Callingenerak'and fpeciall; 271 as flraungerst wedwell here asin Islefhech,andask the tentesofKedar,andthereforewe ;beglad tobe athome.Thepath and,'highway to oarcountry is thepath of Godscomman- ourtoaglir dements : \`'::traywhenwe bend to fuperllitionorprophannetfe.The Lordbath appoin- toparidife. tedhisword our load-star and cloudy pilfer toconduvi vsto the land ofpromife,andbath inftituted faithto attend vpon the word ; but thediuell bath lubftitutedcarnal! reafon,but carnalreafott. ifwe deliberate long carnall reafoo,we (hallhardlyorneuer cometoParadife. 3 Ifwemuft hauereafon tohearken and toobey the calling ofChrift,let vsremember and confider Chrift bath followed vs,and therefore weought to follow him. Christ bath 8oro toobey gone faroutofche way tomake purfute after vs (for whatneede had heto flir outof Bea- CbrmJt robesbe uen)and therefore we mofegoe after him. The fonne ofmancame tofeeke that which was calleth loft, and therefore by good proportion, we that are loft fhould feekehim. The analogie is good, for Peekingrequires licking. Elizabeth faid to Mary themother ofChrist, coin- miugtovifiteher, Whereofcoinmethit that thcmother ofmy Lordfhould come tome ? If Elizabeth efteemed to reuerently the comming of Mary unto her, much more may weday, Whereofcommeth it that my Lord the redeemerof theworld fhould comevn- tome? 4 TheLord cloth oftencaft outmen,bydecayofgifts:as theypray,Pfal.i37.1flfor- get theeOlerufalem, thenlet myright handforgetbeecanning. We fee this daily tSo longas Decayofeeds menferueGod in theircahling,andapply giftsto hisglory,fo long their giftsare good gifts. andreceiue an increafe ; but they are!bonewafht away,whenwevfe themnot,or ifwe vie themnot aright. l WhenMel?, was in his calling,the Lordcalled him againe. So Dauid,andthe fhep- heards towhom Chrifts birthwas reuealed.Ourcalling snakes vsfit For theLord,andhelps againft theDiuelland Instemptations : and idleneffeyeelds occafion andmatter for finne IdteneJfe. and Sathan to furprifevs. Solongas wewalke in ourwayes, theAngels haue charge oueranger& vs,Pfal.9 s .butif wegoeaffray they forfakevs. 6 Many are haftie tovndertake amatter,but afterwards faint infollowing it.Wemay not berath toenter into any calling, ifwewill difchargeitwith confcience. Examples for this are,Möfes,ierency,&c.They can teachvsthat we take nocalling vponvswithouttom- Nottsenterico: mandement,that we thinkenot toowet ofourfelues,that we attend the Lordscalling,and to anycalling whenhecalleth vs, and bathgiuen vs gifts co teilifie his calling, let vstruth in his power roJbty and feare nodanger,forhe is all in all vs.- 7 Moles had infirmitiesoffpeech, and yet theLordvfedl:isininifterie: wherefore we maynot forentry infirmicie bedrawne' fromour callings ; neither ifwenitride to takea ow- infirmities callingvponvsmaltwe refufe ìt,thoaghallthings doenotanfwereour delires.Howbeit ifaim calling, we wantthat which ismolt dietitianand pertinent,as in aMinifterlearning,and thewife- domeoftheSpirit,wesnuf be wariehowwe enter in. Ourinfirmities are leftin vs for our x snijierie. furtherhumiliation,and thatGods holy workemay thebetter appeare. 8 Wemull be wellperfwaded ofthe truthofour calling, as well toChriftianitie as to any other particular calling : fo troubles (hall notmouevs, nor feares difquietvs. Ifwe Trothofour. doubt,wefoonefaint,butthen let vs behold him thatisinuifible,as Mofes Heb. 1146. and calling. then no fight nor euillftiall difinayvs. 9 It were tobe willed that eueryman wouldfearch hisowne heart whereunto in of rriallofoar feftion and aelion he is molt feruiceable toGod, and profitable tohis brethren : andto retries before purtuefpecially thisgift mots carefully andcontinually, yet without pride in all humi- we enter jam litie. anychats. ro -The Lord loueth omit obedience, butfo that it bein one callings. 'r r When Chrift called: vs to heauen, wemutt follow him through the wilderneffe of this world, I-lemuff beourguide andgocbefore, and wemuff follow after. Manymake orangeto follow hiscall,theywill not giue vp their names,they will(itmay be)goe before him, oreven by lüm,ofcheeke by cheeke, but theywill notfollow after. And wherefore? keafan pp Surely theywill doeall with reafon. ButChriftrequired: faith ; and reafon to.Chrift,isaeai 17,.,1 g: very euill leruingman. Agreat numberalreadie taught in the word,willnot follow it ; but ifany thing proceed from the forgeoftheirownereafon,that theytnagnifie,thattheywill Wit' Aa 4 follow.
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