4 Chap. i. ACommerotarie vpon effeetuall operationofthe fpirit in the hearts of the hearers. Andhe that wants thealTurance ofhis calling , cannot pray to God in faith for there things;neither can he apply the promires ofGod to himfdfe . Thirdly , the knowledge ofour callings breeds confcience of our duties,diligence, and the (care ofgod. Lafily,knowledge ofour callings in the confciences ofthehea rers,breeds a reuerence in their hearts , and obedience to the miniheric ofthe word.Vpon this, Ionic maydemaund, howe they may knowe that they are called of God to the miniflerie of the word . Anfwer : theymay knowe it, iftheyfinde three things in thetufelues: the fir(} is the teflimonic of their consci- ences that they entred not for praife,honour , lucre, but in the feare of god with a delire to glorifie him , and to edifie the Church. The fecond is a facultie to doe that towhich they haue adelreand will.. n this facultic are two things , knowledge of God and his wales, and aptnctic to deliuer that which they knowe.The third is the Ordination of the Church which ap- prooues and glues teflimonie of theirwill and abilitic. He that hath there things,is certainely called ofGod . Nowe put the cafe,amanwants the firfi of there three,becaufe lie entred with cuill confcience , becing carried with ambitious and couctous defires: theta I anfwer , that his calling Hill in refpcfl of the Churh,is good and lawcfull , andwhen he repents of his bad eonrcience,it is alto accepted ofGod. The fourth point to be obfrrued is , that Paul makes three kinds ofcaihngsiin the Church. One is when men are calledby men,and not byGod:and thusare all falfe teachers called. The fecond is, when men are called of God by the minifferieof :nenahus are ail ordinarieminiflcrs of the word called. The third is,whcn men are called not by men, but by Chrifl imme- diately.And Paul here fignifieth, that hehim(elfe and the reti ofthe Apol les were called according to this third way.And in this rcfpcEt be putsa difference betweene the Apoflles and all the Miniflers ofthe newe Tcflament . For in that they were called immediatcly,theywere allo taught by immediate infpi- ration,and altoaidedby the infallible afsiltance of Gods fpirit. And ofall this they had promifes. Math. i 0.19. 2 o.Luc. rO. i 6. Hence wemay gather , the ccrtenty of our religion. The cf. fentiall noteofthe Church is faith:faith hands in relation to the word ofGod:and theword.of God isnoword untovs, vnlcfTe we. 4 Io ( us z5 3 3s
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