves, nor upon any thing in our ſelves, neither upon our nobleneſſe of birth, nor riches of our eſtate, nor the wiſdome of our minde, nor any thing elſe in us, or at chieved by us; but to cry out with St. Paul, God hath choſen. When he choſe us, we were not, and therefore he could ſee no good in us. As ſoon as we had any being we were altogether corrupt, and therefore he could not foreſee any good in us. What if we be able to give no reaſon of Gods choiſe? No more could St. Paul that had been rapt up into the third heaven. And ſhall we think our ſelves wiſer then St. Paul? So may we come within the cenſure that Proſper gives of ſome of his time, We are not ignorant, Non ignoramus eſſe queſdam tam inconſideratae praeſumptionts et tam ſuperbae arragantiae, ut quod praecepuus Magister gentium, non ab homintbus, ne que per hominem, ſed divinitus cruditus ſupr a menſuram ſcientiae ſitae longe et alt •• remotum eſſe confeſſus eſt, audeam falſi n • minis temerare doctrina; et nihil ill • c occultum, nihil velint eſſe ſecretum, u •• Apoſtolus •• n quid ſentiendum eſſet, aperuit, ſed quid non ſerutandum eſſet, eſtend • t. Pro • p. de voc. Gent. l. 1. c. 21. quoth he, that there are ſome ſo inconſiderately preſumptuous, and ſo proudly arrogant, that what the chief teacher of the Gentiles, who was neither taught of men, nor by man, but of God, confeſſeth to be far remote from, and high above the meaſure of his knowledg, they dare raſhly to ſtyle a falſe Dectrine: and would have nothing hidd • n, nor nothing ſecret there, where the Ap • ſtle did not lay open what was to be beleev • d by us, but ſhewed us what was not to be ſought after. Though we cannot then give a reaſon of Gods choiſe, yet it becomes us not to deny it, nor the freeneſſe of it, becauſe there are many things true, which yet we cannot underſtand: ſo that the reaſon may appear to be not want of truth in the things, but want of capacity in us, or of revelation from God. Yea things may be true of which no reaſon can be given, and ſo may Gods choiſe of one, and not another. Sweetly doth the Father conclude, Thoſe things which God would have to be hidden, Quae D •• s acculia eſſe volu it, non ſunt ſor utanda; quae aurem manifeſta fecit, non ſunt neganda: ne et in illis illicite curioſi, et in iſtis damnabiliter inveniamu ingrati. Proſp. de voc. Gent. l. 1. c. 21. are not to be dived into: yet thoſe things which he hath made manifeſt are not to be denyed, lest we be found in the former unlawfully curious, and in the latter damnably ungratefull.

Ʋſe 4 Fourthly, we are taught here to whom to aſcribe the glory of our glory and happineſſe; namely, to God that hath choſen us to it. It becomes us to ſay with the four and twenty Elders, Revel. 4.11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are, and were created. Otherwiſe we are unworthy of our vocation, and deſerve to be numbred among ſuch as are refuſed, if we be unwilling to acknowledge the liberality of Almighty God in chuſing us. So great was this favour, and ſo little was there in us to move God to do it, that no thanks ſhould be thought too much, that either our hearts could invent, or our tongues utter. It is fit in our prayſes not to begin at the concluſion with the happineſſe we hope for, nor at the middle with the comforts of ſoul and body we have here, but at the beginning of all comforts, which is placed in Gods free choiſe. Thus may we rightly deſcend to the reſt, when we have begun at the firſt and chiefeſt.

We have mounted up on high to find the Elector, and now we muſt dive as low to find the elected. The chuſer is not ſo great, but the choſen are as mean. Hitherto I may fitly apply that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 113.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God: who dwelleth on high: Who humbleth himſelf to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? He raiſeth the poor • ut of the duſt: and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill: That he may ſet him with Princes; even with the Princes of his people. Thus you have their meanneſſe in the words of the Pſalmiſt: take it now in the words of the Apoſtle. The fooliſh things of the world, the weak things of the world, the baſe things of the world, and things which are deſpiſed, yea and things which are not. The Apoſtle would not have any man to be miſtaken in them, nor to think better of them then they did deſerve, and therefore thinks no words ſufficient to ſet out their meanneſſe. The fooliſh things of the world, that is, Stulta munde, i. quos potentes et Pholoſophi ſtultos aeſt mabat. Haymo in textum. ſaith Haymo, Thoſe whom great men and Philoſophers eſteemed fools. Philoſophers counted them fools: Great men counted them weak: Noble men counted them baſe and deſpiſed, yea and meer nothings: yet God makes choiſe of them. Thoſe then whom God chuſeth to prefer, are lightly the loweſt. So our Saviour confeſſeth to the praiſe of God, Mat. 1.25. I thank thee O father Lord of heaven and earth, becauſe thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes. St. James confirmes it, and that with a proclamation, Hearken my beloved brethren, Jam. 5 5. hath not God choſen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heires of the Kingdome which he hath promiſed to them that love him? The auditours of our Saviour Chriſt were for the moſt part poor: The poor have the Goſpell preached unto them. Mat. 11.5. We find at his Sermons not the Scribes nor the Phariſees, unleſſe it be to entangle him in his talke. There we find Joſeph the Carpenter, and Mary his wife; Peter and Andrew, James and John fiſhermen, and others of this rank. One ground of Gods proceeding this way is • o croſs the world. His wiſdom is counted fooliſhneſſe by the world, and the wiſdome of the world is fooliſhneſſe to God: Luk. 16.15. That which is highly eſteemed a • ongst men is abomination in the ſight of God. Wiſe, Rich, Noble perſonages • re deep in the worlds books, but leaſt • n Gods. On the contrary, thoſe which are leaſt in the worlds account, • s the fooliſh, the poor, the meaneſt • en; theſe are often in greateſt repuation with God. Another ground is kind of equity, which though God • e not alwayes tied unto, yet for the • oſt part he doth obſerve. Such as • re miſerable in this world, are made • appy in another world. And ſuch as • e happy here, are made miſerable there. They are rare ſpectacles tha • are happy here and hereafter: and they are as rare that are miſerable in both Abraham gives this ſentence to ſtop the rich mans mouth in hell. Luk. 16.25. Sonne remember, that thou in thy life time receivedſt the good things, and likewiſe Lazarous ev •• things, but now he is comforted, and th •• art tormented. The birds that hide their heads in the winter, ſing moſt merrily in the Summer: ſo thoſe that through poverty and meanneſſe lie hid and unregarded in this world, lie cloſeſt with Lazarus in Abrahams boſome. A thir • ground may be taken from civill policy. Princes uſe to raiſe the loweſt that they may depend upon the • alone, by whom they are raiſed, an • be faithfull to them. So the grea • Turke hath his officers, that in a • coaſts of his dominions take up hopeful young children, and bring them up t • make Janizaries to attend upon him Theſe he ſuppoſeth muſt be faithful to him, becauſe they know no country, nor kindred, nor father, nor mother; but all their welfare depend upon his favour. So may God we • expect faithfulneſſe from mean men • that have no wiſdome to ſhift for them ſelves, no wealth to rely upon, no friends to truſt unto, nor any comfort but what they muſt expect from his mercy. And theſe he chuſeth. Theſe will promote his kingdome, only that they may riſe with it. As it is noted of Leo the firſt of that name of the Biſhops of Rome (though otherwiſe a good man) that he mounted up the ſea of Rome to the skies, Rainolds and Hart. that himſelf might riſe up with it. The laſt ground of this choiſe of the meaneſt may be Gods glory, which is much illuſtrated by the promotion of mean perſons. God knows that by the choiſe of baſe men, who are deſtitute of all means of help and ſafety in themſelves, his glory will be more manifeſted, then by the electing of famous men, who look for all felicity from themſelves, and attribute all good things received from God, to their own wiſdome, or their own deſervings. And therefore he makes choiſe of the weaker. Theſe will not commend themſelves, or ſet out their own good parts, who have no wit to plot for preferment: no power nor wealth to make ſteps for a ladder to clime up upon: no nobility for which they ſhould be honoured. It is manifeſt both to themſelves and others from whence their glory comes: namely from Gods liberality in electing them. If God ſhould ſet his minde upon great men, they ſhould not ſubmit to many mean offices that God cals them unto. Their ſpirits are too great. But mean men have not ſuch high ſpirits nurſed within them: but are more eaſily humbled. So that no particular reaſon can be given of Gods chuſing one man rather then another, yet there may be many grounds of preferring the meaner before the mighty. For it doth much more ſet out the glory of God. Gods order is ſweetly noted by Bernard, Regnum Dei conceditur in praedeſtinatione: promit titur in vocatione oſtenditur in juſtificatione: percipitur in glorificatione. I • praedeſt. eſt gratia, in vocat. potentia, in juſtaf. laetitia, in glorif. • loria. Be • n. de verb. lib. ſap. Gods Kingdome is granted in predeſtination: it is promiſed in vocation: it is ſhewed in juſtification: it is received in glorification. In predeſtination there is grace, in vocation power, in juſtification joy, in glorification glory. But if God had choſen the great ones, he had not ſhewed ſo much grace in chuſing, nor power in calling, neither had they received ſo much joy in being juſtifyed, nor ſo great addition of honour in being glorifyed. They would have thought their condition ſomewhat bettered, but not clean altered. The mean therefore are Gods choiſe. So ſaith Baſill of the Apoſtles who were ſent to publiſh Gods choiſe, and to call ſuch as he had choſen. O counſail truly high and wiſdome immortall! 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Baſil. Sel. in illud, Venite poſt me. When Christ did intend to teach mortall men a ſtrange matter, and a new opinion, and an heavenly doctrine, and ſought for fit diſpenſers of ſuch inſtructions, he deſpiſed the Cities, he made no reckning of po • ular states, he refuſed the governours of Kingdomes, be deteſted the power of • ich men, he hated the • loquence of oratours, he wiſhed not for the tongues of Philoſophers: he paſſed • hrough the nations, and • either choſe their war • ke preparations, nor the • exterity of their hands, • or the ſwiftneſſe of their • eet. But why do I reckon • p humane helpes? Suf • ering the ranks of Angels to enjoy a perpetuall reſt, he goes about the havens and rivers and ſhores, determining to take from thence miniſters of his heavenly doctrine, and ſtanding by exhorted them ſaying, Follow me and I will make you fiſhers of men. I come, ſaith he, to fiſh for you: I ſeek for fiſhermen, not for Princes: I perſwade mariners, not Potentates. Thus God made the great ones of the world, that afterwards ſhould be converted, indebted to poor and ſimple men, by whoſe Miniſtry God brings them to the knowledge of his truth, which they by all their greatneſſe and wiſdome could not attain unto. Dominus noster Jeſus Chriſtus volens ſuper borum frangere cervices, non quaeſivit per oratorem piſcatorem, ſed de piſcatore lucratus eſt imperatorem. Magnus Cyprianus orator; ſed prius Petrus piſcator, per quem poſtea crederet non ſolum orator, ſed et imperator. Aug. in John Tract 7. And this St. Auguſtine wonders at, Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ſaith he being willing to pull down the pride of highminded men, did not ſeek the fiſherman by the Oratour, but gained the Emperour by the fiſherman. Cyprian was a great oratour: but Peter was firſt a fiſherman, by whoſe meanes afterwards might beleeve not only the Oratour, but alſo the Emperour. That which is true of the choiſe of theſe men to their Apoſtleſhip, is as true of Gods choiſe of men to heavenly happineſſe. And therefore the ſame Father elſewhere brings in God as it were fitting upon his throne, and making his choiſe out of all ſorts of men ſtanding before him. If I ſhould chuſe the Senatour, the Senatour would ſay, Si eligerem Senatorem, diceret Senator, dignitas mea electa eſt. Si eligerem divitem, diceret dives, opulentia mea electa eſt. Si eligerem imperatorem, diceret imperator, potentia mea electa eſt. Si eligerem oratorem, diceret orator, cloquentia mea electa eſt. Si eligerem Philoſophum, diceret Philoſophus, ſapientia mea electa eſt. Interim differantur ſuperbi iſti. Da mihi prius iſtum piſcatorem. Veni tu pauper, ſequere me. Nihil habes: nihil noſti: ſequere me. Idiota pauper, ſequere me. Aug. de verb. Dom. ſer. 59. My dignity is choſen. If I ſhould chuſe the rich man, the rich man would ſay, My wealth is choſen. If I ſhould chuſe the Emperour, the Emperour would ſay, My power is choſen. If I ſhould chuſe the Oratour, the Oratour would ſay, My eloquence is choſen. If I ſhould chuſe the Philoſopher, the Philoſopher would ſay, My wiſdome is choſen. Put theſe proud ones aſide a little. Give me that ſame fiſherman firſt. Come thou poor man, follow thou me. Thou haſt nothing: thou knoweſt nothing: follow thou me. I ſay thou poor Idiot, follow me. The ſame is delivered more briefly elſewhere by the ſame Writer, Poteſt Senator gloriari de ſemetipſo: poteſt Orator: poteſt Imperator: non poteſt niſi de Chriſto Piſcator. Aug. de. ver. Ap. ſer. 27. The Senatour may glory in himſelf: ſo may the Oratour: ſo may the Emperour: but the poor fiſherman can glory in none but in Chriſt.

Ʋſe 1 Thus you ſee Gods choiſe: now how uſefull this may be to us appears in many particulars.

Firſt, It concernes the Miniſters, and teacheth them not to be ſervile to great men. Adulation becomes not them: Flatery ſhould be far from them. God reſpecteth the poor moſt. Their ſafety is not to be neglected, whom God cares f • r. Gods Miniſters muſt not regard earth more then heaven. Worldly pompe muſt not affect them. The meaneſt in their charge muſt be tended by them, as well as the greateſt. Revel. 4.8, 10. The four living wights in the Revelation are taken for the Miniſters: and the four and twenty Elders for the people. The four living wights have between them four and twenty wings. The Miniſter muſt have a wing for every member of the Congregation. The ſhepherd is ſo far from neglecting the meaneſt ſheep, that he puts no difference: nay, he is moſt tender over the ſick and weak. So muſt the Miniſters bend their labours that way where there is moſt hope of ſucceſſe, even to the meaneſt among whom God hath moſt choiſe. Hope of preferments and by-ends, may tempt the Miniſters as well as other men to look after great men: but piety teacheth them not to neglect the meaneſt. To ſuch I may give counſail, as Jeremiah did to Baruch in his dumpes, Jer. 45.5. Seekeſt thou great things for thy ſelf? Seek them not. Gods Miniſters muſt be like God himſelf: no reſpecters of perſons. Where they may exſpect moſt fruit, there they muſt be moſt painfull. So ſhall their labours not be ſpent in vain, but much comfort will ariſe out of them.

