described by their calling The thing is true Make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 that is your Conversion Rom. 1.6 7. Among whom also are ye the called of God Called to be Saints So 1 Cor. 1.2 Saints by Calling If the Saints and people of God be described by the Called-ones and our Conversion be termed our Calling Then when God brings home a man to himself he does it in a way of Calling First Because those that God brings home to himself are afar off We call men that are afar off If they be near we speak to them By nature we are afar off from God therefore when he converts men he is said to call Acts 2.14.39 Peter standing up with the eleven lifted up his voice and said to them Ye men of Judea c. hearken to my words v. 14. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are afar off even to as many as the Lord our God shall call v. 39. Called upon this account because ye are afar off Secondly Is it not necessary that we should be conformed to Christ our Head and to Abraham our Father the father of the faithful You shall find Abraham was called Isa 51.2 Look unto Abraham your father c. for I called him alone Christ is also said to be called in a way suitable to him Mat. 2.15 Out of Egypt have I called my son Heb. 5.4 No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that was called of God as was Aaron Isa 4.26 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness c. Isa 49.1 Listen O isles unto me c. The Lord hath called me from the womb We are to be conformable to Christ our Head and to Abraham our Father in our calling Thirdly If God shall bring a man home to himself according to the practice of men he must bring him home in a way of calling I drew them with the cords of a man Hos 11.4 When God deals with man it is in a way suitable to man But why When he brings a man home to himself will he do it in a way of calling when as he might do it immediately by his own infinite power If I knew that a man would not accept my Invitation to Dinner I would never send to invite him God knows that every one will not come what need he then stand calling and inviting We must consider That as God will deal with man in the way and according to the manner of men So he will deal with man also in the way of God too Christ is God-man God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.6 Because the work of our Redemption was to be carried on by the hand of God and by the hand of man both Whereas should God deal with man only as God then he would convert him presently by his own infinite poâ—er and never make any invitation to him And if he should deal with man onely as man he would never invite any of the dead For who is there of you that will send to the grave and invite a dead man to your table But as God he invites dead ones There are some that think Christ need not to invite because he can bring men home to himself by his own almighty power But such do forget that the Deity works as a man Others think men are to be converted onely by moral swasions and perswasions Such do forget that Christ works as God too But Christ iâ— God man because the great work of our Redemption and Salvation is to be carried on by the hand of both As God he does invite and call irresistably omnipotently As man he invites by perswasion As God-man he invites and gives a heart to accept of his invitation Fourthly If all those blessings and mercies we are call'd to are called Gods blessings and mercies as so they are Who ha's called us out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2 9. Who hath called us to his Kingdom and Glory it were presumption in me to meddle with the things of God with the things that are Gods if he did not invite me to it But if a Begger comes to your house and shall sit down at your table he does not presume because you have invited him God will have his people know that they do not presume when they come at his Invitation and call and meddle with the things of God Fifthly If all the work of Christianity be bestrewed with difficulty and affliction we had need be called thereunto for in the time of affliction or difficulty what shall bear up our heart and carry us through but Gods Call Gods Call is our Warrant and our strength therefore fit that all that are brought home to God it should be in a way of Calling Thirdly What is the duty then of all that are called to Gods Kingdom and Glory I answer It is their duty to walk worthy of God By worthy is not meant a worthiness of Merit No There is a four-fold Worthiness mentioned in Scripture First In regard of Merit So onely Christ is worthy For thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals Rev. 5.9 Secondly In regard of Acceptation So the Saints are worthy They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Rev. 3.4 Thirdly In regard of Proportion So Our present afflictions are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed 2 Cor. 4.17 That is there is no proportion between the glory of Heaven and the afflictions we meet with here below Fourthly In regard of meetness suitableness and fitness Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance Mat. 3.8 And thus it is the duty of all that are called to walk worthy of God c. Reason 1. Because Dignity calls for Duty and the more Dignity the more Duty What greater Dignity then to be called to Gods Kingdom and glory Secondly The more sad and dismal any mans condition is the more he is obliged and engaged and bound to God to walk worthy and answerably to God who hath called him out of that condition The condition we are call'd out of is a condition of great darkness For that is great darkness a man is in which he cannot rise out of nor lie still in This is our condition we can neither rise out of it of our selves nor lye still in it Therefore arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5.14 Thirdly The more comfortable and glorious the condition is that a man is called unto the more he is engaged to God who hath called him to that condition What is good in all the world or desireable but we are called to it in this being called to his Kingdom and Glory Is light desireable We are called out of darkness into his marvellous light Is Holiness desireable God hath not called us to uncleanness but unto holiness 1 Thes 4.7 Is Peace desireable We are called to Peace 1 Cor. 7
