of the rest stands those who beside the outward calling of God by his Word are called also inwardly and effectually by his Holy Spirit These are Christes litle Flocke the few chosen the communion of Saincts the Lords third part so to speake with Zacharie the two partes shall be cut off and die but the third will thy Lord â—ine as Siluer and Gold of them will the Lord say This is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God It is a great step in deed that wee are brought from the vttermost Circle vnto the second but it is not sufficient to saluation yea rather they who stand in the second Circle hearing the voyce of God call them to repentance and yet harden their heartes and will not follow the Lord may looke for a more fearefull condempnation then they who are in the vttermost rancke of all Waightie are those warninges of our Sauiour Sodome and Gomorah shall be in an easier estate in the day of Iudgement then they to whom the Lord hath spoken by his word but they would not receiue it and that double stripes are for him that knowes his Maisters will and doth it not Content not your selfe therefore with this that yee are brought within the compasse of this visible Church and made partakers of an outward Calling that yee haue been Baptized in the name of Iesus and communicated at his holy Table for not euery one that sayes Lord Lord shall enter in his Kingdome except yee find also the Lords inward and effectuall Calling that the arme of his Grace hath drawen you within the compasse of this thirde Circle and so brought you to be of his owne third part and set you downe among the generation of them that seekes the face of God and therefore forsakes their â—innes that they may find him Then we see this excellent Priuiledge is restrained to them who are called inwardly and therfore let vs yet a litle consider it This inward Calling is the communication of Christs sauing Grace wherby the minde is inlightned the heart purified by Faith the affections sanctified and the whole man reformed For as the Lord by his Gospell offers to his Children Righteousnesse and Life so by his holy Spirit he giues them that iustifiyng Fayth and openeth their heart to receiue that Grace which is preached and proclaymed to them in the Gospell So then this worke of our Calling is altogeather the Lordâ— It is his prayse that he calles thinges which are not and makes them to be The Lord that commanded light to shine out of darknesse hath giuen to our minds the light of the knowledge of his glorie in the face of Christ Iesus he it is that creates in vs a new heart and putteth a new spirit into our bowels that we may walke in his Statuâ—es The Lord promised that he would call many of the Gentiles to the spirituall Ierusalem to suck out the mâ—â—ke of the breastes of her consolation be delighted with the brightnesse of her glory shall I cause others to be fruitfull said the Lord remaine barreÌ„ my selfe and this his gracious promise hath he most aboundantly performed in our dayes this name be pâ—aysed therefore As this worke is onely the Lordes so he restraines it onely to them who are his owne The outwarde Calling is extended to all but the inwarde Calling makes a particular separation of a fewe from the remanent where it is wonderfull to see the distinction which is made betwixâ— man man in all ranckes estates by this effectuall Calling of two Brethren as Iacob and Esau of two Prophets as Moses and Balaam of two Kinges as Dauid and Saul of two Apostles as Peter and Iudas of two Theeues th' one is taken th' other reiected and thus the Arme of the Grace of God goes through to euery corner of the earth according to his pleasure culling out by his Word from among the remnant of the world those who belong to this Election This Grace of God it enters in a Land and not into euery Cittie it enters into a Citâ—ie but not into euery Familie yeâ— and it will enter in a Familie and yet not come to euery person of the Familie of husband and wife of maisters and seruants of parents and children of brethren and sisters often times the one is taken the other is left It came to Iericho and weyled out Zacheus It came to Philippi and weyled out Lidia and the Iaylor It came to Nero his Court and not to him selfe It entered into the Familie of Narcissus and yet past by Narcissus himselfe It is the worke of God and maruellous in our eyes The Gospell is preached to many but the Blessing brought by the Gospell lights onely vpon the Children of Grace And hereof aryseth this dayly distinction which we see betweene man and man all heare alike but all haue not Fayth all are not edified alike Some forsake their sinnes and followes the Lord others forsaking the Lord walkes on in their sinnes As the Lord gouerneth the raine and makes it fall vpon one Cittie and not vpon another so hee dispenseth the deaw of his Grace that he makes it drop