Ʋſe 2 Secondly, It cals upon great men not to condemn mean ones. They may have a greater patrimony in heaven then richer men, yea paradventure then thoſe that condemn them. It ſavours too much of pride to object poverty to any man. To ſet by the poor, Jam. 2.4. and give place to the rich, Luk. 14.12, 13. is to be partiall in our ſelves, and to be judges of evill thoughts. He that will be recompenſed in the reſurrection of the juſt, when he makes a feaſt, muſt not invite the rich, but the poor. Theſe are our brethren, as Auguſtine obſerves, even by our own profeſſion in the beginning of our prayers, when we ſay, Our Father. Rich men, ſaith he, and Noble men according to the fleſh are here admoniſhed, when they become Chriſtians not to inſult proudly over poor and mean perſons, Admonentur hic divites, vel genere nobiles ſecundum ſeculum, cum Chriſtiani facti fuerint non ſuperbire adverſus pauperes et ignobiles, quoniam ſimul dicunt Deo, Pa • er noſter; qu • d non poſſunt vere ac pie dicere, niſi ſe fratres eſſe cognoſcant. Aug. de ſerm. Dom. in Monte. l. 2. c. 8. becauſe they ſay both to God with one breath, Our Father: which they cannot truly and religiouſly ſay, unleſſe they acknowledge themſelves to be Brethren. Thoſe whom God hath choſen, and advanced, men muſt not contemne. Such as are bred of poor parents, when they are preferred by the favour of Princes, are not contemned by ſubjects, but as highly honoured, as if they had been nobly born. Neither muſt we contemne thoſe whom God prefers, how mean ſo ever they be in birth or in condition. They may be greater in Gods bookes then we. O gravis nimirum et lugenda conditio! Pauper Beatitudinem emit m • ndicitate, dives ſupplictum facultate. Salv. contra avar. lib. 3. O heavy and lamentable condition! ſaith Salvian. Poor Lazarus purchaſed happineſſe by his beggerlineſſe: the rich man procured puniſhment by his riches.

Ʋſe 3 Thirdly, It cals upon mean men for great thankfulneſſe. Their ſpirituall exaltation abſolutely conſidered requires as much: but much more being compared with the rejection of them that are rich. This made the Virgin Mary the more affected with Gods goodneſſe towards her, becauſe he had neglected many greater: Luk. 1.52, 53. He hath put down the mighty from their ſeats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath ſent empty away. Their poverty brings no profit unto God: but his election is very profitable to them. God hath kept the glory of his choiſe unto himſelf: but all the benefit of it he hath afforded to them. They have no reaſon to envy him this glory, from whence comes ſo great riches unto themſelves. The honour of a peaceable government belongs unto a King: but the profit of it is divided amongſt the ſubjects. They were utterly unworthy of the benefit, if they ſhould deny their Prince the glory of it. Our benefit which comes to us by Gods choiſe, is far greater then any temporall priviledges or commodities, and therefore we are worthy of the ſevereſt cenſure, if we grudge God the glory of it. See Davids affection: When God had called him from following the Ewes with young to be King of Iſrael, ſee how he admires at it, 2 Sam. 7.18. Who am I O Lord God? and what is my houſe, that thou haſt brough • me hitherto? He thought no praiſe too great for God that made a Shepherd 〈◊〉 King. What praiſe then ſhould w • think too great for God, that hath made ſilly ſinners glorious Saints? Ou • hearts, our tongues, and all we hav • are too little to acknowledge ſo great 〈◊〉 kindneſſe.

Ʋſe 4 Laſtly, all men are here to be perſwaded to reſpect fooliſh men 〈◊〉 mean perſons, and poor men. T • provide all things needfull for them becauſe they are not able to provid • for themſelves. Theſe are they who • the world ſets lightly by: yet the • are they, that are oftentimes deer • to God then richer men. They ma • want worldly comforts more then w • do, but in heaven they may lo • for as great a portion as we, as b • ing heirs of the ſame promiſes. L • us then further their comforts, an • joyne with God for the eaſing of the ſorrows. God did n • t chuſe, ſai • Auguſtine, Rich men, nor powerfull, Non elegit divites Deus, non potentes, quibus verbi ſui ſecreta committeret: ſed aut opoliones, ſicut Patriarchas et beatum David, aut piſcatores, ſicut beatum Petrum, vel reliquos Apoſtolos. Aug. de Temp. ſer. 225. to com • it the ſecrets of his word unto them; but • ither ſhepherds, as the Patriarchs and happy David, or fiſhermen, as bleſſed Peter, and he reſt of the Apoſtles: Theſe men God • ade of mean ones great in grace: • nd not only means of good to the • ges wherein they lived, but of com • ort to future ages. We fare the bet • er for ſuch things as God revealed un • o them. We know not how much • ood the poor among us may do, both • o the preſent and future ages. They • ave often rich gifts of mind that are • oor in purſe. The Magiſtracy and • iniſtery can ſhew many worthy • ghts that came out of Cottages. It • ecomes us then to make much of the • oor, becauſe God picks moſt out • f theſe, and much good may come • y them, both to us and to others. • nd thus much for the election of Gods • oſen ones.

Now followes the end that God aims • in ſuch an election.

The end is ſet out largely by the • poſtle. To confound the wiſe. To con • und the things which are mighty. To bring 〈◊〉 nought things that are. How can it be • therwiſe but that rich men and wiſe men ſhould be confounded when they ſhall ſee poor and ignorant men partakers of eternall happineſſe; and themſelves deprived of all hope of that happineſſe which they have long and ſtudiouſly ſought after? Hence are w • taught that by means of the loweſt o • men God uſeth to overthrow the powe • and wiſdome of the greateſt. Go • did confound the power and wit o • Pharaoh and all Egypt by lice and ſuc • other vermin, as the ten plagues 〈◊〉 Egypt can teſtifie. He confounds th • army of Benhadad, 1 King. 20.14, 16. and the two an • thirty Kings that were with him, b • the ſervants of the Princes of the provinces. Gen. 3.1. Thus a Serpent that creeps upon the ground deprives Adam and al • his poſterity of all their happineſſ • Which had been utterly loſt, if Go • had not ſent the ſeed of the woma • to break the head of the Serpent. Thu • Serpents kill and ſlay the hoſte 〈◊〉 Iſrael, Num. 21. whom the enemies could no • hurt. Thus a braſen ſerpent heal • thoſes that were ſtung, whom all th • Phyſicians art could not cure. Thu • Moſes rod divides the furious ſe • Thus ſpittle and clay do that whic • neither skill of Surgeons, Exod. 14. nor powe • • f Kings could do; yea which was ne • er done before from the beginning of • he world; Joh. 9. they open the eyes of one • orn blind. Judg. 9. Thus a poor woman ſpeeds • bimelech a mighty King, and ſends • im going with a peece of a milſtone, • hom armed Souldiers feared to come • eer. 1 Sam. 17. Thus a ſtone flung out of a ſling • y the hand of a youth kils Goliath • he Champion of the Philiſtims, and • he terrour of Iſrael. Joſh. 6. Thus the ſound • f Rams hornes blowes down the wals • f Jericho. Act. 4.16. Thus poor fiſhermen make • hief Prieſts and Scribes almoſt at their • vits end by their own confeſſion, ſo • hat they know not what to do. Thus Moſes a poor ſheep-keeper troubles Pharaoh and all the Kingdome of Egypt: • nd brings out Iſrael in deſpight of Pharaoh and all the power of Egypt. A glorious work wrought by a mean man, which a great Army could not have done. This was the finger of God. Gen. 14. Thus Abraham a ſtranger on • arth, a ſojourner, and one that dwelt • n tents, overthrows four Kings and • heir Armies. Joſh. 12. Thus Joſhua the ſer • ant of Moſes overthrows a multitude of Canaanitiſh Kings in a little ſpace: and takes their ſtrong cities and overruns their countries, and gives them to the people of God in poſſeſſion. So eaſily doth God expell the Idols and Idolaters out of Canaan, that none but God himſelf might be ſerved in the holy Land.

Gods preparations are like his proceedings. He hath planted ſome qualities in the meaneſt which do exceed the ſtrength of the greateſt. Theſe he hath planted for rods to ſcourge the greateſt withal and the proudeſt. A little vermin carries a ſting to kill a mighty man withall. He need but touch him, and he dies. A little arrow a great way off murders a hugh ſtagge: and there is no flying from it. He may flie from men, from dogs, from horſes, but not from death. His wound runs with him. In many things the brute beaſts goe beyond reaſonable men. Whoſe ſight can reach ſo far as the Eagles? Whoſe noſe ſo far ſo as the bloud-hounds? No wonder if God ſcourge wiſe men by fools, and confound great ones by mean, that can do it by dogs, Act. 12.24. and by filly vermin if he pleaſe. Herod in all his pride and royalty cannot flie from ſilly wormes. Theſe eate him alive, that uſe not to • evour others till they die. Where are • ow his Phyſicians? Where are his Chirurgeons? Where are his men of • ar? Can none of theſe by skill nor • rce drive away a few wormes from •• e carkaſe of a King? So it ſeems. • or Herod muſt be a quick coarſe. Where is mans nobility? where is is policy? where is his greatneſſe, •• at cannot free him from thoſe crea • ures that mans foot could conſume 〈◊〉 a minute, if it could come at •• em?

But beſides the naturall and imbred • alities of weak creatures, when • od purpoſes to make uſe of the mea • eſt to confound the greateſt, he can • creaſe their naturall quality mira • louſly. As the corn that goes ſingle in 〈◊〉 the earth comes forth with a happy •• d plentifull increaſe: ſo the qualities 〈◊〉 meaneſt men, yea of meaneſt crea •• res, of molehils are made mountains, • hen God hath ſome great work to 〈◊〉 by them. Thus by way of bleſſing, • hen God purpoſeth to reward Jacob 〈◊〉 his hard ſervice, and to tranſlate •• bans cattell with his children to ••• obs poſſeſſion, how ſlight a matter •• th it? A few pilled rods caſt before the ſheep in the gutturs make the cattell bring forth ſpeckled ſheep i • abundance: Gen. 30.38, 39. and by virtue of a forme • contract made Laban poor and Jacob rich. Nature peradventure might have done ſomething, working upon the phantaſie of the Cattell, but God • bleſſing ſtrangely increaſeth the powe • of nature and Jacobs portion. And thu • by way of curſing, 2 King. 9. & 10. chapt. a mad fellow eſteemed by the Captaines, whiſpering ſomething in the ears of Jehu procures a • ſtrange alteration in the Kingdome o • Iſrael, as the depoſing of Joram, the death of Jeſabell, the ſlaughter of ſeventy o • Ahabs ſons, and all his kindred, th • murther of two and forty of Ahaziah • brethren, the deſtruction of all the worſhippers of Baal, and the rooting o • Baal out of Iſrael. It was much tha • an uproare ſhould riſe on ſo light 〈◊〉 ground: but almoſt incredible to find • ſo many alterations.

Beſides the naturall and encreaſe • gifts of the meaneſt creatures, whe • God hath a purpoſe to pull down th • ſtrength and pride of great ones, h • leſſens their force, and puls down thei • ſpirits, that they may eaſily be tro • under foot of the weakeſt. When Go • purpoſeth to ſcourge Samſon by thoſe Philiſtims whom he had often conquered before, he takes his ſtrength from him, Judg. 16. and then Samſon becomes a prey to his enemies. His wit was overcome by a filly woman, and his ſtrength by thoſe that had been conquered by it. The men of Jericho that had ſtrong wals to encloſe them from the Iſraelites, yet when they had heard of the great things that God had done for them in the Countries about, their hearts melted, Joſh. 2.11. and there remained not any more courage in any man. God diſmayes the men of Jericho, that the Iſraelites may have the more eaſie victory. That this is Gods doing appears by Moſes ſwanlike ſong, who was beſt acquainted with Gods courſes, How ſhould one, Deut. 32.30. ſaith he, chaſe a thouſand, and two put ten • houſand to flight, except their Rock had ſold them, and the Lord had ſhut them up? Strange it is to ſee how weak great men •• re, and how fooliſh wiſe men are, when God hath a purpoſe to confound them. He that gave them wit and ſtrength, can take them both away, when they abuſe them, and he intends to bring ſome great judgment upon them to the utter deſolation of their eſtates, and deſtruction of their ſouls and bodies. And if God do none of all theſe, yet he hath many ſuddain accidents at command to inflict upon men in the midſt of their jollity, which neither their wiſdome can foreſee, nor their power prevent. And this is done lightly by the meaneſt of the creatures. The Popes themſelves that inſult ſo proudly over Kings and Princes, have had wofull experience of this concluſion, and have ſealed it with their unexſpected ruin. Bal. de vit. Pont. Rom. Pope Adrian IV. was killed with a flie which got in his throat. None of the Phyſicians could get it out again. So a ſmall flie makes an end of a great Pope. Serres French Invent. Ʋrban VI. ſcap't no better, who in his malice had tyed up ſome of his Cardinals in ſacks, and caſt them into the ſea to feed fiſhes. This tyrannous Pope catcht a • fall off his mule, as ſhe ſtumbled in the ſtreet, and took his deaths wound, whereof he dyed within 27. dayes. So little an occaſion as the trip of a mul • layes the glory of an inſolent Pope upon the ground. 2 Sam. 18. Abſalom the proud and rebellious ſon of David riding under an oak is hanged by the hair o • the head: none of his followers offer • to take him down, till Joab and his youngmen make an end of him. 1 King. 22. Ahab the wicked King of Iſrael, the bane of Naboth, and the uſurper of his vineyard, is killed by an arrow ſhot by he knows not whom, coming from he knows not whence. So that his diſguiſed apparell though it ſaved him from the ſword of the Syrians, yet it could not ſave him from an arrow ſhot by one that little dreamed of killing of a King.

Ʋſe 1 Thus we ſee that God confounds the wiſdome, the power, the greatneſſe, the riches, the honour, the nobility of the greateſt men upon earth by ſome ſmall and contemptible means, to pull down the pride of the ſons of men. Hence then may we read to the greateſt a lecture of vigilancy, and a caveat to take heed of ſecurity. No place ſo ſecret that can hide from Gods judgments. No time ſo quiet and free from commotions, that can ſecure us againſt a thouſand evill accidents. In the night when we lie quiet in our beds, theeves may break in, and murther us: fire may begin within, and devour our lives and ſubſtance. The leaſt creatures have ſome ſtinging qualities, whereby they are fitted to be executioners of Gods wrath againſt mighty Princes. Great men thing themſelves ſafe in their palaces. But how ſoon can God ſet fire on them? They think no man dare make known their ſecret ſins, nor reveal their hidden wickedneſſes. But often doth God bring their works of darkneſſe to light by the meaneſt of their ſervants, and the moſt contemptible of their attendants. Let not them truſt to their wals, nor to their wealth, nor to their power. God fears not their greatneſſe: and he can ſtir up mean men to courage, ſo that they ſhall not fear the frowns of the mighty, but ſhall lay open their ſecret crimes unto the world, when God will come into the liſts and execute judgement upon the mighty.