by their own present want For saith Aristotle if you look into your experience ye shall find that if a man be poor Aristot Ethic. l. 1. then he thinks it an happiness to be rich if a man be disgraced then he thinks it is his happiness to be vindicated if a man be sick then he thinks there is no greater happiness in the world then to have his health and so men measuring their happiness by their own present wants are mistaken therein 4. But ordinarily men are mistaken in the matter of their happiness because they do not hearken to and consider what is spoken to them about true happiness Famous is that story of Craesus among the Heathens he was a King of a great Country and tumbled in his Gold and Silver and Solon that Wiseman of Greece coming into his Country he desired to speak with him and when he saw him after Solon had seen and viewed all his wealth and glory he asked him Whom he thought to be the most happy man in the world Imagining that Solon would have said Craesus But Solon answered I think Tellus was the most happy man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide Herodotus â—â—b 1. Tellus saith he why Tellus because said Solon he having Governed the Common-wealth well and brought up his child honestly and religiously he dyed honourably Well then said Craesus but who dost thou think is the second happy man in the world I think said he those two Brothers that instead of Horses drew their Mother in a Chariot to the Temple Whereupon said Craesus what thinkest thou of me I think says he thou art a very rich man but a man may be happy though he be poor and a man may be unhappy though he be rich for he may lose all his riches before he dye and therefore ante obitum nemo I think none truly happy but he that lives well and dyes well whereupon that Wiseman Solon was dismissed the Court with neglect but afterward this Craesus making war against Cyrus he was overcome by Cyrus and being taken Captive he was laid upon a Pile of Wood to be burned to death then lying on the Pile of Wood he cryed out and said O Solon Solon Cyrus enquiring what he meant then he said this Solon was a Wiseman of Greece that told me that happiness did not consist in riches for they might all be lost and a rich man might dye miserable whose words said he I then neglected but now I find true and therefore now I cry out and say O Solon Solon And truely thus it is at this day Preachers call upon men and tell them that our happiness lyes not in these outward things and they doe not regard it But there is a time a coming when men will cry out and say O Solon Solon but for the present men will not hear and consider where their happiness lyes and therefore they are thus mistaken in the matter of their happiness But thus now you have heard that men are mistaken and how it comes to pass that they are so mistaken and so I have done with the Second General now the Third follows 3. General 3. Though men are generally mistaken in the matter of their happiness yet there are a generation of men who have found out this happiness and are truly blessed many say who will shew us any good but I say otherwise plainly then there are a generation of men that have found out this happiness and are truely blessed for those that the Scripture calls blessed are blessed indeed Now there are a generation of men whom the Scripture calls blessed and if you would know who these are I will instance to you in some particulars 1. The Scripture calls them blessed that have their sins pardoned Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered Rom. 4. Secondly The Scripture calls them blessed whom the Lord doth teach the mysteries of his Kingdom Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou teachest out of thy Law Mat. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee but my father Thirdly the Scripture calls them blessed that wait on the Posts of wisdom and are made wise thereby Prov. 8.35 Blessed is the man that heareth me and waiteth daily at my gates watching at the Posts of my door Prov. 3.13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and getteth understanding so again v. 18 And happy is every one that retaineth her Fourthly The Scripture calls them blessed that are of a meek humble and a pure spirit Blessed are the poor in spirit Blessed are the pure in heart Blessed are the meek in spirit Mat. 5. Fifthly The Scripture calls them blessed that do walk in Gods ways and not in the ways of the world Psal 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth meditate day and night So Psal 119.1 Blessed is the man that is undefiled in the way and so again Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his Commandments Sixthly The Scripture calls them blessed that suffer for Christ his way and truth and name Mat. 5. Blessed are ye when men persecute and revile you for my name-sake Seventhly The Scripture calls them blessed that consider the poor Saints and people of God who have bowels of love and compassions Psal 41. Blessed is the man that considereth the poor Eighthly The Scripture calls them blessed that know and doe the work of their place and office both to God and man John 13.17 I say unto you saith Christ the Servant is not greater then the Lord if ye know these things happy are ye if you do them Ninthly The Scripture calls them blessed that wait and prepare for the deliverance of the Churches and the coming of Christ behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments Rev. 16. Tenthly The Scripture calls them blessed that dye in the Lord and are found so doing when Christ comes blessed is that servant whom when the Lord comes he shall find so doing Mat. 24. And blessed are those that dye in the Lord. Rev. 14.13 Do you therefore ask who is this blessed man the man that is truly blessed the Scripture tells you in all these particulars so that doubtless there is a generation of men that have found this happiness and are truly blessed that is the third General now the fourth follows Fourth General Wherein the true blessedness or happiness doth consist Beatitudo formalis consistit in fruitione beatitudinis objectivae beatitudo autem objectva est Deus quia est bonum perfectum satiens appetitum the Text tells you in the light of Gods countenance and the shine of his face for look wherein God did command the Priests of
old for to bless his people therein true blessedness must needs consist now if ye look into the sixth of Numbers ye shall find that therein God commanded Aaron and his Sons for to bless the people verse 23. on this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying The Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and if you look into Psalm 67 1. ye shall find that when the Psalmist prayed for a blessing he prayed thus The Lord be merciful unto us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us Surely therefore the happiness and blessedness of man must needs lye and consist in the light of Gods countenance and the shine of his face Object But if our blessedness doth consist herein then some of Gods own people are not blessed For God doth hide his face from some of them and how many are there even amongst the Saints that complain saying Oh the face of God doth not shine on me Ans True they do so and its possible that God may hide his face from his own Children for a time but what Child of God is there in all the world but the face of God hath shined upon It is possible that a Child of a natural Father may never see the face of his Father his Father may be dead before he is born but no child of God but hath seen his Fathers face for what is the face of God but his favour and what is the shine thereof but the manifestation of his favour and when God pardoned his sin at the