166 Pfe r. %ThcGs. Tit.I. : Pet. t. Dooi.;. Fhefiftsn.r,Chap.r. VER.tB. The Ufe is,firft,to rebukefuch whowil not feektohave further know. ledge of their excellent hopes kept for them in the heavens. Men will prie into all their hopes and poffibilities in earth ; yea, if it be a thing which in reverfion may doe good happily to fome of their children, they Ivill make account ofit ; they will know thefe things too well, till they are proud ; count them fboleswhoknow them not, and yet never feekto know their free-hold in heaven. In the fecond place,this muff flirre us up to leek after thofe hopes,to get the knowledge ofthe things kept for us : Thefe are not likeearthly hopes, they make their eyes fall out whowaite on them, and fometime never come neere them ; fuch were Abfolons and i 4eionijahs hopes : fometimethey are gotten, but prove no blefling,it being with themas it was with the uailes which weregiven Ifrael ; But whatifthey be gotten and pofFefled in deaththey perifh, for death divorcetha man from all thefe earthly things he enjoyeth. But thefe hopeswill not let us be afhamed,thefe are good andbleffed hopes,yea, life it felfe,a living hope ; till we know this hope we have inheaven, we cannot be heaven- ly minded ; forwhere a man hath hope.,thither his foule will looke out, and be more then wherehe is bodily prefent : This is it whichmaketh us purge our felves. Menthat hope to ftand before Princes will refine their behaviours,and furnifh themfelves with all kinde ofcomplement: This knowledgeof our hope is the fpurreofaelion; menworke cheere. fully when they knowan ample reward abideth than : it is agroundof all patience,fweet in hope, maketh that which is fowre for the prelim, goe downe more sweetly. Obferve thirdly, Hopofhis calliag.JT hat there is no grounded hope, but onely offilch things as Godhath called us to obtaine:We could not havehopeof falvation,Gods Kingdome,life eternall,hadnot God cal- led us hereunto, t Theft 12. He hath called us tohis Kingdome andglory. z Thef 2. 14. He hath calledas toobtaine life;ergo,Col.r.it is faid, thatthe Coloi}ians now had a hope laid upin heaven, when theyhad heard the word of truth , even the Gofpell offalvation. As no man can hope to Hand before a mortali Prince in place ofdignitie and office, till the King doe call him thereunto;fonone can groundedly looke to be in glorious condition in Gods Kingdome,till he have called him hereun- to. Here briefly it (hall not be amifle to confider what thiscalling is. 2. How wemay knowthatwe are effellually called. For the firf}, this calling is fuch a revealingof his grace within our heart, ormindes, as doth makeus come tohim and follow him for the obtainingoflife through Chrifl:Asa man hath both a fouleand a body, fothis call f}andeth not onely in the outward word, which foundeth in the Bare, but that inward revelation whichGod maketh within the heart ; I will ¡eakto their hearts. The heart ofLydia was opened. Se- condly, I fay it maketh us come and follow God for obtaining life andglory, to which he bath calledus : for God fpeaketh inwardly and outwardly to many, who arenoteffelluallycalled,becaufe God doth not intend to convert them and make them follow ; but this calling, according
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