Ʋſe 2 Secondly, Great men are here taught not to contemn mean ones, nor to deſpiſe the loweſt among the ſons of men. Some way or other there is whereby the leaſt things may work ſorrow to the greateſt. Flies, and frogs, and lice diſturbe Pharaoh the mighty King of Egypt, and come into his bed-chambe • without the Kings leave, but ſent by a greater and a divine authority. No ſhift had Pharaoh to rid his Kingdome, nor himſelf from theſe incombrances. And indeed there is no ſhift that great men have to avoid the fury of mean things but by turning away the anger of the moſt high God, who is Lord of hoſts, and in his diſpleaſure ſerves himſelf of the loweſt things to pull down the greateſt men. For as in a clock or a jack, the firſt wheel moving moves all the reſt; and if it ſtand ſtill, the reſt move not: ſo in the world, if God ſtir not againſt us, the creatures are quiet; but if he once pitch his tents, and ſet himſelf in battell array againſt us, then all the creatures, even the leaſt, are up in armes, ready placed in their ranks to confound thoſe whom God determines to ruine. But if they be once truly reconciled to God, then need not the leaſt to fear the power of the greateſt: much leſſe need the greateſt to fear any miſchief from the leaſt. Otherwiſe the leaſt Bee hath a ſting to anger a King; and the pooreſt muſt not be ſet light, for by them can God confound the mighty.

Ʋſe 3 Thirdly, It teacheth all men to give glory to God, when they ſee great men and wiſe confounded by ſuch as are of no reputation. Or when they finde great impediments removed and taken out of the way by little things, and ſuch as men make no account of. Peradventure ſome great diſeaſe that threatens not only pain and grief, but death it ſelf to the whole body, is taken away like Hezekiahs ſore, 2 King. 20.7. with a lump of figs. This is Gods doing. Peradventure ſome great Goliah, 1 Sam. 17. challengeth and terrifyeth the whole hoaſt of Iſrael; and ſome David contemned by him, overthrows him. Let God have the glory of it. Peradventure ſome evill members in a Kingdome great in eſtate and policy, ſeek the ruin of it: and God prevents their deſignes by the means of men of low degree, and far beneath them both in eſtate, and underſtanding. God looks for the honour of it, and that the ſafety of the Kingdome ſhould be attributed to him. Peradventure in the Church ſome great Clerks may prove great hereticks or Schiſmaticks; and raiſe factions and diviſions, which may indanger the Church it ſelf. If God by others of meaner learning and parts, overthrow their hereſies, reaſon good that God ſhould have all the glory. God doth often make choiſe of weak inſtruments to work by, that he may be known to be the author of the good work, and that his power may appear in the weakneſſe of the inſtrument, and the homage and honour of every glorious action may be attributed unto him who is the King of glory.

Ʋſe 4 Laſtly, hence may we learn in all difficulties, eſpecially ſuch as the policy or might of our adverſaries plunge us into, to depend upon God, through whoſe providence great ones are brought low by mean inſtruments. No means are ever wanting unto God, who can make means: and ſuch means as we look not for, even the ſmalleſt accidents to overthrow our greateſt enemies. Their ſecreteſt plots are known to him. Their wiſeſt deſignes he can overturn by fooliſh inſtruments to their greater confuſion. Men meet with many difficulties in cloſing with their enemies. They fall ſhort of them ſometimes in power, ſometimes in policy. God is omniſcient, and omnipotent. Where he undertakes the work, all is eaſie. It proceeds with facility, which otherwiſe would prove a work of great difficulty. Without this dependence there is no fafety to be had in the world. There is no man ſo wiſe in his own conceit, but another may overreach him. There is none ſo great, but another may prove greater then he. But ſuppoſe a man that were every way both the wiſeſt and the greateſt in the world, yet were he far from a ſure eſtate; becauſe he fals infinitely ſhort of Gods wiſdome and ſtrength, who can put matter enough into ſuch weak and ſimple ones, as he skorns to look upon, utterly to overthrow all his proſperity. Happy is he then, whether great or ſmall, wife or fooliſh, that depends on God alone, for he ſhall be ſafe in the fall of the mighty ones.

Hitherto we have paſſed through the the ſea of Gods election: now we are to come to the haven of Gods glory. We have heard the perſons largly deſcribed, and finde them for the moſt part to be the meaneſt. Now let us touch upon the impulſive cauſe, which might move God to make choiſe of ſuch, as it is delivered in the concluſion of the text: That no fleſh ſhould glory in his preſence.

That they who glory in their power, or in their policy, may perceive their own weakneſſe, and may be driven to acknowledge, that without God they have nothing, they can do nothing, when they ſee the Kingdome of heaven opened by God to weak and ſimple per • ons, and ſhut againſt them. Neither • oth the Apoſtle ſay, That theſe great • nes may not glory in his preſence; but, • hat no fleſh may. And ſurely by this means all glorying is excluded from all men in the world. The great and wiſe ones have no cauſe to glory, becauſe though they have great portions in • his world, yet they are not often called • o glory in the world to come. The • oor and ſimple have no cauſe to glory, becauſe though they be called to happineſſe in heaven, yet they are but fooliſh and mean perſons here. The former could not attain happineſſe by • heir wit. The latter could not attain • o it of themſelves for lack of forecaſt. Thus is all occaſion of boaſting in the fight of God taken from all fleſh, and all the glory of our happineſs left for God, by whoſe grace alone, and not by any thing in us we are brought to eternall ſelicity. So are we taught by Fulgentius, God, Ʋnus Deus est qui gratis et • ocat praedeſtinatos, et juſtificat vocatos, et glorificat juſtificatos. Fulg. de praed. ad Mon. lib. 1. ſaith he, alone is he that freely both cals ſuch as are predeſtinate, and juſtifie • ſuch as are called, and glorifies ſuch as are juſtifyed. All power of creatures is bu • weakneſſe, that God may have all the glory who hath all the power. For a • the ſame Father affirmes, Fulneſſe of powe • is to be found in none but in God alone. Plena poteſtas quae eſt, niſi ſola divinitas? Fulg. de paſſ. Dom. ad Tral. lib. 3. To draw this particular then to a generall • here the Spirit of God by the mouth o • St. Paul informes us, that God by his providence ſo rules all things, tha • the glory of all in the end ſhall return 〈◊〉 God.

He is the firſt mover of all, and there fore will move all to his own honou • at laſt. This courſe God obſerves in th • particular promotions of particula • perſons. He raiſeth David from a ſor • ſhepherd to a mighty King. And David i • his generation exceedingly honour • God, and promoted the cauſe of relig • on. God rent the ten tribes from Reh • boam, and gave them to Jeroboam. A • though Jeroboam had no care to honou • God, yet by this rent did God honou • his juſtice in plaguing Solomons idolatr • with the loſſe of many ſubjects up • his poſterity, fulfilling the cur • threatned againſt idolaters in the ſe • ond Commandement in puniſhing the • ins of the parents upon the children. God raiſeth Jehu, and of a Captain in • ſrael, makes him King over Iſrael. By this means God honours his name, and • ids Iſrael of two enemies, Ahab and all • is poſterity, and Baal and all his wor • hippers. Jehu at Gods command riddes • hem all out of Iſrael. Whatſoever be the means of our preferment, all the glory of it belongs unto God. As it is in • ome mens peculiar preferments, Luk. 12.24. ſo • s it in common favours. Conſider the • avens, ſaith our bleſſed Saviour, for they • either ſow nor reap, which neither have ſtore • ouſe nor barn, and God feedeth them. Nei • her doth God feed the ravens alone, but • ll other creatures alſo, Pſ. 104.27, 28. as the Pſalmiſt • cknowledgeth, Theſe wait all upon • hee, that thou mayeſt give them their meat • n due ſeaſon. That thou giveſt them, they • ather: thou openeſt thine hand, they are fil • ed with good. Though men will not • cknowledge it, yet their Corne, and Wine, and Oil, Hoſ. 2.8. their ſilver and gold are • f God. Neither is it otherwiſe in • oliticall affaires. God takes the main • roke in all popular mutations unto himſelf. The Egyptians muſt become ſubject 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 to the Aſſyrians, Iſa 20.4. but the glory of i • muſt not be given to their ſtrength, for God himſelf hath foretold it, and appointed it. Jeruſalem muſt be burned with fire, and the Citizens made ſlave • to the Caldeans, but it is by Gods determination. Jer. 34.2. Thus ſaith the Lord, Behold 〈◊〉 will give this city into the hand of the Kin • of Babylon, and he ſhall burn it with fire.

Laſtly, ſo it is in Eccleſiaſticall occurrents. The Arke of God muſt b • carryed into captivity, but not becauſ • of the power of the enemies, but becauſe God gives it into their hands fo • the ſins of his people. Pſal. 78.61. God delivered hi • ſtrength into captivity, and his glory into th • enemies hand. The Arke muſt be brough • back again from the enemies, but not b • the force of the Iſraelites. For God ſend judgements on the Philiſtines, 1 Sam. 6.9. and force them to ſend back the Arke, and b • directing it into his own coaſts with out a driver, manifeſts his own powe • and glory. So might the enemies ſ • that without Gods permiſſion the • could not have taken the Arke bein • compelled by him to ſend it back again • Much more then in diſpoſing of ſpiri • tuall graces and eternall favours dot • God procure everlaſting glory to himſelf, as well as perpetuall felicity to his choſen. And therefore doth he chuſe the meaneſt, not only to confound the mighty, but alſo to bring all the honour to himſelf, and in the Apoſtles • anguage, That no fleſh may glory in his • reſence. God can do what he liſt, when he liſt, without mans help, againſt all mans power and wit. It is all one to him whether he work with in • truments, or without inſtruments. It • oſts him never the more paines: nor • he worke is never a whit the more • ifficult to his divine Majeſty and Almighty power. The glory therefore of • ll good and glorious actions belongs • ot to the inſtruments, but unto God. • n warlike victories the Captain hath • ot all the glory due to him, becauſe • e cannot fight without Souldiers and Weapons. But God can do that without means, which he doth do by means. He can convert men by the Miniſtry of the word: and he can do it without. So that all the glory of it muſt of ne • eſſity be Gods. It was not the diligence of Abrahams ſervant, Gen. 24.7.27. nor the forecaſt of Abraham, that brought Rebecea to Iſaac, • ut Gods overruling hand and providence. His Angell directs Abrahams ſervant to the place appointed. Reaſon it is then that he ſhould refer all things to his own honour, that diſpoſeth of all things at his own pleaſure. And ſo much the rather becauſe no profit comes unto God out of his actions▪ All the benefit of them is ours. We may be made happier by them, he cannot. The greater glory therefore is due to him, becauſe all his works tend unto our benefit. His love to us requires that he be glorifyed by us. Nothing can be added to him to make him more happy. What can be expected leſſe the • but that that happineſſe and perfection which he hath already, be declared and manifeſted ſome way or other in all the courſes of his creatures?

This meditation puls down th • pride of all the world, Ʋſe 1 if it be well digeſted. One man ſwels becauſe of hi • honours. Another is puft up with hi • wealth and poſſeſſions. Another boaſts o • his ſtock and pedegree, and rips up the virtues of his predeceſſors that hath none of his own. Another brags o • his wit and wiſe projects, and famous inventions. Another is lifted up with his valour, and the notable atchieve • ments and feats of war, that his hand • have accompliſhed. Another triumphs • n proſperity, becauſe of his magna • imity and courage in adverſity, which • e hath outworn by his patience and • aſt behind him. All theſe are inju • ious to God. They may boaſt as long • s they will, but God will lay their • onour in the duſt, and ſet up the • rophies of his honor in their confu • on. Such as will not give glory to God, ſhall finde none themſelves in the • nd. God will take from them what • hey arrogate to themſelves, and turn • ll to his own praiſe.

The concluſion of all ſhall be this, 〈◊〉 teacheth us which is the true reli • ion. It muſt needs be that which aims • oſt at Gods honour, and refers all to Gods glory. It muſt needs be that re • gion, that puls down all pride of man, • nd attributes all the good that is in • an to God the giver. It cannot be the • ligion of the Church of Rome, that attributes a great deal to mans merits. It • nnot be our new Pelagianiſme, or • rminianiſme, that aſcribes too much 〈◊〉 mans will, and makes his eternall appineſſe to hang upon the doubtfull • nd ſlippery turning of his own incli • ation. It muſt needs be ours, which ſubjects all to God, that reduceth every thing that good is, or comfortable to God, as the fountain. This religion ſuits beſt with St. Pauls words, and permits no fleſh to glory in Gods preſence. In this Religion let us live; in this Religion let us die, that we may be found in the number of Gods choſen, and joyne his glory to our everlaſting felicity.

Amen.

Give diligence to make your calling and election ſure.

In this little world the Iſle of Man the externall ornaments of the body are lively pictures of the internall indowments of the ſoul. The eye of the ſoul is the Underſtanding: it guide all the faculties of the ſoul. The foo • is the Will: it carries all the ſoul whi • ther it pleaſe. The hands of the ſou • are the Affections: theſe bring fort • as many ſeverall actions in the life as the hands can ſhew artificiall operations in the world. The great worl • is like the little world. The variet • of mens naturall eſtates is an eviden • expreſſion of their different ſpiritual • conditions. The world may be muſtre • in three rankes. The vantguard conſiſts of ſuch as are poor: this is a di • eaſe that moſt men complain of. Th • main battail brings forth thoſe tha • have riches, but vex themſelves as 〈◊〉 they had none, and live in want, th • might live in plenty. The rerewa • holds thoſe that are rich, and kno • they are rich, that live plentifull and bountifully according to their • iches. Such is the variety of mens ſeverall conditions in the Church. • ome have no riches at all, but are pretched and miſerable, poor and blind, Revel. 3.17. and • aked, meer luke-warme Laodiceans, • ime-ſerving formall Hypocrites. Theſe • re born in fin, and live in ſin, and die 〈◊〉 fin. The riches of Gods grace they • ave no ſhare of, they are but baptized Simon Maguſſes. Act. 8.21. They have neither part • or lot in this matter: for their heart is not • ight in the ſight of God. Others have • pirituall treaſure, but they know it • ot. They vex themſelves for want of • pprehending that favour which they • ave. They live as uncomfortably in • he midſt of grace, as covetous men in • he midſt of riches. Theſe ſay with • ſaph, Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Pſal. 77.9. • ath he in anger ſhut up his tender mercies? Theſe pray with David, Pſal. 51.8. Make me to • ear joy and gladneſſe: that the bones • hich thou haſt broken may rejoyce. Others have the riches of Gods grace, and • now they have it. Theſe are full of • by, as well as grace, examples of • heerfulneſſe and carefulneſſe, patterns • f piety and alacrity. Theſe ſing with David, Pſal. 4.8. We will both lay us down in peace and ſleep: for thou Lord only makeſt u • dwell in ſafety. Theſe ride in triumph • over all worldly things with St. Paul, We are perſwad • d, Rom. 8.38, 39. that neither death, n •• life, nor Angels, nor principalities, n • powers, nor things preſent, nor things t • come, nor height, nor depth, nor any othe • creature ſhall be able to ſeparate us from th • love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus ou • Lord.