first did not he manifest his love and favour to him And doth he not daily do it in supporting him with his Arm In the times of the old Testament the Saints did measure the favour of God too much by outward mercies and blessings because the Land of Canaan was promised them as a favour from God when the Enemy did break in upon them they said That God did then hide his face from them but ye know how is is with the day if it be day the Sun shines and though ye see not the beams thereof yet you see the light thereof so here though you see not the beams of Gods countenance yet if it be day with you you see the light thereof Now it is day with all the Children of God they are Children of the day and therefore whatever they say or think there is none of Gods Children but the face of God doth or hath shined upon Quest But how shall I know that the face of God hath ever shined on my Soul for there are many delusions about this matter How shall I therefore know that God hath ever lift up the light of his Countenance upon my Soul 5. General That is the 5th General therefore I shall now speak to that Ans If God hath ever blessed you in truth then hath his face shined upon you for his blessing and the shine of his face go together as ye have heard Now when God blesses a man then he draws him nearer to himself Blessed is the man saith the Psalmist whom then causest to approch unto thee when God blesses a man then he makes him to encrease and multiply if he bless him in his estate then he doth increase and multiply therein if he bless him in his parts or gifts or graces or comforts then he causeth him to increase therein so at the beginning the Lord blessed Man and said increase and multiply And therefore if thou hast been such an one as hath lived at a distance from God and now at brought nigh to him and increased in thy gifts graces and comforts then hath the Lord blessed thy Soul and so hath shined on thee 2. If God hath ever shined upon thy Soul then he hath wonderfully irradiated and enlightened and taught thy Soul the mysteries of the Gospel which did never enter in thy heart before Psal 67.1 2. The Psalmist saith Be merciful unto us and bless us and cause thy face to shine upon us that thy way may be known c. And says the Apostle 2â— or 4.4 6. God that commanded light to shine out of darkness shine into your hearts to giv you the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 3ly If this light of Gods countenance hath indeed shined upon your heart then your other carnal kitchâ—n lights have been put out thereby Ye see that when the Sun shines upon the kitchin-fire it doth put it â—ut so if ever God hath shined upon your Soul there â—ath such a glory fallen upon your hearts that thereâ—y all your carnal kitchin-comforts and delights have â—een put out thereby 4ly If God have shined upon thy Soul in truth â—hen are you satisfied with the light of Gods Counâ—enance and yet your desire after it is the more inâ—reased This seems to be a Paradox but it is true â—â—e more a man sees the light of Gods Countenance â—he more he longs after it and the more he longs after it the more be is satisfied with it Shew us the Father saith Thomas and it sufficeth I have now that saith the Soul which doth make me happy therefore I am fully sâ—tisfied yet I have tasted such sweetness in it as I cannot but thirst and long after more Oh when shall come and appear before thee that I may be fully satisfied with thy likeness 5ly If the face of God hath ever shined upon your Soul then there hath been a time when you were in the dark and by the light of Gods Countenance your doubts and fears have been all dispelled at once God never shines but upon those that have been in the dark God that commanded light to shine out of darkness shine into your hearts saith the Apostle and when God shines then all your fea s and doubts and objections are answered at once not by degrees and one after another but the face of God answers all at once As when the Husâ—and comes home though his Wife have had many fears that she should never see him again yet when she sees his face then all her fears and doubts are answered at once So here although you have had many fears that you should never see the face of God again yet when his face shines then all your doubts are answered at once 6ly If the face of God have ever shined upon your Soul in truth then have you been thereby enabled to do and act some great thing for God and you have had an heart given you to do it Cant. 1.12 When the King sits at his Table my Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof By Spikenard here we are to understand the sweet smelling fruits and graces of thâ— Spouse of Christ Now saith she these graces send forth their smell when Christ sits at his Table when I have the gracious presence of Christ then are my graces most
Unbelieving Husband whâ—ch he resolves Negatively verse 10. If the unbelieving will depart let him depart saith the Apostle verse 15 but a Believer may not depart which he perswadeth unto by divers Arguments The first is taken from the profit or good that the believer may doe by his continuance verse 16. for what knowest thou O Wife whether thou shalt save thine Husband The second is taken from the call of God unto that condition v. 17. But as the Lord hath distributed unto every man as the Lord hath called every man so let him walk and this is our duty for saies he so I ordain in all the Churches Why but suppose a man be called being a Servant is he to abide therein Yes saies the Apostle verse 20. Let every one abide in the same calling wherein he was called Art thou called being a servant care not for it but if thou maiest be made free use it rather for verse 22. He that is called in the Lord being a Servant is the Lords Freeman only saith he ye are bought with a price be not ye the Servants of men serving men only but the Lord in them And so Brethren let every man wherein he is called abide with God by calling so the Apostle doth understand that state and condition wherein God hath placed us We do ordinarily take the word calling for our civil imployment and outward occupation but the Apostle takes it here for our outward state and condition yet not excluding but including the other for there is no state or condition that we are called unto but some occupation imployment or calling is to be used therein and therefore in speaking to one of these I shall speak to both and so the Doctrine is this That it is the duty of every man to abide or walk with God in his calling take calling for your state or condition or take calling for your ordinary way of imployment the Doctrine is true that it is our duty to abide or walk with God in our calling It is commanded in the 17 verse As the Lord hath called every one so let him walk It is commanded again in the 20 verse Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called And it is commanded again in the 24 verse Brethren let every one c. Surely therefore there is some great concernment in this and the 20 verse he