downe vpon one heart and not on another And of this I would wish that so many of you as yet are strangers from Grace should learne to know your miserable state What a fearefull thing is this that God hath conuerted so many in the Cittie wherein thou dwellest yea perhaps many in the Familie wherein thou remaynest and yet his Grace neuer lighted vpon thee but thou art lest in thy old sinnes Consider it rightly I pray you If the Lord should do to you as he did to Israel in the dayes of Athab causing it to raine for three yeares and a halfe on all the Landes about you but not vpon your Land would you not conceiue in it a sensible cursse of God vpon you O Hypocrite thou that canst discerne the face of the Skie and take vp the tokens of Gods anger in the creature canst thou not discerne the state of thine owne soule nor apprehend this for a sensible cursse that 30. or 40. yeares the showers of sauing and renewing Grace hath descended vpon many people round about thee but neuer vpon thy selfe thou possessest thy old sinnes and keepest still a hard a barren a fruitlesse heart What shall I say to thee to cut thee off from all hope of Mercy and so send thee to despaire I haue not that in commission the Lord hath his owne time of Calling and can when he will of Saul a persecutor make Paul a Preacher But one thing I can certifie thee of So long as thou art in that state mourne if thou wilt thou hast much cause of mourning for if this effectuall Calling by Grace go by thee in time to come as it hath done is time bygan it is an euident declaration that thou art a man reserued to wrath and
not ordayned to mercie Now that this Calling flowing from Election may be yet made sure to our consciences for our greater comfort let vs marke the maner of the Lordes proceeding into it and so gather vp some tokens wherby we may discerne it As in the first Creation the Lord began at the light so in the second Creation he begins at the illumination of the minde For we can neither know the Lord to feare and loue him neither yet our selues and our sinnes â—right till the Lord who commaunded light to shine out of darknesse shine also into our hearts to giue vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ and this light of God discouers to vs so many workes of darknesse wherewith in ignoraunce we defiled our consciences that we begin to be ashamed of our selues in the sight of God yeâ— our very flesh trembleth for feare of his Iudgements and we cry out with Iob Now my eye hath seene the Lord therefore I abhorre my selfe And thus the Lord proceedes from the minde to the heart working into it such a contrition and godly sorrow as causeth repentance vnto saluation whereby the heart that was senselesse before being dead in sinne and trespasses begins now to stirre and moue as the heart of Iosiah melted at the reading of the Law and the hearts of those penitent Iewes which were pricked at the sharpe Sermon of Peter then feeling our selues vnder death through sinne we begin to bethinke vs of the way of life and to aske with the Iaylor What shall we do that we may be saued These motions meltings and prickinges of the heart wrought in the elect by the hearing of Gods word are the very pluckes of the hand of God translating thee out of Nature into Grace yet must we not rest heere for Felix may tremble while Paul is preaching and many for a while may receaue this word with ioy and yet afterward fall away in the time of temptation We must therefore consider if there be in the heart a respondence and answering vnto the Lord So oft as he calleth doe we present our selues before him ready to follow him saying with Abraham Heere I am Lord and with Samuel after he knew the Lords voyce Speake on Lord thy seruant heareth thâ—â— This answering and following of the Lord are vndoubted tokens of effectuall Calling So oft as the Lord calleth the Christian answereth When thou saydst Seeke yee my 〈◊〉 my heart answered O Lord I will seeke thy 〈◊〉 If the Lord commaund the Christian answereth O Lord quicken mee according to thy louing kindnesse that I may apply my heart to keepe thy Statutes alwayes to the end Iâ— the Lord promise Mercie the Christian answers Stablâ—sh O Lord thy promise to thy seruâ—nt and let it be to mee accordiâ—g to thy word for I beleeuâ— in thee but Lord helpe my vnbeleife And thus in the heart of one effectually called there is a continuall respondance to the voyce of God awayting on the Lord a walking with him and a following of him where euer he goe If the Lord haue called thee sure it is thou wilt follow him and no power of the Diuell of the World or the Flesh shall hold thee backe from him When Eliah touched Elisha with his Cloake he left his Oxen and came after him When Iesus called on Andrew and Peter they left their Nets their Ship and their Father and followed him When he called on Matthew he left all his gainefull