The firſt condition is miſerable.

The ſecond is uncomfortable.

The third is admirable.

To thoſe of the firſt condition, I ſay no more, but let them pray to be delivered out of their unhappineſſe.

Thoſe of the third ſort I adviſe to praiſe God for their happineſſe.

But thoſe of the ſecond eſtate whoſ • comfort is the ſcope of theſe meditations, I muſt endevour to perſwad • to the fruition of ſpirituall contentedneſſe. Set before your eyes ſome worldly Nabal, whoſe inheritance is called in queſtion. See how he plots in hi • mind, goes to the Scriveners, conſult with the Lawyers, ſpends his money waſts his time to amend thoſe errour that have tainted his Evidences. Suppoſe in me you hear St. Peter exhorting you to uſe the ſame diligence to aſſure your eternall inheritance.

We are Gods labourers, Cor. 3.9. we are Gods building.

The builder firſt layes a foundation: then raiſes the walles, and laſtly ſecures the whole building againſt all tempeſts with a roof. So muſt I lay a foundation in explication, build up the wals with obſervation, and ſecure all with application.

Uſe diligence.

The Greek word is originally derived from a word that ſignifies to make haſte. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Diligence is neither ſlow nor ſlothfull. The weight of the matter requiring haſt commands diligence. The cure of ſpirituall diſtractions is • ot to be deferred. No time is to be • eglected, when the rents of the ſoul • re to be repaired. Scruples of con • cience muſt be ſuddainly removed. They are not worth houſe room. 〈◊〉 green wound is eaſily healed, but • ime alone is ſufficient to make it in • urable. Thoſe ſcruples that at firſt • ight have been eaſily blaſted, in pro •• ſſe of time may grow to ſuch a flame, that no water can quench them. Health encreaſeth by labour, but wounds and ſickneſſe grow by idleneſſe. Haſte therefore and diligence are requiſite, where pangs of conſcience are to be removed.

To make your calling.

Calling puts us in minde, how w • come by all our happineſſe. We a •• born miſerable, our preferment come from heaven. Judges are men by birth • and Judges by calling: men from their parents, Judges from thei • prince. So we have our naturall part from our parents, our ſpirituall grace from God.

And election.

This word not only notes an accepting, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . but alſo a picking or chuſin • of ſome out of the midſt of others 〈◊〉 the ſame nature. So the gardner pick one flower to ſmell to, and leave many as good. So the Gentlema • walking in his orchyard gathers o •• apple to eat, and leaves many growin • on the ſame tree. So God freely pick • out ſome veſſels for honour, and leaves others of the ſame ſtampe in that earthly and miſerable ſtate wherein he found them.

Sure.

Make it firme or eſtabliſhed. The houſe that totters muſt be ript up and repaired, till it ſtand faſt againſt all winds. So muſt the ſoul that wavers be eſtabliſhed with Gods promiſes againſt all aſſaults of Satan. There muſt be no room left for doubting in time to come.

Let us now paraphraſe a little the words of St. Peter. Imagine you heard him ſpeaking thus, I know you are men as well as Chriſtians. You have many worldly cares for this life, but let your greateſt care be for the life to come. The Devill will ſet fiercely upon your vocation, and plant his greateſt Ordinance againſt your election. Neglect you no opportunity to make up the breaches, that Satan may not reenter. Leave not the worke begun, till it be finiſhed. Leave no place for doubting God hath elected you and called you to grace and glory. Labour to aſſure your title to the end. And thus much for expoſition.

The builder that hath reared up his houſe without, comes after to look within, and proportions it unto divers rooms for the pleaſure of the beholder, and the profit of the dweller. So muſt I lead you from the outſide of my text to view the ſeverall chambers within this ſpatious building for the profit and the comfort of your ſouls. This beautifull tree affords unto us theſe fruitfull branches for heavenly meditations.

1. That there is an election.

2. That there is a vocation depending upon it, and anſwerable to it.

3. That this election and vocation are of particular perſons.

4. That both of them may be uncertain to them, that have intereſt in both.

5. That they may be made certain.

6. That the way to make them certain is by diligence.

Who would not then uſe all diligence to make his calling and election ſure?

For the firſt.

There is an election.

The Scripture mentions the elected, and the Elector hand in hand in many places. Our Saviour Chriſt joynes them, Shall not God avenge his own elect? Luk. 18.7. St. Paul followes his Maſters ſteps, Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? Rom. 8.33. The like teſtimony he gives the Theſſalonians as well as the Romans, Knowing brethren beloved your election of God. 1 Theſſ. 1.4.

The book of God affords unto us a twofold divine election. Some God chooſeth to glorious offices in this world: ſome to eternall glory in the world to come. Judas was choſen to be an Apoſtle on earth, but not to be a Saint in heaven. Chriſt puts him into the one, but ſhuts him out of the other, Have not I choſen twelve of you, Joh. 6.70. 1 Theſſ. 1.4. and one of you is a Devill? The Theſſalonians are ordained to heavenly glory, not to earthly Apoſtleſhip. Peter and Paul are elected to be Apoſtles in this world, and Saints in a better. This difference I mention by the way, that ſuch as are not elected to honourable imployments in Church or Common-wealth, may not be diſcouraged; they may be elected to eternall happineſſe in heaven. In the warres all that are choſen to be Souldiers, are not choſen to be Captains. In the Church, all that are choſen to be Saints in the Churches, are not choſen to be Angels of the Churches. Revel. 2.1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Each Church hath many Saints, yet but one Angell. All that are choſen to be golden candleſtickes, are not choſen to be ſtarres. Revel. 1.20. The builder among many ſtones chuſeth one to be a corner ſtone, Video etiam ex electis ſeligi aliquos ad aliquid majus at que praeſtantius, ſicut in militia cum tyrones electi fuerint, ex his quoque cliguntur ad opus aliquod majus armorum. Et cum eliguntur in Eccleſia, qui fiant • praepoſiti, non utique caeteri reprobantur, cum omnes boni fideles electi merito nuncupentur. El • guntur in aedificio lapides angulares, non reprobatis caeteris qui ſtructurae partibus allis deputantur. Eliguntur uvae ad veſcendum, nec reprobamus alias, quas relinquimus ad b • bendum. Aug. de civ. Dei. lib. 7. c. 1. but layes by many firſt, not to ſhut them out of the building, but to reſerve them to a convenient place. The bunch of grapes that is not pulled with the hand of the paſſenger to eat, is not caſt away by the Maſter of the Vineyard, but kept to make wine to drink. In Gods Vineyard many that are not preferd before, may expect their preferment at the vintage.

Thoſe that are not rulers of the Church, may be members of the Church: If the ear ſhall ſay, 1 Cor. 12.16. Becauſe I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? It often happens in the Church, as it doth in the body, 1 Cor. 12.23. that leſſe honoured members have more abundant honour put upon them, and finde it by experience in the end, that election to eternall goes beyond all temporall honours.

But what have I to do with uncertain offices upon earth, my thoughts muſt follow St. Peter, and mount up to election, that leads to everlaſting happineſſe. Such an election there is, and it is well for them that are elected, that there is ſuch an one, how ere it goe with others. Kings, Princes, Judges upon earth, have offices and honours to beſtow upon their favourites. Theſe they beſtow upon whom they pleaſe, they deny to whom they liſt, and no man cals them to account for either. Shall that liberty be denyed to God, that is granted to Gods deputies upon earth? Shall any man queſtion God for giving or denying, that ſees men give and deny every day without a reaſon? When I look upon the face of ſuch as are elected, I know not how to deny an election. They are fooliſh, they are mean, they are feeble. The world chuſeth the wiſe, and refuſeth the fooliſh, takes the great, and puts by the mean, accepts the ſtrong, regards not the weak. Surely ſuch as theſe could never be ſo highly advanced, were it not for Gods chuſing them before greater perſonages. Where is their nobility? Where is their dexterity of apprehenſion, and deepneſſe of underſtanding? Where is their martiall fortitude, and rare exploits of war? They that have theſe are refuſed: they that want theſe are received. This cannot be without an abſolute and free election. Caſt your eyes aſide now a while: look off Gods elect, and view their children. Compare Iſhmael with Abraham, Eſau with Iſaac, Abſalom and Ammon with David. How unlike are theſe children to theſe parents? If their parents bad got their free dome by their ſervice, they would have pleaded the cuſtome of the City to make their children free. Their children are partakers of their nature, but not of their grace. The pureſt wheat caſt in the ground brings forth corn full of chaffe and darnell. He that conſiders the corn mingled with traſh, and compares it with the pure ſeed caſt into the ground, muſt needs conclude, the ſeed was not ſo clean by nature, (elſe would this have been ſo too) but it was purifyed by the ſowers labour. In like ſort he that ſees the wickedneſſe of Abſalom, and compares it with the goodneſſe of David, will be forced to confeſſe that Davids good came not from Iſhaies ſeed, but from Gods election.

Laſtly, conſider the corrupt eſtate of all men by nature, and ſee if any man can come to God without election. We are the beſt of us too much corrupted by nature to repent of our ſelves. Gods choiſe therefore muſt make the difference. Man is a creature that wanders from his Creatour, Quid eſt homo? Aberrans a creat • re creatura: niſi creator ejus memor ſit • ius: et eligat cum gratis, et diligat gratis: quia non poteſt eligere vel diligere, niſi prius electus d • l • ctuſ que curetur, qui cae • itate eligenda non cernit, et languore diligenda faſtidit. Aug. de Temp. ſer. 223. unleſſe his Creatour be mindfull of him, and chuſe him freely, and love him freely, becauſe be can neither chuſe nor love, except he be first elected, beloved and healed, who by reaſon of his blindneſſe diſcernes not what is to be choſen, and by reaſon of his weakneſſe loathes what is to be beloved. Truely and deeply obſerved by St. Augustine. Deo duce venitur ad Deum. Proſ. de. voc. gent. l. 1. c. 24. Proſper ſutably, God muſt be his guide that comes to God. I conclude the point with his authority, that goes beyond both Auguſtines and Proſpers, John. 6.44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath ſent me, draw him.

Marke this I beſeech you, you that ſcoffe and deride at election, and at thoſe whoſe greateſt comfort is, that they have the eternall teſtimony of Gods Spirit, that they are elected. Your ſcoffes may keep you from ſanctification, but cannot deprive them of their expectation. This is their greateſt comfort. Take life and goods and all, only let them quietly enjoy the perſwaſion of Gods election, and they are well. No marvail if men ſcoffe at election, when they are taught a mock-election. Many maintain an • election, that is no election, and teach a choiſe without choiſe. What did it profit Saul to boaſt, 1 Sam. 15.14. I have performed the commandement of God, when the ſheep and oxen open their mouthes and ſtop his? What will it profit theſe men to cracke of election, when they • verthrow all abſolute and free choiſe? 〈◊〉 may be this charge is too loud to • me out of my mouth, it will ſound • tter in the words of Auguſtine, and • oid the imputation of novelty. • hoſe that acknowledge no other • ection but out of works or faith • reſeen, let them heare St. Auguſtines • om, You have not choſen me, ſaith our • viour) but I have •• ſen you. Non vos me elegiſtis, inquit, ſed ego vos • legi. Quid ergo eramus, niſi iniqui, et perditi? Ne que enim jam credideramus in eum: ut eligeret nos. Nam ſi jam credentes elegit, electos elegit. Cur ergo diceret, Non vos me elegiſtis, niſi quia miſcricordia ejus praevenit n • s? Hic certe vacat vana illorum ratiocinatio, qui praeſcientiam Dei defendunt contra gratiam Dei: et ideo dicunt nos electos ante mundi conſtitutionem, quia praeſcivit nos Deas futuros bonos, non ſe ipſum nos facturum bonos. Non h • c dicit, qui dicit, Non vos me elegiſtis, quoniam ſi propterea nos elegiſſet, quia bonos futuros eſſe nos praeſciverat, ſimul etiam praeſciſſet, quod eum nos fuiſſ • mus prius el • cturi. Aug. in Joh. tract. 86. What were 〈◊〉 when we were choſen, 〈◊〉 wicked and caſta • es? For we had not 〈◊〉 beleeved in him, that 〈◊〉 ſhould chuſe us. For • e choſe beleevers, he • ſe ſuch as were choſen • ore. Why ſhould he • n ſay, You have not • ſen me, but becauſe his • ey prevented us? This • ly overthrows the vain • ſoning of ſuch, as de • d the foreknowledge of • d againſt the grace of • d, and ſay, God hath • efore choſen us before the creation of the • ld, becauſe he knew beforehard that we • ld be good, not becauſe he would make us good. He ſaith not ſo, that ſaith, Ye ha • not choſen me, becauſe if he had therefor • choſen us, becauſe he foreknew, that 〈◊〉 would be good, he would withall have fore known, that we would have choſen h • firſt. Et paulo poſt. Audi ingrate, ingrate audi. Non vos me elegiſtis, ſed ego elegi vos. Non eſt ut dicas, ideo electus ſum quia jam credebam. Si enim credebas in cum jam elegeras eum. Sed audi. Non vos me elegiſtis. And not far after, Hearken O i • gratefull perſon, O ingratefull perſon hearken. Ye have not choſen me, but I ho • choſen you. There is no reaſon for thee 〈◊〉 ſay, I was therefore choſen, becauſe I d • beleeve before. For if thou didſt beleeve 〈◊〉 him firſt, thou hadſt firſt choſen him. B • hear, ye have not choſen me. So that i • St. Auguſtines judgment an election o • of faith or works foreſeen is either 〈◊〉 election or a ſelf election. And the that teach it, give occaſion to pr • phane perſons to ſcoffe at Go • election. Let Gods elect not on • not be diſcouraged by ſcoffers, n • daunted by falſe teachers, but let the acknowledge a divine election, as t • foundation of all their holineſſe a • happineſſe.