saith Let every man abide but in the 17 he saith as the Lord hath called every one so let him walk and saith the Text here let him abide with God Plainly then it is the duty of every man to walk or abide with God in his calling For the prosecuting of which Truth I shall labour to shew you First That it is a great mercy for a man to be placed in a good lawful and honest calling A good calling is a great mercy Secondly That a man being so placed is to abide therein Thirdly That it is our duty to walk with God in our calling Fourthly What a man should do that he may walk with God in his calling Fifthly I shall give you some motives and encouragements to provoke you to this work of walking with God in your callings First therefore I say A good calling is a great mercy it is a great mercy for a man to have an honest good and a lawful calling whether you take the word calling for the calling of condition or for the calling of employment it is a great mercy to be planted in an honest and a lawful calling For First This was the condition of Adam in the State of Innocency then the Lord set Adam for to Till the Ground he gave him an imployment in the State of Innocency and there was nothing given him in the State of Innocency but mercy whatever God called him to or put him upon before the Fall was mercy now in that state God put an employment upon him Imployment did not come in by the fall It is not a badge of that conquest that the Devil made upon us by the fall Therefore an honest calling is a great mercy For thereby 2ly A man is kept from idleness Idleness is the nurse of all wickedness our vacation is the Devils term Homines nihil agendo c. Homines nihil agendo mala discanâ—â—gere Sen. Ottum est vera hominis sepultura Sen. Men by doing nothing learn to do evil Idleness saith the Heathen is the burying of a living man Hic situs est when a great Senator of Rome would go live privately in his Country house that he might be more retired Seneca coming by said Hic situs est Here lyes such a man as you say over a Tomb Here lyes such a man and there lyes such a man so said he Hic sit us est Vacia here lies Va cia â—or Idleness is the burial of a living man but what more contrary to a man then to be buried alive Now the honest lawful employment or calling will keep ever from idleness Yea Thirdly thereby also a man shall be kept from busie bodiedness and too much medling the more â—dle a man is the more apt he is to be too busie and medling with others matters Mark therefore I pray how they go together in 2 Thes 3.11 We hear that â—here are some which walk among you disorderly workâ—ng not all being busie bodies working not at all and yet overworking being busie bodies how should â—is be cured Why saith he in the next verse Now â—hem that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread Either a man must eat his own bread or he will eat anothers if he eat anothers constantly that will be uncomfortable if he would eat his own bread then let him work if he do not work when he should he will be at work when he should not he will meddle with others matters and be a busie-body Now therefore I command and beseech you in the Lord saith the Apostle that every one work Thus shall a man be freed from busie-bodiedness Ye Fourthly A lawful honest calling both of condition and employment is Gods ground As no calling is the Devils ground so a good and honest calling is Gods ground As an unlawful Calling is the Devils ground so a lawful Calling is Gods ground Anâ— Look when a Man is out of his Calling and place hâ— may then say what do I here on the Devils ground And look when a man is in his place and calling theâ— he may say what dost thou here Satan tempting me This is none of thy ground this is Gods grounâ— to me And so it is indeed for there God will appeaâ— to men God did appear to the Shepherds bringing the news of Christs Birth But where diâ— he appear to them but in their calling They weâ—â— keeping Sheep and suddenly they heard a noise oâ— heavenly Angels He did appear to Peter and Andrew in their Callings to
follow Christ but wherâ— did he appear to them but in the way of their Callings They were casting their Nets into the Sea anâ— Christ came and said to them Follow me and I wiâ—â— make you fishers of Men. Calling ground is appearancâ— ground there God appears unto his People Surelâ— therefore it is a great mercy to be on this ground to have an honest lawful calling and employment And that is the first thing 2. Now Secondly A man having an honest and a good calling he is to abide therein Let every one abide therein saith the Apostle here again and again Now for the opening of this I shall briefly speak unto these four things 1. That there is an aptness in us to change or lay down our Callings 2. That it is not absolutely unlawful so to do 3. Yet ordinarily a man is to abide in his Calling and not readily to be removed from it 4. I shall answer to some objections or cases of Conscience about the change or relinquishment of our calling First Therefore there is an aptness in us to change or lay down our Callings c. Why should the Apostle three times one after another call upon us to abide in our callings And if ye look into 2 Thes 3. ye shall find that as soon as the Apostle had commanded the Thessalonians to work and eat their own bread by working verse 10. he presently adds But ye Brethren be not weary of well doing Why so But because there is an aptness in us and an itching disposition to leave and desert our Callings 2. But it is not absolutely unlawful for a man to leave or to change his Calling This in some cases thou mayst do says Pet. Mart. Modo teipsum non quaeras vel temere agas so that you do not seek your self nor be rash therein For possibly a man may be qualified for higher employments then his own calling beats In this case David left his calling of a Shepherd and became a King Amos left the calling of a Herd-man and became a Prophet The Apostles left the calling of their fishing and became Apostles Possibly a man may be qualified for better and higher employments and in that case it is lawful to change or leave his calling Or Si ad magistratum vel ecclesiae regimen accersitus fueris justa ratione tum tuipse no tâ—â—s qui te transferas ex una vocatione in aliam sed a Deo promoveriâ— Sâ—c ab aratro ad consilium voleres Romdis Pet. Mart. in Cap p. 96. 