Of É ffec7ual calling. S n e S aviour ; there areno refllefs andunquiet complaints of the foul, Ohwhowill cafe: me, who will cloathmy nakednefs, whowillfatisfie my hungry foul I Oh that this truthmight burn like fire ; you that have the belt thoughtsof your {elves, are, it,may,be, inthe worft condition ; you that have .no trouble, de- ferye to, have the greatea ; you that eat, and drink, and live without any in- ward checks of confcience, have the greateft caufe to fear and tremble : Oh think, God cloth not ufe to call fuch felf-flatterers, fuch felf-righteous men as Ili. I am : Who is further km the Kingdomof heaven then I am ? f ff y Tiefc:li(hrfi Thirdly, Godcalleth /itch men that have theleafl Worldly abilities and u cienc ; which betides their external meannefs, makes them more contemptible that the Apóftle meaneth by the followingphrafe, Not manyWifeafter theflefh ;that is, not fuch who are indued with Political vaifdom in humane affairs; thofe thathave wifdom to rule and mannage the affairs of this world , are many times very ignorant fools about heavenly things: The childrenof this Worldare wifer in their generation, then the children of light, laid Chrift, Lul 16. Sothat as the ApoftIe faithabout preachingof theGofpel, wepreach not the Wifdom of this World, fo neither are thofe who are called, thewife menof this world : So thatas:worldly politicians laugh at theplain fimplicityof chile who truly fear God, and dare not fin againft him for the greateft advantages in theworld ; fo on the other fide, godly men may pity and bewail fuch wife and conceited men, that can every way promote their own advantages in this life, but yet are wholly ignorant about faith in Chrift and repentance: Take the choiceft wits, and the profoundeft underftandingsthat are, about worldly matters, and propound any thing bout Regeneration, the work of Grace, and life of Faith, thevery babesin Chrift will underftand more, an4 give a better account then they do. W. Lafily, This is no mean thing toobferve inGods effe tual calling, That he The fenelt. cheofeth thefewtt number of mankinde : AsGod hath not chofen manywife,or many,great ones, fo not many men, comparatively to thofe millions Of men, that he letsalone in thedungeonof their dark tufts : And truly this matter it full of terror, we have esufe to tremble while wethink of it, that fuels a little flock Chriffflrouldfhoofeto himfelf; that the remnant of mankinde chat ¡hall be faved, fbould be no more then the remnant after an harveft or vintage : This our Saviour doth often prefs as a truth, that bath a (harp edge toenter into every mane-confcience ; if any thing'in the world may (tattle thee out of thy fecurity, ie muft bethis, Thatfew are chofen, God bath effeftually cal.- led but a very little handful of men to eternal to You that make multitude in argument for your evil ways, and think its good to fay, The molt do this, thegreateft part go this way : Oh the Scripture tells you, what will become of moth men; its impudently puäentireex oitulate, to Why God fhould ferret leaveethe greater neither may we Y P part of mankmdesincheir defperate and undone eftate ; it is enough for us to acknowledge Gods foveraignty herein, with fear and trembling. So then, bath God calledbut few? how poffiblè is it for thee to be none of that fmall num- ber ; but eightperlons were preferred in the Ark,when all others were drowned by the overflowingwaters: Thus we have caufe tobehold the manner of Gods effeftual calling df his people. Ufe therefore of Exhortation, To take notice of the ways of God herein; have it bathbeen the r that :n have lo not wifely confide ed of this. is the reafon fomanyprefume of their willtake thisacrownof glory ? t Why do thegreateft , part of men eat and drink in recut well wi hthtemlalls fromnthis, they confiderr not that , that God calls go a few, thegreater, part of men will be damned : This fbould make thy h art
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=