What were you before God cho • you, but unholy, unhappy? Wh • would ye have been yet, if God h • not choſen you, but what you w • before? Let Auguſtine anſwer th • queſtion, What ſhall we then ſay, wh • •• e hear, Ye have not choſen me, Quid ergo dicturi ſumus audiendo, non vos me elegiſtis, niſi quia mali eramus, et electi ſumus, ut boni per gratiam nos eligentis eſſemus? Aug. in Joh. tract. 86. but that • e were evill, but are elected, that we • ight be good through his grace that hath • lected us? In all the Scripture there 〈◊〉 no higher action then Gods electi • n. Acknowledge this therefore for • he fountain, from whence ſpring the • wo pleaſant ſtreams of grace and glory. • nd thus much for the firſt and top • ranch of this moſt glorious tree. We • ave climed up to the higheſt, now let • s go downward by degrees, ſlowly • nd ſafely for fear of falling.

2. There is a vocation depending upon this election, and anſwerable to it.

That vocation depends upon electi • n, and goes hand in hand with it, • t. Paul inſtructs the Romans, Rom. 8.30. Whom he • d predeſtinate, them he alſo called. He •• viſeth the Corinthians not to marvail 〈◊〉 the meanneſſe of ſuch as were called, • r they are the very ſame that were • re-elected. 1 Cor. 1.26, 27. Ye ſee that God hath • lled fooliſh and mean perſons to be • irs of glory, becauſe he had choſen • ch before he made the world. We • e called to faith, and what is that, •• t the faith of Gods elect? Tit. 1.1. St. Auguſtine obſerves that in the beginning of bot • St. Pauls Epiſtles to Timothy, there is 〈◊〉 Trinity of bleſſings, not found ſo linked in the beginning of many other 〈◊〉 the Canonicall Epiſtles, Id verbum interpoſuit, quo plane a peritur at que oſtenditur non meritis operum priorum, ſed ſecundum miſericordiam Dei nobis dari ſpiritum ſanctum. Aug. expoſ. epiſt. ad Rom. inchoatae. lib. 1. Grace, merey and peace. The Apoſtle, (ſaith he) 〈◊〉 Mercy between Grace, and Peace, that 〈◊〉 might plainly ſhew that the Spirit of Go • is given us, not for the merits of our for • mer works, but according to Gods mercy And indeed what can come betwee • Gods grace of election, and our pea • of juſtification, ſo fitly, as Gods mer • in our vocation? Before we mention • a twofold election, now we muſt me • tion a twofold vocation:

The one outward, in the Miniſtry 〈◊〉 the Word.

The other inward, in the operati • of Gods Spirit.

The former depends not up • election. Many called, few choſen, Mat. 2 16. There are ſome ſo called that 〈◊〉 not elected, Mat. 13.47, 48. as Judas and Simon Mag The net takes many things, that af • are caſt away at ſhore. The Goſpell c • many outwardly that after periſh et • nally. Jud. v. 5. Moſes word brought many 〈◊〉 of Egypt, that fell ſhort of Canaan, a • periſhed in the wilderneſſe. The into • nall vocation is the ſubject I am now • to treat of, and that alwayes depends upon eternall election. For vocation is nothing elſe but the execution of election. Grace is ordained to be given by the one, and grace is actually given by the other. Rom. 9.13. The purpoſe of God according to election is perfected by God that calleth. This made Auguſtine to call predeſtination an hidden vocation. Aug. lib. 83. queſt. And we may as well call vocation a manifeſt election. Gods conſails eternally precede the execution, and the execution followes in time juſt according to the precedent determination. The perſons called muſt needs be the ſame that were elected. Otherwiſe Gods counſail may be deluded; and his concluſions may be altered. Yea the determinations of God before the world muſt be ſubject to the actions of men in the world. If they pleaſe his purpoſe ſhall ſtand; if they pleaſe not, it ſhall be altered. Thus ſhall Gods omnipotency ſtoop to mans infirmity, and mans mutability over-rule Gods immutability.

Here may we behold the downfall of naturall preparations, and meritorious diſpoſitions conſiſting of the good uſe of naturall endowments, whereby our calling ſhould be furthered, and without which it cannot, as ſome think, be attained. Our vocation depends upon Gods election, not upon our preparations. How was Paul diſpoſed and affected, Act. 9. when Chriſt cals him? How doth he uſe the ſtrength of naturall principles, and the great knowledge of the Law? Doth he not notwithſtanding all theſe carry a bloudy minde againſt Chriſt members at that very time, when the head cals him to be a member? Had not Pauls calling depended on Gods choiſe at that time, for any will or inclination of his own, he had never been called. The ſcope of the Apoſtle Rom. 9. Aug. ad Simplic. lib. 1. is to be noted, which was, that no man might glory of their well deſerving workes, which the Jews were wont to boaſt of. The Jewes were better prepared then the Gentiles by the Law. Yet were the Gentiles called in more abundance, becauſe a greater number of them were elected. St. Paul gives us an example of two brethren Jacob and Eſau born of the ſame parents, lying together in the ſame wombe, born at the ſame birth, Aug. ad Simplic. lib. 1. that we might not dream of any different preparations of their own, or divers diſpoſitions of their parents at ſeverall times: Yet is one of theſe brethren effectually called, the other not. The Apoſtle gives the reaſon, Rom. 9.11. becauſe God had elected the one and not the other, and his election produceth Jacobs calling. So that our vocation depends not on our preparation, but on Gods election.

Here alſo the confidence of Gods ſervants finds an anchor to reſt upon. If our vocation depend not upon our actions, but upon Gods election, then will it ſtand firme. Our enemies may as ſoon alter the courſe of Gods election, as deprive us of the benefits of our vocation. This made St. Paul preſently after the doctrine of election and vocation ſo pathetically to exclaime, Rom. 8.31. What ſhall we ſay to theſe things? If God be for us, who can be againſt us? Take Auguſtines comment upon St. Pauls exclamation, and ſee now ſweetly it ſounds, God is for us in predeſtinating us: God is for us in calling us: God is for us in juſtifying us: God is for us in glorifying us. If God be thus for us, Deus pro nobis, ut praedeſtimaret nos: Deus pro nobis, ut vocaret nos: Deus pro nobis, ut juſtificaret nos: Deus pro nobis, ut glorificaret nos. Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos? Praedeſtinavit antequam eſſemus: vocavit, cum amiſſi eſſemus: juſtificavit, cum peccatores eſſemus: glorificavit, cum mortales eſſemus. Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos? Praedeſtinatis a Deo, vocatis, juſtificatis, glorificatis qui vult adverſari, paret ſe, ſi poteſt, bellare adverſus Deum. Ʋbi enim audivimus, Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos, niſi qui Deum vincit, non laedit nos. Et quis eſt, qui vincit omnipotentem? Aug. de verbis Apoſt. ſer. 16. who can be againſt us? He hath predeſtinated us, before we were: He hath called us, when we were averſe from him: He hath juſtifyed us, when we were ſinners: He hath glorifyed us, when we were mortall. If God be thus for us, who can be againſt us? He that will be an adverſary to them, whom God hath predestinated, called, juſtifyed, glorifyed, let him prepare himſelf, if he be able, to fight againſt God. For ſeeing we have heard, If God be for us, who can be againſt us? no man can hurt us, but he that can overcome God. And who can overcome the Almighty? Wicked men may hurt themſelves, but not hurt us, unleſſe they can prevail againſt God. They do, with Saul, but kick againſt the prickes. Let the mad-man kick never ſo fiercely againſt them, he doth but hurt his own ſeet. The oppoſition of wicked men doth but further their own damnation, not interrupt our vocation, unleſſe they can annihilate Gods election.

The time requires now, that we ſhould come from generals to particulars. What good can election or vocation do to us, unleſſe we have a part therein? Thus are we come down one ſtep lower to the appropriation of Gods election and vocation.

3. This election and vocation are both of particular perſons.

It is your calling, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The calling and election of you. it is your election, therefore ſtudy to make it ſure. Election and vocation are not in generall of ſome qualities in men, or of ſome conditions of men, but of ſome particular perſons. St. Paul tels his Theſſalonians, that all men have not faith. 2 Theſſ. 3.2. Timothy is more fully inftructed in this myſtery, that he may inſtruct others in it, 2 Tim. 2.19, 20. The Lord knoweth them that are his. The ſimilitude of a great houſe illuſtrates it, that hath veſſels of honour and diſhonour within the ſame wals: ſo in Gods houſe, his Church, there are veſſels of mercy, and veſſels of anger. There are choſen Iſraelites, and refuſed Iſraelites. Rom. 11.7. The election hath obtained it, and the reſt were blinded. In one verſe there are the elect, and the reſt: the elect obtaining righteouſneſſe, the reſt miſſing it. Election is delivered as the cauſe why they obtained it, for the Apoſtle ſaith not, the elected, but the election, noting that they obtained righteouſneſſe not by their own diſpoſition, but by Gods election. Rom. 9.11, 13. In Rebeccas wombe at one time there was an elected and a rejected brother. Luk. 17.34, 35, 36. No marvail if at that day two men ſhall be in the field, the one taken, and the other left: No marvail if two women be grinding at the mill, the one taken and the other left: No marvail if of two lying in one bed, one be taken and another left; when of two unborn lying in one wombe, that never ſaw the light of this world, one may be taken and another left. Election neceſſarily requires a ſeparation and diſtinction to be made where there was no difference before. He that takes all, chooſeth none. We call not the gathering of fruit an election, but a collection, becauſe all is taken and nothing left. So that a common or generall election is a contradiction. If it be generall, it is no election. If it be an election, it cannot be generall. Vocation alſo uſeth to be particular. Men have their ſeverall callings. All are not Nobles. Every man is not called to be a Judge. Our Saviour himſelf refuſeth to divide an inheritance. Who made me a Judge? Luk. 12.14. All are not teachers. Some are called to theſe ſeverall honours, not all. So in ſpirituall preferments, ſome are called to be the ſons of God; others are left the children of Satan, ſubject to that miſery, they have brought on their own ſouls.

There are a ſont of moderatours in the world, that goe about to reconcile the buſineſſe between God, and ſuch as ſcoffe at his particular election and vocation. Theſe ſay that God hath not primarily choſen any particular perſons, but hath choſen faith, or good works, and by conſequence thoſe whom he foreſees theſe in, thoſe he chuſeth. On the other ſide he hath rejected infidelity and wickedneſſe, and thoſe whom he foreſees theſe things in finally, thoſe he refuſeth. In a word, he hath choſen the means, and not the perſons to the means. To theſe we may ſay as Job to his friends, Job 13.7. Will you ſpeak wickedly for God, and talke deceitfully for him? Theſe deprive God of that boaſting, that St. Paul uſeth to his Corinthians, 2 Cor. 12.14. I ſeek not yours, but you. The Scripture contradicts this opinion in direct words. Rom. 9.11. Gods clection is not of works. And leſt any man ſhould reply, yet it may be of faith, the Apoſtle ſaith not, but of faith; No, he ſpeaks thus, Not of works, but of him that calleth. He proves it by an undenyable example. Jacob had no more faith nor works then Eſau in the ſame wombe; yet Gods election layes hold on the one, and leaves the other. The end is alwayes determined before the means. Men are firſt appointed to live, and then to eat: Firſt to be ſaved, then to beleeve and to do good works. Eph. 1.4.5. God hath choſen us that we ſhould be holy, having firſt predeſtinated us to the adoption of children. Election is the root, Aimeſ. Coron. collat. Heg. part. 1 cap. 12. faith is the tree, ſanctification is the fruit, both which come out of the root. So then election is of particular perſons, not of means. Some there are that Chriſt never knew, never approved of, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Mat. 7.23. Phil. 4 3. Luk. 10.20. and doubtleſſe they are they whom God never choſe. All womens names are not in the book of life: ſome are. The ſeventy diſciples what ſingular cauſe of joy had they that their names were written in the book of life, if all mens names be there? Rom. 8.29, 30. Why doth St. Paul extol ſo highly the priviledges of the elect, if there be no particular election? 1 Theſſ. 1.4. Why doth he puffe up his Theſſalonians with vain hope of I know not what acry preferment above others in being the Elect of God, if God have no particular choiſe?

Let us leave the oppoſites to true election, and turn our ſpeech to Gods choſen. Great is the preheminence, much is their comfort they may gather from theſe two ſweet flowers of particular election, and ſingular vocation. 1 Pet. 2.9. They are Gods peculiar people, a choſen generation, a royall prieſthood. God hath choſen them and refuſed others: he hath called them out of the midſt of others. They are his, he is theirs. This is the triumph of the Church, My beloved is mine, Caut. 2.16. and I am his. Upon which place Bernard elegantly, Behold what a pure heart, and an unfained faith, and a good conſcience dare ſay! His care is for me, O quid audet cor purum, et conſcientia bona, et fides non ficta! Mihi, inquit, intendit. Itane huic intenta eſt Majeſtas illa, cui gubernatio pari • er, et adminiſtrato univerſitatis incumbit? et cura ſeculorum ad ſola transfertur neg • tia (imo etia) amoris et deſiderii bujus? • ta plane. Ipſa eſt enim eccleſia electo um, d • quibus Apoſt lus, 2 Tim. 2. Omnia inquit, propter electos. Et cui dubium, quod gratia et miſericordia Dei ſit in ſanctos ejus, et • eſpectus in electos illius? Ergo providentiam caeteris creaturis non negamus, curam ſponſa vendicat ſib • . Ber. in Cant. ſer. 68. ſaith ſhe. Is it ſo indeed? Is that Majeſty carefull of her, upon whoſe ſhoulders the government and adminiſtration of the whole world lies? And is the care of all ages transferred only to the buſineſſes (or rather to the treaſures) of love and deſire of this woman? It is even ſo. For this very woman is the congregation of the elect, of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Tim. 2. All things, ſaith he, are for the elect. And who doubts, that Gods grace and mercy is to his Saints, and his reſpect unto his elect? We do not then deny his providence to the reſt of the creatures, but his care the ſpouſe challengeth to herſelf. Let other men object unto you the meanneſs of your birth. Bid them go pull Lazarus out of Abrahams boſome. If they caſt the wickedneſſe of your former lives like durt in your faces, turn them over to St. Paul. Let him tell them from heaven, I was a bloudy perſecutor, now I am a glorious Saint. You are not Gods children by your parents nobility, nor by your own virtues, but by Gods peculiar election and particular vocation. He hath a ſpeciall right to you: you have a peculiar intereſt in him. Make good the honour of your vocation, as Jertullian did the glory of your creation againſt all gainſayers. To what purpoſe is it now, ſaith he, Quid nunc facit ad infuſcandam originem carnis nomen terrae ventilare, ut ſordentis, ut jacentis elementi? Cum et ſi alia materia excudendo homini competiſſet, artificis faſtigium recogitari oporteret, qui illam et eligend • dignam judicaſſet, et tractando feciſſet. Tert. de Reſ. Chriſt. cap. 6. for the defiling of the originall of our fleſh, to eaſt upon it the name of earth, as of a baſe, as of a contemptible element? Seeing although there had been other matter fit to have framed man of, yet we ought to think upon the Majeſty of the workman, who by chuſing earth had judged it worthy to frame man of, and by handling it had made it worthy. So may you anſwer your accuſers. Though we have been baſe, though we have been vile, yet God hath counted us fit for glory in electing us, and hath made us fit by calling us. Datum eſt eſſe aliquid origine g • neroſius, demutatione felicius. Nam et aurum terra, quia de terra: hactenus tamen terra: ex quo aurum, longe alia materia ſplendidior atque nob lior de 〈…〉 matrice. Tert. Ibid. Many things grow better then their originall by a change. What is gold a firſt but earth? It is taken out of th • the earth. Yet after it is gold, no ma • cals it earth. It is a more noble and glorious matter then the baſe earth, out o • which it was taken. So it is with you • God that changeth earth into gold, hath changed you into Saints. Never therefore part with your intereſt in God for the ſcoffes of all the world.