2. Possibly a man may see the same hand of God leading him out of his calling which did bring him in to it So when Noah had the same Command to go out of the Ark that he had to go in then he went out but n t before thouâ—h the Waters were gone off the Earth Now sometimes a man may hear the same voice of God leading him out of his calling which did bring him in and in that case it is lawful for a man to leave or lay down his Calling Or 3. Possibly the Porter that standeth at the door of a mans Calling may let him out there are Porters which God hath set at the door of every condition if a m n be a single man and would change his condition and his Parents are unwilling then he may not go out of that calling or condition For the Parents which are the Porters of the door do not open to him There are â—orters at the door of every condition possibly this Porter may open the door and then it is lawful for a man to change or lay down his Calling Or 4. Possibly a man may be forced through want to change or desert his calling Paul though a Preacher and Apostle was sometimes forced to work with his hands Idem statuendum est cum aliqua gravi necessitate compelleris subeas novas conditiones Pet. Mar. ibid. And though Musculus was a good and excellent Preacher yet he was sometimes forced to work and to dig in the City Ditch or moat for his living Possibly I say a man through urgent necessity and want may be forced to leave or desert his Calling and then and in that case it is lawful for him to do it So that it is not absolutely unlawful for a man to change or lay down his Calling Yet Thirdly Though it be lawful in some case to do so yet ordinarily a man is to abide in his calling and not readily to be removed from it for a good calling is the Lords gift 1. It is God that calls a man to that state condition or employment Now a man should not readily leave or desert that calling or employment which God hath called him to or owned and blessed him in For how do I know whether God will own or bless me when I shall desert that Calling wherein he hath appeared unto me 'T is my Duty to follow God and not to go before him as God hath distributed to every man As the Lord hath called every man so let him walk God doth distribute and carve our our callings for us Has the Lord therefore called me to a place or employment then am I with thankfulness to walk therein 'T is not for the private Souldier saith P. Marâ— to appoint his own station but look where he is set by his Commander there he is to abide Has the Lord therefore set me in this or that calling or employment then am to wait on God and abide in it and not readily to be removed from it 2. There is no calling either of employment or condition but God may be served and enjoyed therein No calling or employment so mean but a man may honourably serve and comfortably enjoy God therein Art thou called being a Servant care not saith the Apostle Why For he that is cal ed being a Servant is the Lords Free-man verse 22. Likewise also he that is called being free is the Lords Servant I remâ—mber I heard a Preacher say some 25. years since that a man is never ashamed of his Calling though it be never so mean but a man is ashamed of his sin although he be never so great If says he you call a man Tincker or Cobler yet he is not ashamed thereof because it is his Calling but if you call a man Drunkard or Adulterer he is ashamed thereof because that is none of his Calling A man may honourably serve God in his Calling though it be never so mean and he may comfortably enjoy God in his Calling although it be never so great Object But that is the reason why I would lay down my Calling because I cannot serve God so well therein I meet with many Temptations Provocations and Impediments which hinder me in the service of God if I were free from this Calling then I should be more free for God and should be more free from those snares and provocations that I now meet with But for answer Aâ—sw Are you sure
Now he is best paid which the Lord pays the Lord will not onely give him his outward wages but an everlasting inheritance Oh what a good thing it is to walk with God in our callings Yea. 3. Thereby the knots and difficulties of your callings shall be taken of and your way made easie that God whom ye walk with in your callings will lift you over all the stiles that are in your callings If a Child walk with his Father in the Fields when they come at an high Stile the Father lifts him over it So if you walk with God in your callings then he will lift you over all the Stiles and Difficulties of your callings Yea 4 Thereby you shall be kept from the sins and temptations of your calling A mans calling is like to a great Logg or piece of Timber in a green field look upon the field and you see it all green and handsome but take up the Logg or Timber that lies in the midst thereof and there you find Worms and Sows and Vermin that do breed under it So look upon a mans carriage and generally it is very green civil and handsome but if ye look under his calling you shall find nothing but Sows Worms and Vermin Now this walking with God in your calling will keep you from the Vermin of your callings Yea 5 Thereby shall your way of godliness be convincing and winning As God hath distributed to every man as the Lord hath called every one so let him walk and abide with God saith the Apostle in this Chapter Why so For what knowest thou oh Wife whether thou shalt not save thine Husband or how knowest thou oh Man whether thou shalt save thy Wise Yea says the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3.1 Likewise ye Wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the word they also without the word may be won by the conversation of the Wives It is not therefore a morning or evening duty though that is good that is so winning but a constant walking with God in our places and callings is convincing and winning Yea 6. Thereby also you shall be fit to die and leave all the World with ease The more a man runs his heart into the world in his calling the harder it will be to die and the more a man walketh with God in his calling the fitter he will be to die and to leave all the world with ease Now therefore as you do desire That you may be fit to die That your ways of godliness may be convincing and winning That the knots and difficulties of your callings may be taken off That your callings may be a blessing to you indeed And that God may meet and walk with you in your general calling labour more and more to abide and walk with God in your particular calling Which that you may do Labour to be master of your Art Be diligent in your place Deal not unjustly with men in your calling be not too familiar with your callings but keep your due distance from them Observe what the Temptations and Snares are that are incident and take heed thereof Labour more to live by Faith in your calling Let not your general eat up youâ— particular nor your particular destroy your general Whatever you do in your calling do all to the glory of God Be sure that you turn as God turns Give when he gives Measure all things in your callings by his Bushel And be sure that you always sprinkle your outward employments with some heavenly refreshments And thus Brethren Let every one wherein he is called therein abide with God For it is the duty of every man to abide and walk with God in his calling And thus I have done with this Argument How to walk with God in our callings OF GOOD AND BAD COMPANY How to avoid the one and improve the other Psal 119.63 I am a Companion of all them that fear thee and of them that keep thy Precepts MY desire now is to speak something of good and bad company and therefore have