$a c r. XII. . OfEffeEEual Calling. ' 6:5 of Gods Elefting love, Orhis Reprobating hatred by thefe outward merdes .7Javid once began to make fuch conclufions, but he called himfelf a beaftfor it, and laid, Thereby he condemnedthe generationof the fluff. Thirdly , Therefore God may not choefe many of theft, besaufe be Would not leave thofe mho are externally miferable and contemptible, in defpaar and totalde- fpondency of miede : For if God had dealt the contrary, and had not chofen many of the inferior, and the more defpicable condition in this world, they had then been Ma double mifery, miferable here, and miferable hereaftèt : In= deed, if you do regard the poor men of this world , that are in extremity', youwilifinde, God haste chofen few of them; neither, nonebeing more pro- phane, atheiftical , and like bruits then they but they are of the middlerank that God commonly makes his choice of: And hereby God would teach us, that themeannefs and lowneffe of a mans condition, fhould not be matter of grief and difcontent to him: Oh how hard is it to rebuke theme waves and words of difcontent, that are apt to rife up in thee , becanfe God bath not done asMuch for thee as for others ! others they are richer, they have their heartseafe and defire ; this is apt to make all on fire within thee : Oh l but what a good temperamentmay this put thee into, to confider, that the lower in the world, doth not hinder thee frombeing the higher with God : Hea- ver will receive more of a mean condition, then of a glorious : Goddoch not judge as the world judgeth : Oh the greatalteration that the day of judge- ment will make I Lazarus receivedinto eternal glory, and Dives, who fared delicioully, tormented in hell : Íf then thy poverty; thy meànuefl`e, were a flop toSalvation, then it were tobe lamented ; If Eleftion andSalvation were to behad, as thePopes Indulgence, for money; then as ,4lberCoosfaith about Purgatory, Its better with a rich man, then a poor man, for he can give e- nough to redeem his foul; but its not fo, thy cottage may be as near heaven, as a palace. Fourthly, AnotherReafon why God paffeth bytemporal greatfiefs, may be that in the verfe following , To confoand tiegreat and mighty' ìhings of the World for fo faith the Apoltle, He bath chefen theWeakthings, roconfoúndthe mighty ë How are wife men and great men. confounded, when they fee that their temporal glory and greatnefs cannotdo that, which the grace andgodli- nefs ofmeanermen dot h1 Every great man inthe world, he thinks to ruffle it out, fcorneth that thole whoare inferiors, fhould compare with him ; but O the terrible confulion that -will cover foch mèns faces, when at the day of judgement God fltall fay,I.o, thy wifdom, thy power, thy great revenues, have not brought thee to that glory and happinefs, which the prayers and tears of meaner men haa!é done. OurSaviour told theJews,it would be their conf ¡lion, when men`fl`iould come from far, and At down in the Kingdom of heaven, and they themfelves (hut out : Oh what heart can conceivethe edge aidmadnefs thou wilt be in ! when thou ¡halt fee fuch neighborswhim thou hatcdit, mock - edit for their ttrietnefs and forwardnefs in Religion, fit uponThronesofglo- ry, and thou with all thy earthly pomp call out t As 9uf in cryeth our, by way ofWhiling, Snrgant indoíti car rapiunt calm?), &c. Illrferacé med they rife and take the Kingdomof heaven by violence, when learned men with all their booksand learning are /but out: So the meaner fort of men, they rife, and by ftriftnefs,forwardtaefs, get the- Kingdom of Heaven, whenothers finde their outwardgreatnefs;like a milftoneabout their neck, preßîng third into the bet- totn of'the lea. Fifthly', The lair Reafonon Gods part may be, ea make all the rich andgreai mew of the worldto walk humbly, Withfear and tremtling, left Godgive them all the good things they"hall ever have, in this life onelyt Thy heart is apt to fwell with pride, when thouconfiderelt thy prófperity,and thy abundance : Oh but, it Mould rather tremble within thee, left God put thee off With this only; L111 as 3
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