We have deſcended from election t • vocation, from vocation to the particularneſſe of both.

Now muſt we goe one ſtep lowe • yet to the uncertainty of both, tha • may be in ſuch as are both elected an • called, and then we ſhall mount u • back again to the apprehenſion an • aſſurance of both unto our own ſouls.

4. Both election and vocation may be uncertain to them, that have intereſt i • both.

We confeſſe that in regard of God our election and vocation are alwayes certain. 2 Tim. 2.19. The foundation of the Lord is ſur • alwayes, but that is, to the Lord, a • i • followeth, The Lord knoweth them that • re his. Men may alter, Rom. 11.29. but the gifts and • alling of God are without repentance. God • annot be deceived, nor his decrees can • ot be changed. Yet to us both our • lection and vocation may be uncertain, and they that have both may • oubt, whether they have either of • oth. Yea they may be brought ſo • ow, that they may affirme, that they • ave neither. This a Prophet may be • rought to. What could Jonah think • f himſelf when he was buried alive, 〈◊〉 ſuch a Sepulcher, as never man lived 〈◊〉 before? Let him ſpeak himſelf, and • eclare his own fears, Then I ſaid, Joh. 2.4. I am •• ſt out of thy ſight. Nay, a King and a • rophet too may be brought to this • oubtfull condition, and cry out with • avid, Pſal. 13.1. How long wilt thou forget me (O • ord) for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy •• ce from me? Election is a ſecret acti • n of God before the world was • ade, which we can know only by • ertain conſequences delivered to us 〈◊〉 the book of God. Now it is an eaſie •• ing to doubt, where a thing is to be •• ched from far by conſequences, and •• mes not immediately into our knowledge. Thus the eye that can well diſtinguiſh an object hard at hand, i • eaſily miſtaken in remoter things. An • what things more remote either in ti •• or in dignity, then Gods ſure an • glorious election and our uncertai • and low apprehenſion? The Sun ca • not be looked upon, unleſſe a clou • come between. Names written in God ſecret book cannot be read by the that owe them, but with the ſpectacles of conſequences afforded to 〈◊〉 in the book that God hath ſ • open for us. Vocation is a work 〈◊〉 Gods Spirit in our own hearts neer • home: yet may we well be deceiv • in the apprehenſion of it, becauſe it an inward work, and mans heart 〈◊〉 very deceitfull. It will not only d • ceive others, but him alſo that ow • it. The Phyſicians are often deceiv • in internall diſeaſes for all their a •• Yea the patient himſelf, that feeles th • pain, yet cannot tell what is the di • eaſe, if it be within. Thus is it oft •• in mans ſoul. His heart is ſo deceitful that he cannot eaſily gather whether 〈◊〉 be effectually called or no. There ſuch a reſemblance between comm •• graces, that accompany illuminatio • and ſpeciall ones that attend up •• regeneration, that many are deceived, • iſtaking the one for the other. The •• prehenſion of our vocation is a ſepa •• ble fruit of it. It may ſometimes be • arted from it. The trees bear not ap •• es all the year. The ſhadow followes • ot the ſun, except it ſhine cleer. Neither • th our apprehenſion follow Gods • vour, but where it doth moſt mani •• ſtly reveal it ſelf. Theſe doubts of • ur calling proceed ſometimes from • norance, becauſe we rightly under •• and not Gods mark or his ſeal, that •• e ſets upon thoſe whom he hath effectually called. Sometimes negligence 〈◊〉 the cauſe, and God for our neglect • f him neglects us. We withhold from • od the publick or private ſervice, •• at we owe to him, and he hides the •• ght of his countenance from us. • ometimes they come from pride, and • hen we are lifted up with thoſe gifts • e have, God withdraws his hand • om giving more. The father when • e ſees his ſon proud of his fine • othes, beſtowes no more upon him, • ut lets him wear them to rags, that • e may humble him. So doth God • ith us, gives us over to doubt of his •• vour, when we grow proud of his gifts. Sometimes preſumption bring • this miſchief upon us. When we preſume to ſin againſt God, he like 〈◊〉 wiſe father changeth his countenance upon us, though he take not away his love quite from us. There is a tim • for parents to hide their affection when the ſhewing of it may make their children worſe. So is it high time for God to withhold the declaration of his affection, when his children grow bold to offend him.

This firſt cals for thankfulneſſe o • them, that have a well grounded perſwaſion of their choiſe and calling. Upon theſe the favour of God ſhine • like the Sun, and enlightens their ſoules. It is not ſo well with all men • nay it is not ſo well with all godly men. Many hang down their heads fo • ſorrow, becauſe they ſtand in doubt o • Gods favour. They have no comfor • in praying, no contentment in hearing no ſatisfaction in receiving, no joy i • living. And all becauſe they wan • that which you have, the ſweet ſenſe o • the love of God in Chriſt. If we hav • with them felt but the force of God indignation, and the helliſh torture • of a diſtreſſed conſcience, we would • hen be heartily thankfull to God for • he heavenly comforts of a pacifyed minde, that fully aſſures us, that God • oves us. Nothing more comfortable • an happen to us in this world, and therefore nothing ſhould more provoke us to thankfulneſſe unto God. The more joy we receive from any of Gods gifts, the more praiſe we owe to God the giver.

Secondly, It teacheth them watchfulneſſe, leſt by their careleſneſſe the precious perſwaſion of Gods love be • oſt for a time. Though God cannot change his love into hatred, yet he can hide his face from you in anger. Then may you ſigh with others, and weep, • nd mourn for the want of that comfort, which now ye enjoy. Yet may you ſigh and weep in vain for a long time; for this is a favour, that is not eaſily recovered. Pſal. 51. Davids bones are broken before they do rejoyce again, after God humbled him for his treble wickedneſs. All men are careful to keep their treaſures. They hide their ſilver, they lock up their gold from the eyes of beholders, that it may not be pilferd from them. This is our greateſt treaſure. Loſe the ſenſe of Gods love, and loſe all. Without this we do not enjoy our own happineſſe. Our beſt actions afford no matter of conſolation to us. Our leaſt ſins afford matther enough to daſh our greateſt comforts. All the contentments of the world are not able to appeaſe the pangs of our diſtreſſed minds. Nay heavenly bliſſe, which we may have hereafter, affords no comfort to us here, becauſe we think God is angry with us, and will never beſtow it upon us. Take heed then of all occaſions, that may alienate Gods face from you.

Thus have I brought you as low as I can, now muſt I lead you up again by the hand to the ſenſe and fruition of your election and vocation.

5. Our election and vocation may be made certain to us.

All doubts and ſcruples may be removed out of our hearts, and we may come to be aſſured, that we are choſen and called by God. Thus are the Galatians taught, Gal. 4.6. God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying, Abba, Father. And what is that but Gods proclamation to our ſoules, that he hath choſen us. This was good doctrine at Rome alſo, Rom. 8.16. The Spirit it ſelf beareth witneſſe with our ſpirit, that we are the children of God. St. Peters coherence intimates ſo much unto us, that there is away to put all out of queſtion. He told us before of a chaine of grace tokens of ſalvation. Wherefore the rather (ſaith he) give diligence to make your calling and election ſure. As if the Apoſtle ſhould have ſaid, I would not perſwade you to this diligence to make your election ſure, if I did not know, there were certain and infallible tokens of election, whereby it may be known: but now ſeeing there are ſuch certain notes, though otherwiſe you might be negligent; yet let me now perſwade you the rather to diligence in making your election ſure. Next the Apoſtles command in the text to make it ſure, ſhews that there is a way for ſuch as have grace, to be aſſured of it. The Apoſtle writes by the Spirit of God, to whom all Spirits ought to be ſubject. He urgeth it alſo as a matter very neceſſary for our own profit and comfort. Doubtleſſe then there is a way to ſecure it. Adde unto this the promiſes of God elſewhere made by the mouth of our bleſſed Saviour, Mat. 7.7. Aske, and it ſhall be given you: ſeek, and ye ſhall find: knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you. Now what have we more need to aske, then the confirmation of our eternall election? What have we more reaſon to ſeek for, then the perſwaſion of our internall vocation? What have we more to knock at heaven gates for, then aſſurance to be let in there, when we are ſhut out here? So that Gods promiſe aſſures us a way to make our calling ſure.

Laſtly, conſider the examples of thoſe that have attained to this aſſurance. Take St. 2 Tim. 4.8. Paul for one, Hencefore there is laid up for me a crown of righteouſneſſe. But St. Paul was an Apoſtle, had been rapt up into the third heaven, and might very well know by revelation, what would become of him. So were not they whom St. John writes unto, and yet they knew their own happy condition alſo, 1 Joh. 4.13. We know that we dwell in him, and he in us. And preſently after, V. 16. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. And in the Chapter before, 1 Joh. 3.14. We know that we have paſſed from death to life. St. John joynes the reſt with him in this aſſurance. Heb. 6.9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , That have ſalvation; or, are joyned to it. The Hebrewes had in them things that accompany ſalvation, and could not be divided from it. Take the teſtimony of Macarius alſo, They that are anointed with the ſpirituall oil of gladneſſe have received a ſigne of that incorruptible Kingdome, to wit, Qui ſpirituali exuliationis oleo uncti ſunt, ſignum regni illius incorruptibilis recepere, ſc: ſpiritum ſanctum arrhabonem. Secretarti ſunt regis coeleſtis, ac freti ſiducia Omnipotentis palatium ejus unpred • untur (abi ſunt angeli et ſpiritus ſanctorum) quamvis adhuc ſint in hoc nundo. Licet enim integram haereditatem ſibi in illo ſeculo praeparatam nondum adierint, certiſſimi tamen ſunt ex arrhabone, quem modo receperunt, ac ſi jam coronati eſſent, et regni clavem tenerint. Macar. Hom. 17. Gods Spirit for an earneſt. They are the Secretaries of the heavenly King, and relying confidently upon the Almighty, they enter into his palace (where the Angels and the Spirits of holy men are) although they be yet in this world. For although they be not yet come to the entire inheritance, which is prepared for them in that world, yet they are moſt ſure of it by that pledge, which they have newly received, as ſure as if they were already crowned, and had the key of the Kingdome in their own poſſeſſion.

I will conclude the point with the teſtimony of an Emperour: Conſtantine in his oration to the Fathers aſſembled in the Councell of Nice, as Gelaſius reporteth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Gelaſ. Act. concil. Nic. lib. 2. cap. 7. ſpeaks thus, The hope of the happineſſe to come we do not only expect, but as it were in ſome ſort, we have it hear already. Worthily ſpoken and as became a Chriſtian Emperour.

Woe then to the careleſſe worldling, who ſeeks to make ſure the poſſeſſion of his lands, and goes to the Aſſurance office for his goods at Sea, he hides his wealth, and carefully layes up his treaſure, that it may not be ſtolne, but takes no care at all to aſſure his election or calling to eternall happineſſe. If they could not be made certain, he were to be excuſed; but ſeeing there is a way to do it, his negligence is inexcuſable. He hath preferd his wealth before his ſoul, earth before heaven, gold before God, miſery before happineſſe. He muſt expect Simon Magus doom, Thy money periſh with thee. Act 8.20. He hath neglected his ſoul while he lives, and God will refuſe it when he dies.

The great mercy of God to us here alſo appears. We had deſerved eternal condemnation. It had been abundan • mercy in God to bring us to heaven, though we had gone through a kind • of hell here. We had been happy in the end, though we had been miſerable in the way. But God hath been pleaſed to give us not only heaven after this life, but the aſſurance of it in this life: Thus are we happy here under the certain hope of happineſſe hereafter. Our joyes are begun in this world, that will be perfected, but never be ended in the world to come. Praiſe God then for thy happineſſe begun on earth, till thou enjoy thy endleſſe happineſſe in heaven.

We muſt now aſcend one ſtep higher to the means to aſſure us of our election and vocation, and then we are at the higheſt, till we come to heaven.

6. The way to make our calling and election ſure is by diligence.

It is no eaſie labour to aſſure ſo great happineſſe. There is need of much diligence to ſettle us in a full perſwaſion of our election and vocation. Heb. 6.11. We deſire that every one of you do ſhew the ſame diligence to the full aſſurance of hope unto the end. There is no growth in any art or ſcience without great diligence, and growth is our ſtudy, and the end of our labour. So in the concluſion of this Epiſtle, 2 Pet. 3.17, 18. Beware ye fall not from your own ſtedfaſtneſſe, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.

There is need of diligence.

1. To know. Ad ſciendum. For the ſignes of election are many, and are not eaſily known. Much diligence muſt be uſed to underſtand the Scriptures, where theſe tokens are ſcattered. None of them can be ſpared, though they be many, becauſe we have many temptations to unſettle us. A ruinous houſe the more props it hath, the faſter it ſtands. The more notes of election the ſoul underſtands, the better it holds out againſt Satans wiles.

2. To examine. Ad examinandum. All examination requires diligence. Elſe will not that be found that we look for. The Shepherd that hath loſt but one ſheep, leaves ninty and nine in the wilderneſſe, Luk. 15.4. and goes after that which is loſt, untill he finde it. The woman that loſt her peece of ſilver lights a candle, V. 8. and ſweeps the houſe, and ſeeks diligently till ſhe finde it. The Judge that ſearcheth out a murder, examines all the circumſtances of the fact. So muſt we ranſacke all the powers and faculties of ſoul and body to finde out what God hath wrought in us and by us, to aſſure us of our vocation. The former reaſon required much reading, to finde the notes of election in the Scriptures; this requires many meditations to finde the ſame notes engraved by the Spirit of God in our own ſoules.