made choice of this Scripture In this Section the Psalmist laboureth to confirm his faith and to comfort himself in the certainty of his own grace by seven or eight properties of a true believer The first is drawn from his choice A good man makes a right choice he chooses God for his portion verse 51. Thou art my portion O Lord. The second is drawn from the fixation of his resolution A good man is fully resolved for o walk with God I have said I would keep thy words verse 57. The third is drawn from his earnest desire of Gods love and favour A good man doth desire the favour of God above all things I intreated thy favour with my whole heart verse 58. The fourth is drawn from his self-exâ—mination A good man doth ponder weigh and examine his own doings and ways I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies verse 59. The fiâ—th is drawn from his readiness to keep Gods Commandments A good man doth not put off or delay his duty I made hast and delayed not to keep thy Commandments verse 60. The sixth is drawn from his adhaesion to the ways of God in times of opposition A good man will not be driven from the ways of God by the opposition of men The bands of the wicked have robbed me but I have not forgotten thy law verse 61. The seventh is drawn from the thankfulness of his disposition under all dispensations A good man will give thanks to God whatever his condition be At midnight I will give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgements verse 62. And the eighth is drawn from his company A good man will keep company with those that are good I am a companion of all that fear thee Which is explained by these following words and of them that keep thy Precepts I am a companion of all that fear thee Though I be a King and they be never so poor I ev n I David the King am a companion of all that fear thee and do keep thy Precepts Where then you may observe thus much That a good man will have good company It is the property of a good man to keep good company his companions are such as do fear the Lord. Yea though they be much beneath him yet if they be such as doe fear the Lord he will not boggle at their acquaintance and fellowship I am a companion says David the King of all those that fear thee So that a good man will have or keep good company For the opening and clearing whereof First we will inquire what this good company is and when a man may be said for to keep good company Secondly why and upon what account a good man will have good company Thirdly I will answer unto some Objections or Cases of Conscience about this company-keeping and so come to the application 1. As for the first if you
Relations Husband Wife Child or Kindred if they be ungodly Answ Yes for says Paul If the unbelieving husband will not depart let him not depart but you must reâ—ember what I said in the beginning That Company is a matter of choice and not of necessity and if you shall rather keep company with your carnal jearing and opposing Kindred then your Spiritual Kindred then it is not your Kindred but the Carnality of your Kindred that you keep company with Quest 3. Why but if it be unlawful for a Professor of the Gospel to keep bad company whether may it stand with Grace so to do Suppose I do keep bad company and suppose it be unlawful so to do whether is it such an evil as cannot stand with Grace Answ I answer That it is in this sin as in all other sins Now says the Apostle He that is born of God sinneth not that is He doth not so lie in his sin but he purgeth it out For he that hath this hope saith he purgeth himself else he were of the Devil saith he who sins and does not purge out his sin but as the fountain or spring purgeth out the dirt that doth fall into it so he that is born of God sinneth not but he doth purge it out And so in this case as a good man may fall into another sin so he may fall into this sin of evil company but if a Professor be convinced of the evil of it and doth not leave his evil company and purge himself from it then he is not born of God thus it can no more stand with Grace then another sin Quest 4. Why but if it be unlawful to keep evil company and it be our duty to keep good company yea to keep company with all those that do fear the Lord then Whether is it lawful to keep company with erroneous persons For David saith here I am a companion of all those that do fear thee Now so it is that some that fear God have fallen into errours whether may I therefore keep company with them For answer Answ It is ordinarily said That a man must consider his own weakness and their strength that are erroneous If I will mingle a spoonful of Wine with a pailfullâ— of Water shall I not lose the Wine For so say some If I am but weak in knowledge and will go and mingle my self with them that are strong in errours what shall I do but lose my own knowledge But there are two or three things that I shall speak to in this case of Conscience 1. Ye must know That there are some errours that are less some that are so gross that do manifest a wicked state and condition in them that hold them They are called errours of the wicked 2 Pet. 3.17 Now though I may sometimes converse with those that are less erroneous yet if their errours be such as cannot stand with Grace the Gospel or the power of Godliness then I am to shun their company as much as the company of a Drunkard Swearer or Unclean Person But Secondly You must observe all this verse the Psalmist doth not barely say I am a Companion of all that fear thee but he explains who those are that do fear the Lord and such as keep his Precepts now men that depart from his ordinances do not keep his Precepts and therefore though in regard of their other profession they may seem for to fear the Lord yet if they do not keep his Precepts this Scripture doth not warrant me to be their companion And in the third place 3. You know and must remember what the Apostle saith If any one that is called a Brother does walk inordinately from such turn away and avoid them So that though I must keep company with those that fear the Lord while they stand right yet if they do not stand right but do walk disorderly then I am commanded by another Scripture to avoid them for a while that they may be ashamed And thus now I have answered to those several Cases of Conscience and have cleared the Doctrine Application Now by way of Application if a good man will keep good company then what shall we think of those that never kept good company all their dayes 20 30 40 years old yet never kept good coâ—pany It may be they have kept company with Civil Moral men but saith David I am a companion of those that fear thee and do keep thy Precepts Or it may be they have sometimes occasionally faln into good society but they have not chosen the company of such as do fear the Lord and keep his precepts Now if a good man will keep go d company what shall we think of those that never kept good company all their time Yea what shall we think of those that have kept and doe keep bad company Every man is as his