trade of the receit of Custome and followed him When he called on Mary Magdelen she forsooke her sinfull life and followed him Heere is the finest touchstone to try an inward calling If the Lord hath called thee thou wilt follow him but if yet thou be wandring after vanity walking on in the course of thy sinne turning thy backe and not thy face vnto the Lord deceaue not thy selfe partaker of this heauenly Calling wherein sâ—andes the onely comfort of a Christian hast thou neuer been That loue God And last of all to returne to the wordes againe the whole effectes of our Inward Calling the Apostle compriseth vnder one to wit The loue of God and that most properly for Louâ— compriseth al the rest vâ—der it Loue is the cognoscence of Christs Disciples sayes our Sauiour It is the Band of perfection sayth the Apostle and accomplishment of the Law Loue speakes with the tongue of euery Vertue Pittie biddes thee helpe the Indigent Iustice biddes thee giue euery man his owne Mercy biddes forgiue Patience biddes suffer but the voyce of Christian loue commaundes all these Holy loue is the oldest Daughter of a Iustifying Fayth that is the first affection that Fayth procreateth and sanctifieth and whereby she workes in the sanctification of the rest Lâ—ue is the strongest most impeâ—ious affection in the whole nature of man all the rest of the affections giues place vnto it which we may see euen in the man naturall and vnregenerate Where Loue is kindled Feare is banished Couetousnesse coucheth Ambition is silent A Coward iâ—flamed with Loue becomes valiaâ—t and a Couetous man is oft times commaunded by Loue to be prodigall yea the Proud ambitious man who otherwise giues place to no man for obtaining that which he loues cares not to prostrate his honour to the dust If Carnall louâ— be so forcible what shall we say of the Spiritual lâ—ue how much more doth it draw the whole powers of soule and body after the Lord neither is it possible to do otherwayes for euery thing returnes to his owne originâ—ll as the waters go downe to the deepe from whence they came and Fire tendes vpward to the owne place and region euen so holy Lâ—â—e being a spâ—rke of the heauenly Fire kindled in our heartes by the â—oly Ghost doth rauish vs alwayes vpâ—ard towarâ—e the Lord â—rom whom it came and 〈◊〉 vs neuer to rest while we enâ—oy him then we begin to lâ—ue when we begin to Loue. As no Creature can liue out of the owne 〈◊〉 so the Soule is but 〈◊〉 in sinne 〈…〉 of the loue of God No feare to oâ—â—end him no 〈◊〉 â—o please him no obedience to his Commandements can be giuen by the heart that loues him not 't were longsome to speake of all the properties of Loue we make choyce of a few as chiefe tryalles of our Loue. The firâ—â— propertie oâ— Lâ—ue is a burâ—ing desire to obâ—aine that which is bâ—loued as a Woman that loueth her Husband vnlargnedly can not be content with any Loue token she receiueth from him in his absence but longeth more and more till she receiue 〈◊〉 So the Soule which is wounded with the Loue of Iâ—sus her immortall Husband hath a continuall desire to be at him I graunt euery â—oken sent from him bringes comfort but no contentment till she enioyes him whereof comes these and such like complaintes As the Hart brayes for the
shaken with the wind in our necessities wee hasten to be our owne prouisors in our dangers wee wil be our owne deliuerers and euery way we become the caruets of our owne perdition wee haue so much the more to beware of this precipitation because the dearest seruants of God haue fallen through it into fearefull sinnes against the Lord their God and breed great vnquietnesse vnto them selues When Dauid was in extreame danger in the wildernes of Maon he said in his feare that all men were lyers O what a blasphemie that doing the promises of God made to him by Samuel the Lords Prophet were but lyes and how many times thought hee in his other troubes that God had forgot to be mercifull and had shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure But when he saw the end then was he compelled to accuse him selfe to giue glory to God to say I should haue been dumbe and not opened my mouth because thou didest it I sayd it in my feare but now I see Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saincts As this precipitation made Dauid to stumble fall so will it carry vs also to the like inconuencience too except we beware of it For if we should looke to Lazarus in the dunghill full of Byles Sores hauing no comfort but from the Dogges and compare him with the Richman cloathed in Purple and fareing daintily euery day What can we iudge but that Lazarus is the most miserable of the two yet tarry while the Lord haue ended his worke and Lazarus be conueyed to Abrahams bosome and the Rich glutton be gone to his place then shall the trueth appeare manifestly All thinges worke together for the