3. Ad augendum. To augment. Diligence is required to encreaſe the graces of Gods Spirit in us, when we have found them. Without fuell the fire will decay rather then encreaſe. Without food the ſtrength of the body diminiſheth. Without the conſtant uſe of religious exerciſes the ſenſe of Gods favour will be diminiſhed in us. The Sacraments the ſeales of Gods favour, the one muſt be often thought upon, the other often received. The ſight of his Evidences confirmes a man in his hope of the quiet poſſeſſion of his Lands. The right uſe of the Sacraments aſſures us of Gods favour. As the Sacraments muſt be our food, ſo Prayer muſt be our fuell to make the perſwaſion of Gods love to flame in us. The more we ſeek Gods favour by fervent prayer, the more will he aſſure us of it.

4. To Act. Ad agendum. Without action all the meditations in the world cannot aſſure us of Gods favour. For whom God loves, them doth he inſpire with the fire of good affections which flames forth into good actions. Now there are many impediments of good actions. Some lets we meet withall abroad in the world. Others we finde within in our own ſoules. All theſe muſt be removed: and this remove cannot be done without diligence. Adde hereunto the manifold varieties of good actions to be done. There are duties of Piety, and duties of Sobriety, duties of Equity, and duties of Charity. And can all theſe duties be done without diligence? No certainly, it is impoſſible.

Thus are we freed from Popiſh and Arminian cavils. They exclaime againſt us for teaching, that we may be aſſured of our election. They call it a doctrine of ſecurity, of liberty, and of profaneneſſe. They ſay we teach men to live as they liſt, becauſe they are ſure of Gods favour. We teach men with St. Peter, that their election and calling to eternall happineſſe may be certainly made known to themſelves. But we teach them withall, as the Apoſtle doth in the text, that it cannot be done without labour and diligence. We demonſtrate to them indeed, that Gods favour cannot be loſt, for God sunchangeable. This we acquaint them with for their comfort in the world. But we ſhew them withall, that the ſenſe of Gods favour may be loſt by negligence, and then ſhall they live as uncomfortably as if they never had had it. This we do for their caution againſt the temptations of Satan and provocations of the World. Yea to make them the more carefull, we tell them, that the ſenſe of Gods favour cannot be had, nor being had cannot be kept without much labour and di • igence. For the Devill hath many • aetes to beguile us of this principall • illar of our ſpirituall comfort, and • ively provocation to cheerfull obedience. Theeves have not ſo many devices to cheat our rich men of their gold and ſilver, as Satan hath to be • uile us of the feeling of Gods love. Thus do we give to God his due, and to Gods elect theirs. Thus do w • maintain Gods conſtancy, and keep Gods people from ſecurity.

Now let me urge every one tha • heares me, according to the ſcope o • the text, to be diligent to make hi • calling and election ſure. Whatſoeve • become of thee in the world, make ſur • thy happineſſe in another world. Thi • cannot be done without pain and perill, but this muſt be done, elſe wi •• thou never live with comfort. Tho •• heareſt the Merchant diſcourſe of th • many ſtormes he hath endured at ſea • how often the ſea beneath opened he mouth to devoure him: how ofte • the heaven above frowned upon him as if it would give him over to th • fury of the ſeas: how often the eart • denyed him the ſight of her, as if ſ •• would never be trod upon more b • him: how often the winds blew fierce ly upon him, one croſſing another, as 〈◊〉 they contended whether ſhould fin • him. And all this he endured for gai • Thou haſt read the Souldiers trouble • how he ſtands in ſight of the enemy that ſeeks his ruine: the bullets o • while whisk by his ear: the ſwo • another while would ſhorten him by the head: ſometimes hunger bites him in the day, and ſometime cold ſtrikes him in the night. And all this he endures for gain. Thou ſeeſt the Phyſitian toyle and endanger himſelf: one while he viſits the pox, another while he trades in Spotted feavers, yea ſometimes he looks the Plague in the face. And all this he endures for gain. And wilt not thou endure any labour, or run through any perils to be ſure of heavenly treaſures, which no theef can ſteal, which no mouth can corrupt, which no fire can conſume, of which no death can diſappoint thee?

Look upon the rich and great men of the world. I mean not thoſe humane Monſters, inhumane Mahometans, that leave not a brother alive for fear of injury. But look on Chriſtian and Religious people, what care they have to make good their titles, to ſettle their inheritances upon theirs. And all this care is but for temporall riches. Wilt not thou then be more carefull to ſettle thine intereſt to eternall glory? If thou be quiet now, yet the Devill will finde a time to trie thy Evidence, and call thy title into queſtion. Sickneſſe and death are times of weakneſſe to thee, wherein he like a ſubtill enemy diſplayes all his art and ſtrength. Provide thee arguments now, that may uphold thy hope when thou art at the weakeſt. Conſider the miſery of doubting perſons at their death. Think upon the anguiſh that their ſouls endure. They apprehend God angry with them, the Devill accuſing them, earth leaving them, heaven refuſing them, hell clayming them, ſoul and body parting, friends weeping, and themſelves hopeleſſe, going they know not whither. What would they not give that they had made their election ſure in the time of their ſtrength, or that they might be ſtrong to do it yet? Be thou warned by their folly. Make thou all ſure beforehand. As worldly men get riches in health to cheriſh them in ſickneſſe: and as the Bees get in Summer hony to feed on, when ſtormes keep them within their hives: ſo do thou in time of health get good grounds of the aſſurance of Gods favour that may uphold thee within againſt outward afflictions and ſpirituall temptations, when thou art ſet, as it were, between heaven and earth. So mayeſt thou live in joy, die in peace, riſe in perfection, reign in happineſſe.

Me thinks the worldly man ſhould ſay now, Sir, you have pleaded our cauſe well, and perſwaded us to minde our own happineſſe. Be pleaſed to guide us. The well is deep, Job. 4.11. and we have nothing to draw withall. Whence then ſhall we have this living water? Gods election is ſo high that we cannot reach it; and our vocation is ſo ſecret, that we can hardly diſcerne it.

I anſwer in the words of Lactantius, It is an abſurd thing to go about to overthrow that which is certain, Abſurdum eſt ex incerto certum velle ſubvertere, cum promptius ſit de certis incerta firmare. Lact. de ira Dei. c. 5. by that which is uncertain, ſeeing it is more eaſie to confirme uncertain things by thoſe that are certain. God goes downward from the cauſes to the effects, we muſt go upward from the effects to the cauſes. The web that God hath weaved, we muſt unweave. He goes from election downward, we muſt go from regeneration upward. Thus ſhall God and we meet in the middle way. We muſt prove our ſelves to be called, and he will acknowledge us to be elected. When his ſpirit and ours meet, Rom. 8.16. then is there good teſtimony that we are the ſons of God.

The work we have to do is twofold:

Firſt, to get title to Gods love.

Secondly, to get aſſurance, that we have a title.

The firſt is done by action.

The ſecond is done by examination.

The actions (among many other) are principally four.

1. The ſhortning of worldly buſineſs, ſo much as may be without injury to our calling, or neglecting any neceſſary duty thereunto belonging. Oxen, and farmes, Luk. 14.18, 19, 20, 21. and houſhold buſineſſes are the three impediments that make heaven empty, unleſſe the the poor and blind, the halt and maimed, that cannot follow the world, come to helpe fill it. Mat. 13.22. The cares of the world are the thornes, that choke the good ſeed of the word, that it cannot be fruitfull. So fooliſh are we, that while with much care and labour we goe about to make thoſe things certain, which are moſt uncertain; we make thoſe things uncertain, which might be made moſt certain. He that hath two irons • n the fire at once, ſpoyles one, while • e attends the other. Heaven and earth are too great, and too far diſtant to be cooped up in one breſt. They that ſtudy Divinity, or Law, or Phyſick in the Univerſities, they take no care for their diet, much leſſe for worldly buſineſſes, they leave this care unto their friends. We that look for a portion in heaven, muſt free our ſouls ſo much as may be, from the cares of the world. Although theſe cares did • ot bring with them occaſions of many evils, yet it is ſufficient that they deprive us of many opportunities of ſeeking the ſalvation of our own ſouls. He dies though more ſlowly, that is ſtarved, and he can but die that is poyſoned. He goes to hell that lives in groſſe ſin, and he doth no leſſe that followes his buſineſſe, and neglects the ſalvation of his ſoul. Do leſſe then for the world, and do more for thine own ſoul.

2. Moderation in the uſe of worldly pleaſures is very needfull for him, that will make his calling ſure. Pleaſures are Syrens, they intice the Paſſengers to ſecurity, that they may overturn the boat. While we are ſure of theſe, we look after no other comforts. They that live in pleaſures are dead to the world. They neglect their buſineſſe: they loſe opportunities to enlarge their eſtates: their ſhops are not acquainted with them: their ſervants want a Maſter: their children lack a Father: their wives have loſ • their husbands: and they have loſ • themſelves. They are much more dead to the world to come. They that waſte their temporall patrimony, while they follow their pleaſures, how will they ſeek to ſettle their eternall inheritance? The want of contentment in the world makes a man to ſeek for ſatisfaction in a better world, but the enjoying o • pleaſures here, makes him negligent of ſeeking perpetuall joyes. If the wings of the fowl be never ſo nimble, yet birdlime keeps it from mounting upward, and makes it tumble on the ground: So the quickeſt ſpirits being glued to delights of the world, wallow in them, and never flie up in their affections toward heaven. Religion is not a recreation to be uſed at ſpare times, nor recreation is not Religion to be purſued upon all occaſions with eagerneſſe. God will anſwer ſuch, as Abraham doth the rich man, Luk. 16.25. Remember that thou in thy life time receivedſt thy good things, now muſt thou be tromented.

All things muſt be done in their ſeaſons. Occaſions are not to be loſt, becauſe they cannot be redeemed. He that makes not his election ſure here, ſhal not be happy with Gods elect hereafter. Let me preſſe this with Iſidorus arguments, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Iſid. Peluſ. lib. 3. Epiſt. 60. He that betrayeth the opportunity of doing things, ſhall never receive the profit of them. For can any approve of the husbandman, who, when is it time to plow and ſow, that he may after receive a plentifull • rop, is laſie and idle, and • its ſtill at his door? Who can like of the vinedreſſer, who, when he may dreſſe his vine, that • e may have it full of • apes, and a plentifull • mepreſſe, lays ſnares for the labours of other men? Laſtly who can like of that Mariner, who, when the winde ſerves him fitly to make a very gainfull voyage, tarries in the haven, and tumbles in the taverns? Surely no body. Seeing theſe things are ſo, who can approve of that Chriſtian, who requires to be crowned in the time of the battell? The affaires of this world are occaſions of skirmiſhes, not of crownes: but thoſe of the world to come afford honours and rewards. Wherfore let us not betray the commodious occaſion of things, leſt otherwiſe we be vexed with unprofitable repentance in the life to come. The ſeaſons muſt not be confounded. Spring is not harveſt. The wind that carries a man out of his country, will not bring him home again. God affords us abundance of pleaſures, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Iſid. Peluſ. lib. 2. Epiſt. 179. but it is in another world. Here he expects labour and paines of us. So ſaith the ſame Father, The reward of our labours is no • to be had here: but here are the skirmiſhes, and hereafter the rewards. Let no • men then ſeek for reſt, and pleaſure of mind in the time of warres, nor confound th • ſeaſons.

Let us then be content with ou • labours here, and ſo much pleaſure, a • may enable us to go through with them and when we have made our election ſure, expect fulneſſe of pleaſure hereafter.

3. Repentance is neceſſary, before a man can have intereſt to Gods favour, and much more, before he can know his intereſt. The eye that is full of duſt can never ſee well, till it be cleanſed. The ſoul that is full of ſin, can never diſcerne it own condition, till repentance empty it. A man cannot beleeve in Chriſt for remiſſion of his ſins, unleſſe he repent of them. Much leſſe can he perſwade himſelf, that he doth beleeve. When we endeavour to aſſure our election, we combat with Satan for eternall happineſſe. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Iſid Peluſ. lib. 2. Epiſt. 161. The beginning of the Olympian combates was the putting off of their garments. If we goe to ſtrive with Satan and put not off the rags of our ſins, we ſhall be derided by others, foyled by Satan, and not only loſe the crown we ſtrive for, but alſo be led away to eternall torments. Juſtification differs from ſanctification, yet is it a work of our ſanctification to diſcerne our juſtification. The unregenerate man is not juſtifyed, and therefore cannot ſee that that is not. The more full then our ſanctification is, the plainer is the ſenſe and more comfortable the apprehenſion of our juſtification. Neither is this to be done at firſt only, when we turn from wicked wayes to Godlineſſe, but continually in the whole courſe of our lives. The true reaſon why the conſciences of many men are not clear, is becauſe they are foul; they are not peaceable, Pſal. 51.1. becauſe they are not pure. Davids pangs of conſcience are after he had gone into Bathſheba. The love of ſome principall corruption keeps many from the ſweet fruition of Gods favourable coutenance. Ranſacke thy ſoul dayly, and cleanſe away the filth of ſinne throughly by repentance, and the guilt of it will not look ſo grimly upon thee to affright thy conſcience.

4. Faith or full confidence in Jeſus Chriſt alone is needfull to be had, without which there can be no aſſurance of our election. Between the top and bottom of the Ladder there are certain ſteps to clime. Between election and juſtification there muſt come faith in Jeſus Chriſt. If the ſick man forſake all the world, and leave the counſail of all his friends, and caſt himſelf into the hands of ſome one Phyſitian, he will not fail him, if he have any ſpark of humanity in him, becauſe his life lies in his hands. Neither will our Saviour fail them, that being ſoulſick forſake their own merits, and all mediations of Saints and Angels, deſpaire of ſalvation by any other, and truſt in him only for it. He knows not their life, but their ſoul lies in his hands alone to ſave it or condemn it. He that came to ſeek the loſt ſheep, will not refuſe the returning one. Two blind men by the way ſide cry out to our Saviour for help. The people rebuke them. They cry out the more. Our Saviour is ſo pleaſed with theſe loud echoes of two confident ſouls, that he cals them, gives them their choiſe, offers them any curteſie, Mat. 20.32. What will ye, that I ſhall do unto you? Much more will he be affected with a troubled ſoul, that reſts on him alone for eternall life. Our fathers truſted in thee: Pſal. 22.4.5. they truſted, and thou didſt deliver them. They cryed unto thee, and were delivered: they truſted in thee, and were not confounded. The houſe built upon the rock is free from fall, no ſtorm can overthrow it, Mat. 7.24. but ſandy foundations are eaſily overturned. Mat. 16.18. Souls built by confidence upon Chriſt, the gates of hell cannot overcome, but the light foundations of the power and merits of mere, though excellent creatures, uphold no ſoul in the time of an heavy temptation. Chriſt is the ſureſt anchor, that upholds the ſouls of men in the ſea of this world againſt all waves of temptations whatſoever. Rom. 5.1, 5. This faith never ſailes him that hath it, for it hath that hope at command, that maketh not aſhamed.

Thus have I ſhewed you the way to the title.

Now for the aſſurance of the title.

The title is gotten by action, the knowledge of this title is gotten by examination. The principall notes of Gods elect muſt be known. And by them muſt we ſearch out our own condition. Becauſe I will not be ſo long, I will inſiſt but on a few.

1. The love of God in us, is a ſure token of the love of God to us. God ſcornes to be endebted to any man for his love. His affection ever goes before ours: 1 Joh. 4.19. We love him, becauſe he firſt loved us. I cannot certainly and infallibly tell, whether another love me, but I can certainly tell, whether I love another or no. His love to me is in his heart, which I know not: My love to him is in my heart, which I know, and no creature elſe. Then may I know, that God loves me, if I know that I love him.

But it may be objected, My heart is deceitfull, and I may be deceived by it. I may think I love God, when I do not. Who lives, and thinks not he loves God, if he hear of God? Tell me therefore ſome ſure notes of the love of God in me.

I anſwer, The beſt way to know our love to God, is by the properties of love.

Firſt, thoſe whom we love, we often think upon, our thoughts faſten on them when we are awake, our dreams run on them when we are aſleep. How precious are the thoughts of thee unto me O God, how great is the ſumme of them? Pſ. 139.17, 18. If I ſhould count them, they are more in number then the ſand: when I am awake, I am ſtill with thee. Behold Davids love to God, ſleeping and waking his minde runs upon him. There needs no arguments to bring them to our remembance whom we love. We neglect our ſelves to think upon them. A man in love waſts his ſpirits, Animus ubi amat, non ubi animat. vexes his minde, neglects his meat, regards not his buſineſſe, his minde ſtill feeds on that he loves. When men love that they ſhould not, there is more need of a bridle to keep them from thinking of it, then of ſpurres to urge them to it. Try thy love of God by this. If thou thinke not often of God, thou loveſt him not. If thou canſt not ſatisfie thy ſelf with profits, pleaſures, friends and other worldly objects, but thou muſt turn other buſineſſes aſide, that thou mayeſt dayly think of God, then thou loveſt him.

Secondly, thoſe whom we love, we wil by no means be perſwaded to offend. No bands are ſo ſtrong as love. Sooner will the ſervant offend his Maſter, the ſon his father, the wife her husband, the ſubiect his prince, then a friend him whom he truely loves. Friendſhip binds faſter then any authority. 1 Sam, 20. Gen. 39. Jonathan will offend his father rather then his David. Joſeph will offend his Miſtris that dotes on him, rather then his God. Try thy love to God by this. If thou canſt eaſily ſin without any great ſenſe or ſorrow, thou loveſt not God. But if thou hadſt rather offend all the world then God, then thou loveſt him:

Thirdly, Thoſe whom we love, we do any thing to pleaſe. Nothing can be ſo hard, but a friend will adventure on it, if he know that his friend require it, or perceive that it will be pleaſing to him. The Merchant will not run through ſo many ſtormes for gain, as a friend for love. If thou be ready to do any thing that God requires of thee, though it be never ſo croſſe to thy perverſe nature, then thou loveſt God. Gen. 22. God acknowledges Abrahams love to him, becauſe he was ready to kil his ſon at Gods command. If Abraham had loved himſelf more then God, he would have kept his ſon, and not given him to God, he would have thought with himſelf, Will no meaner ſacrifice ſerve God then my Son? Will none of my cattell, nor my ſubſtance ſerve the turn? But Abraham reaſons not with fleſh and bloud, his love to God is greater then his love to his ſon. And that it might appear ſo, God put him in minde of his love to his ſon, Take thy ſon whom thou loveſt, that his love to God might appear to be greater: Accordingly Abraham ſhews it, and God from heaven pronounceth it to be greater. If thou wilt know thy love to God, be as ready to obey him.

Fourthly, Thoſe whom we love we can bear any thing that comes from them. We can endure their reproofs, and in ſome caſes their corrections. The child can be contented to be ſtruck by the father, that would not take a blow of another. The friend can bear a ſharp reproof of a friend, that cannot bear an harſh word from an enemy. The wife can bear with the waſpiſhneſſe of her ſick beloved husband, and the husband can bear with the infirmities of his well beloved wife. Thus David ſhewed his love to God in his weakneſſe, Pſal. 39 9. I was dumbe, I opened not my mouth becauſe thou didſt it. If thou fret at troubles, and look not at God, whom they come from, where is thy love to God? But if thou acknowledge his hand, and be therefore patient, then thou loveſt God.

Fiftly, Thoſe we love, we are moſt willing to endure any thing for. We are content to ſuffer for their ſakes any inconveniences. Gen. 29.20. Jacob endured a tedious ſervice for Bachel; and it ſeemed but a few dayes, to him, becauſe he loved her. Thus St. Paul loved Chriſt. He fears not the troubles foretold by Agabus. He regards not the paſſionate ſpeeches, nor affectionate tears of his friends. He loves Chriſt more then either them, or himſelf. Act. 21.13. What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but alſo to dye at Jeruſalem for the name of the Lord Jeſus. Haſt thou St. Pauls affection to die in the cauſe of God, if the times ſhould require it? then out of queſtion thou loveſt him.

Sixtly, Thoſe whom we love, we acquaint with out miſeries, lay open our griefes to them, count it ſome eaſe to diſcharge ſome of our ſorrowes into their boſomes, their counſail we aske, and from them we look for help. So Haman beginning to fall before Morde •• goes to his wife, Eſther 6.13. and his friends to bemone himſelf and to aske counſail. Jehoſhaphat oppoſed by his enemies, 2 Chr. 20.12. to whom comes he to complain? to none but to God. 2 King. 19.14, 15. To whom comes Hezekiah to complain againſt Rabſhaketh and Sennacherib? to none but unto God. To whom went David to complaine of the bitter words of Cuſh the Benjamite? to none but unto God. O Lord my God, Pſal. 7.1. in thee doe I put my truſt, ſave me from all them that perſecute me, and deliver me. Affliction ſhews men whom they put their truſt in. A very eaſie friend will ſerve in poſperity. If ſo ſoon as adverſity come upon thee, thou run preſently to God, and lay open all thy grief to him expecting relief only from him, then certainly thou loveſt him.

Sevently, Thoſe whom we love, we take any ſmall token wonderfull kindly from them, whereas we not only ſlight, but refuſe and ſuſpect far greater gifts, if they come from enemies. The Jewes refuſed the proffered ſervice of their enemies for the building of Gods Temple. Ezra 4.2, 3. God cares not for Cains ſacrifice, becauſe he cares not for Cain. But a ſheep or lamb from Abel, whom he loves, pleaſeth the great God of heaven and earth. Gen. 4.4. The Lord had reſpect unto Abel, and to his offering. A pin from a friend is more eſteemed, then a pound from an enemy. He that is thankfull to God for his meat, for his reſt, for every comfort, that God gives him, he loves God. He that eats, and drinks, and labours, and ſleeps, and never looks up to God, he loves him not at all.

Eightly and laſtly, thoſe we love having been long abſent from them, how do we long to go home unto them? How glad is the husband at the Eaſt Indies, when he may return to his dear wife, his beloved country, and his ancient friends? Me thinks I ſee Jacob triumphing at the ſight of Joſephs charriots ſent to carry him into Egypt, It is enough, Joſeph my ſon is yet alive: Gen. 45.28. I will go and ſee him before I die. He that loves God, will be glad to goe to God. There is his home, there is his beſt friend. What though death be terrible for the preſent, yet the end is pleaſing. St. Paul wiſhes for it, I deſire to depart, Phil. 1.23. and to be with Chriſt. What can better teſtifie thy affection to God, then thy earneſt deſire to be for ever with God? If by theſe notes well weighed, it may appear, that thou love God, then needeſt thou make no queſtion of Gods affection towards thee.

2. The love that we bear to Gods children is a ſure token of Gods love to us. The contrary is delivered as a note of the children of the Devill. 1 Joh. 3.10. He that loveth not his brother, is not of God, but the child of the Devill. The poſſeſſion of this brotherly love is made an undenyable note of the heires of glory, and ſo plain a note, that they themſelves may perceive it in their own conſciences. 1 Joh. 3.14. We know that we have paſſed from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren: he that loveth not his brother, abideth in death. 1 Joh. 4.7. And again, Every one that loveth, is born of God: ſpoken of the love of the brethren, as appeares by the beginning of the verſe, Beloved, let us love one another. This love is not that affection, that drunkards bear one to another, becauſe they are brethren in evill. It is not that affection that Merchants bear one to another, which hath gain for the father, and hope of more for the mother. It is not that affection which children bear to their parents, for nature is their ſchoolmaſter, and chains of naturall affection are the bands of it. This love comes not from vice, or gain, or nature. Nay all theſe plead againſt it. Vice oppoſeth it mainly, for it oppoſeth all fellowſhip in evill. Cain cries out againſt it, for it cuts off many occaſions of gain. Nature it ſelf ſometimes oppoſeth it, becauſe it is above nature, and hence are the bands of naturall affection ſometimes diſunited. The father ſhall be divided againſt the ſon, Luk. 12.53. and the ſon againſt the father. This our Saviour foretold ſhould follow upon change of Religion. So then neither vice, nor gain, nor nature plead for this love, but the firſt ever, and the other two often againſt it. This love is a good affection to Gods children, becauſe they are Gods. None of the former reaſons perſwades us to it, but only the goodneſſe that is in them. The image of God is graven in them. And they that love God, love thoſe images of him that himſelf hath ſtamped, and the liker they are to God, the more they love them. The heathen did admire at that affection, that the perſecuted Chriſtians bare one to another. Amant mutu • , pene antequam noverint. Minut. Fael. They loved one another before they well knew one another, ſaith Cecilius the heathen man, and wonders at it. Yea they themſelves admired at it. So ſaith Minutius Faelix of himſelf and Octavius, Crederes unam animam im duobus eſſe diviſam. Ibidem. You would have thought that one ſoul had been divided between us two. The Scripture teſtifie as much, The multitude of them that beleeved, were of one heart, Act. 4.32. and of one ſoul. It not only makes it a mark that we our ſelves may diſcern, but alſo, that others may know by, that we belong to God, if we do not diſſemble. Joh. 13.35. By this ſhall all men know that ye are my diſciples, if ye have love one to another. They have not this love, that deride at piety and laugh at auſtereneſſe of life. That do not love men for their goodneſſe, but hate them. Neither have they this love, that ſuffer better men then themſelves to periſh for want of means, 1 Joh. 3.17. and have plenty and yet relieve them not. Who ſo hath this worlds good, and ſeeth his brother hath need and ſhutteth up his bowels of compaſſion from him, how dwelleth the love of of God in him? Theſe are not called by God. But ſuch as love them that are good, meerly becauſe they are good, they love God, and God loves them.

3. An earneſt deſire of the coming of Chriſt to judgment is a good token of Gods elect. There is a crown of righteouſneſſe laid up not only for St. 2 Tim. 4.8. Paul, but for all thoſe, that love the appearing of our Saviour Chriſt. They that are guilty fear the coming of the Judge, but they that are innocent, fear it not. They that are in their ſins, are afraid of the coming of our Saviour Chriſt to judgment. But they that are reconciled to God through the bloud of Chriſt, wiſh for it, that they may be freed from ſin and miſery. Rev. 22.17. It is the voice of the Bride, it is the voice of the Spirit in the Bride, Come. V.20.It is the voice of the penman of the Apocalypſe, Come Lord Jeſus. V.17.It ſhould be the voice of every hearer, Come. This is the generall voice of all Gods elect, although at ſome particular time they could wiſh, that Chriſt would not come yet. As when they are overcome with ſome temptation, they could wiſh, that he might not come at that moment of time, till they have repented and humbled themſelves, that they may give up their account with more comfort. Even they that doubt of Gods favour would give all they have if they belong to God, that Chriſt would come to judgement, ſo they were ſure, that he would but acknowledge them for his own. Try then thy affection to the coming of Chriſt, and if thou finde it willing, doubt not of Gods favour.

4. The care of keeping a good conſcience is an undeniable prove of Gods love to us. Juſtification cannot be parted from ſanctification. But ſanctification is more eaſily perceived, then juſtification, and by it is juſtification apprehended. Sanctification is a work of God in us: juſtification is a work of God concerning us. Now we do more eaſily perceive thoſe things, that are wrought in us, then thoſe that do otherwiſe belong unto us. This was St. Act. 24.16. Pauls exerciſe, Herein do I exerciſe my ſelf, to have always a conſcience void of offence towards God, and towards men. This is that God requires of us. 1 Theſſ. 4.7. For God hath not called us to uncleanneſs, but unto holineſs. And therefore it is a true note of our calling. They that have not this care, cannot know they are elected. They that have it, need not at all to doubt of it.

Theſe and other tokens may we learn out of the book of God, and by experience ſeek to finde them in our ſelves. So ſhall we come to be moſt certain in our old age, when we have moſt need of aſſurance. Senectus ipſa aetate ſit doctior uſu certior, proceſſu tempor • s prudentior. Ber. form. hon. vitae. Old age it ſelf is made more learned by age, more certain by uſe, more prudent in proceſſe of time, ſaith Bernard. Let us go forward to fight in this combare againſt Satan to the end of our lives. That which we ſtrive for is no temporall but an eternall inheritance. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . • lem. Aley. Admon. • d G • ntes. So ſai • h Clemens Alexandrinus, It is no ſmall matter that ye ſtrive for, it is no leſſe then immortality. Let us not then ſuffer Satan to wring our evidences out of our hand, but rather according to the ſweet counſel of the bleſſed Apoſtle in the words of my text, by theſe and other markes,

Give diligence to make your calling and election ſure.

Which that we may do, he gives us grace that hath elected us from eternity to eternal happineſs, and called us from miſery to immortality, to whom with the Son our Saviour, and the holy Ghoſt our Comforter, be all glory, honour, praiſe, and dominion now and for evermore, Amen.

FINIS.