best so them that loue God Let vs learne therefore to measure the euent of thinges not by their present condition but by the prediction of Gods word Let vs cleaue to his Promise and waite on the Vision which hath his owne time appoynted it shall speake at the last and shall not lie though it terry let vs waite for it it shall surely come and not stay Let vs goe into the Sanctuarie of God and consider the end there shall we find and learne that there is no peace to the Wicked how soeuer they floorish for a time and that it can not be but well with them that feare the Lord. Marke the vpright man and behold the lust for the end of that man is peace but the transgressors shal be destroyed together and the end of the Wicked shal be cut off So both in the troubles of the Godly and prosperitie of the Wicked are we bound to suspend our iudgment till we see the end All thinges worke together O what a singular priuiledge hath the Christian that not onely Afflictions but all thinges whatsoeuer workes for the best and not onely so but they worke together for the best to him Many working instrumentes is there in the world their course is not one they communicate no counsels yea their intentions often times are contrary yet the Lord bringes all their wayes to this one ende To the good of them that loue him Where 〈◊〉 they be in regard of place what euer they be in regard of persons what euer their purposes be how soeuer disagreeing amongst them selues yet such is the power and prouidence of that supreame gouernour our heauenly Father that All of them workes together to the good of them that loues him And herein doth his Power and Wisedome appeare more clearely then in the tempering of this great vniuerse making Elements of so contrary qualities to meete together agree in one pleasant harmony For the illustration of this let vs marke but one example for all Iaacob sendes his sonne Ioseph to Dothan to visite his brethren his brethren castes him into the Pitt Reuben relieues him the Marchants of Midian buyes him and selles him againe to Poliphar his Mistris accuses him his Maister condemnes him the Butlet after long ingratitude recommendes him and Pharaâ—h exaltes him O what Instruments are heere and how many handes are about this one poore man of God but how doth the Lord direct them all yea beside their owne intention to further Iosephs aduancement in Aegipt for his owne good and the good of his Church But now to the particulars There is nothing in the world which workes not for our weale All the workes of God all the stratagems of Satan all the imaginations of man are for the weale of Gods Children yea out of the most poysonable thinges as Sinne and Death doth the Lord draw healthsome and mediciuall preseruatiues to them that loue him All the wayes of the Lord sayth Dauid are Mercie and Trueth Marke what he sayth and make not thou an exception where God hath made none All none excepted But be thou strengthened in Fayth and giue glory to God saying with the patient Iob Albeit the Lord would slay mee yet will I trust in him Sometime the Lord walkes in the way of anger seeming angie with his Children and to walke stubbornly against them which hath mooued them to powre out the like of these pittifull Lamentes The arrowes of the Almightie are vpon me sayth Iob the venlme whereof doth drinke vp my spâ—rit and the terrours of God fight against mee Thou settes mee vp as a marke against thee and makest mee a burden to my selfe Thy indignation lyeth vpon mee sayth Dauid Yea from my youth I haue suffered thy terrours doubting of my life For felicitie I haue had bitter griâ—fe sayd Exechia for the Lord like a Lion brake all my bones so that I did chatter like a Swallow and mourne like a Done I am troubled on euery side sayth the Apostle hauing fightings without and terrours within And yet in all these the Lord hath a secret way of mercie wherein he walkes and workes for the comfort of his Children which albeit for the present wee can not perceiue and can see no other but the Lord hath taken vs for his enemies yet in the ende wee shal be compelled to acknowledge it and confesse with Dauid O good was it for mee O Lord that euer thou correctest mee Therefore also sayd the Apostle The Lord is maruelous in his Saincts And the Apostle cryed out O the deepenesse of the riches hath of the Wisedome and Knowledge God! how vnsearchable are his iudgementes and his wayes past finding out His glorie is great when hee worketh by meanes his glorie is greateâ— when he worketh without meanes but his glorie shineth most brightly when he worketh by contraries It was a great worke that hee did open the eyes of the blind man but greater that he did by application of Spittle and Clay such meanes as are meeter to put out the eyes of the seeing man then to restore the sight to a blind man So he wrought in the first Creation causing Light to