company is The Heathen coâ—ld say Noscitur ex comite Nostre ex comite qui non cognoscite ex se c. he is known by his company that cannot be known by himself A mans company is a Commentary upon his Life thereby you may understand a man though he be never so close and mystical It s recorded of Augustus Caesar that he came thus to know his Daughters inclinations for being once at a publick shew where much people were present he observed that the Grave Senators talked with Livia but loose youngsters and riotous persons with Julia whereupon he concluded that the one w s grave and the other light and vain And if ye look into the 50 Psalm ye shall find that God doth conclude a man to be a wicked man by his converse and partaking with those that are wicked verse 16. But to the wicked saith God What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth Dost thou come to the ordinance and dost thou speak of the Covenant of Grace These do not belong to thee Why For thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee For when thou sawest a Thief then thou consentedst with him and hast been partaker with the Adulterers O what a sad condition therefore are all those in that do keep bad company God looks upon them as wicked that doe keep company with the wicked Object Why but is it not better to keep bad company then none It is not good for man to be alone that is uncomfortable is it not therefore better to have bad company then none Ans No. For suppose you were to go a journey whether would you chuse to ride alone or in the company of Thieves Would you not rather chuse to ride alone though it be uncomfortable then in the company of Thieves Surely ye would Why such are all wicked company Amici temporis fures Friends are thieves of time especially wicked friends for they will not only rob you of your precious time but of your precious duties principles and graces Or pray tell
the time past Now who is there in all the Congregation but may cry guilty guilty I am the man or woman that have been carnal under my Spiritual and Gospel-profession Why then go to God and humble your self before him in reference to the carnality of your Profession Secondly In case you have begun a Profession of Christ be sure that you look well to your beginnings and settings out 'T is possible that a carnal beginning may make a spiritual ending but ordinarily if men set out the wrong way at the first they go wrong all the day after And it is usual with men to be carnal at the entrance into their Profession Facite me c. said he Make me Bishop of Rome and I will be a Christian But dimidium facti He that hath well begun hath done half his work Be sure therefore that you look to your beginnings and first settings out for Godliness And in case Thirdly That you are a Professor of some standing Then make it your work and business to go over your work again and to refine your work Ye are now come to that mount where the Lord hath given you wine upon the lees well refined Ordinances refined and Gospel enjoyments refined And what do these call for but a refined Conversation And how should that be but by making it your work and business to refine all your duties True I have prayed many times but now I will go and refine all my prayers I have conversed with the Saints now I will go and refine my converses yea I will make it my work now to refine my works Fourthly Whether you be of long or late standing in Religion pray much for the pourings forth of the Spirit upon you Ye read in the Gospel that the Disciples were very carnal before Christs Death but after his Ascension then they were very spiritual Why because the Holy Ghost was then fallen down upon them Would ye be more spiritual and less carnal pray for the pourings out of the Holy Ghost upon your Souls And Fifthly Take heed of a selfish spirit especially in matters of Religion for a selfish spirit is a carnal spirit The more plainness of heart you have the more free you will be from designs and selfish carnalities Go therefore to the Lord and pray unto him for a plain and open spirit And Sixthly And in case you are to deal with any fleshly concernment there watch most A good man should be spiritual in carnal things But when we meddle with carnal things we are apt to be carnalized with them and therefore the more carnal the concernment is the more do you watch and pray lest you enter into this temptation Seventhly Be sure that you take heed of conversing with carnal and wicked company Evil words corrupt good manners saith the Apostle And what good words shall ye have with them With them ye shall meet with that which will prejudice you against what is good and those that are good Would ye therefore be freed from the Carnality of Profession Take heed how you come into carnal wicked company And in the 8th place Eighthly Call your self often to an account and examine your ways Whether they be spiritual or carnal Come O my Soul thou hast been in such a company but hast thou not been frothy vain passionate or carnal in it Thou hast been this day amongst those that are spiritual but hast not thou been carnal in the midst of them Come O my Soul thou hast been at such a work this day but hast thou not been selfish in it Hast not thou desired to be seen therein Hast not thou been carnal even in thy spirituals Thus daily call your selves to an account And Ninthly Consider but this one thing That the only way to lose a mercy is to be carnal in it If you be a Professor one that God loves the more carnal Engines you use to obtain a mercy the more like you are to lose it and in avoiding of misery the more carnal your Engines are to avoid it the more like it is for to come upon you If you be wicked and ungodly the Lord it may be will let you obtain your ends by your carnal Engines But if you be godly the more carnal Engines you use to obtain a mercy the more like you are to lose it Now therefore as you do desire to avoid misery and to obtain mercy Labour to be more spiritual Take heed of carnal Engines in all your designs Make it your work and business to be more spiritual Rest not upon your holy mount saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord for it is carnal And take heed of divisions strifes and envyings For if these things be among us are we not carnal And this ma◠easily be for you see the Text and you remember the Doctrine Possibly great Professors may be very carnal Wherefore let us all make it our work and business to be more spiritual What our Work is And how to be done Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work c. SOme think that Solomon speaks these words in the person of an Epicure as if he should say Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye But an Epicure doth not use to speak so religiously An Epicure doth not mind the acceptance of God But Solomon here saith v. 7. Eat and drink with joy for God accepteth thy works An Epicure doth not look upon this life and the days thereof as vanity Which Solomon here doth v. 9 An Epicure doth not look upon these outward things and blessings of this life as the gift of God Solomon here doth v. 9. But in this Scripture Solomon tells us That a man should chearfully take all the good that God doth put into his hand to have v. 7 8 9. And that he should industriously do all that work which God hath put into his hand for to do v. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do c. Where ye have an Injunction and the reason of that Injunction The Injunction in these words Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do or is in the power of thy hand to do as some Translations have it do it with thy might The Reason in these words For there is no work c. that is There is nothing in the Grave which you can turn your hand unto for the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes put for Work sometimes for Device sometimes for Knowledge and sometimes for Wisdom So that from these words you may observe thus much That it is our duty to do that work with all our might which is in the power of our hand to do For the clearing whereof we must first enquire what this phrase Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do or whatsoever is in the power of thine hand doth import Now if ye consult the Scripture it implies three things Authority Ability Opportunity First
relieved and provided for Psal 72. Or suppose you be a Minister it is the work of the Minister to walk before the people as the Dux gregis before the rest of the Flock in all holy life and godly conversation Conversation is continual preaching it is the work of the Minister to study the Scriptures much for he hath more help that way then others it is the work of the Minister to preach the word plainly powerfully and continually both for conviction conversion and edification it is the work of the Minister to separate between the precious and the vile in Church Administrations it is the work of the Minister to bind up the broken hearted to comfort the afflicted to visit and pray over the sick Is any one sick let hiâ— call for the Elders of the Church James 5.15 Or suppose you be the Governour of a Family Father or Master or you be Governed a child or servant It is the work of the Governour to bring up his children or servants in the Nurture and Education of the Lord. It is the work of Inferiours to be obedient to their Parents or Master It is the work of children and those that are young to learn some Trade Calling that they may live like men and women another day and do good to others it is the work of those that are young to stock and store themselves with principles of Religion Luther a great Doctor in the Church professed that he was yet Catechismi Discipulus And what is the reason saith Calvin that men fall into errors when they are men but because they did not learn the Principles of Religion when they were young Or suppose you be one of this Town or of these Congregations It is your work to pray for them that are over you in the Lord. It is your work to attend on the means of Grace to receive the Gospel and to improve your Gospel opportunities Have you forgotten O ye people of Yarmouth how far ye would run and go formerly for a dishful of water and now a Spring and fountain of Grace is opened amongst you will ye not improve it if a Mine of Gold or Silver be opened in a Country will they not dig it out Now through grace there is a Mine of Gospel Treasures opened amongst you and will ye not dig for it as for hidden Treasure This is your work for look what that work is which is the work of your calling place and relation that is the work that is in the power of your hand to do Thirdly Look what that work is which is directly contrary to that sin wherein you have notoriously lived or been guilty of that is the work which God calls you to and is in the power of your hand I have read of a young man that was much given to scorning jeering and despising of his Mother but after it pleased God to work savingly upon his heart when ever he saw his Mother come into the room he would fall down upon his knees I commend not his discretion But if ye look into the New Testament ye shall meet with three great Converts Zacheus the Jaylor and Paul and what did they do but that work which was directly contrary to the sin which they were notoriously guilty of and given to Zacheus had been an oppressor but being converted Behold Lord said he the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have wronged any man I restore four-fold The Jaylor whipped the â—postles and put them into the Stocks in the inner Prison but when converted then he brought them into his house washed their stripes and set meat before them Paul was notorious for blaspheming and persecuted the Church but when converted then he preached the Gospel which before he persecuted So that look what that work is which is directly contrary to your notorious sin that is the work that God calls you to and which your hand should find to do Fourthly Look what that work is which you are spared or raised up for either from poverty or sickness that is the work which is in the power of your hand now to do There is a great Controversie at this day How Gods Predetermination and the Liberty of mans Will can consist or stand together The reconcilement whereof was committed to Francis de Arriva which he shunning fell into a great sickness so dangerous that the Physicians gave him over for a dead man but all of a sudden in a days time he revived and was so well that the Physicians could not believe that he was well but be recovering thought that he was spared on purpose to undertake that work of Reconcilement Which thereupon he did and hath said as much in it as any other And you know what Mordecai said to Esther Who knows but God raised thee up on purpose c. Look therefore what that work is which your former poverty or sickness points at and for which you are thus raised up that is the work that is in the power of your hand to do Yea Fifthly Look what that work is that you have special ability and opportunity to do above others that is the work that is in the power of your hand to do As suppose you have a great Estate in the world and have no Children It is your work to relieve and help the poor Therefore says Solomon Prov. 3.27 Thou shalt not withhold goods from the owners thereof when it is in the power of thine hand to do it Would ye therefore know what that work is which is in the power of your hand I answer in these five things Look what that work is which is the work of your present day which cannot be done in Heaven nor Hell What work that is that is the work of your place or relation What work that is that is directly opposite to your notorious sin What that work is which you are spared and raised up for And what work that is which you have an ability and opportunity to do above others That and all these are the works which are in the power of your hand to do But secondly If you would do Gods work with all your might Then you must observe where your true strength lyes and apply your self thereunto Now your strength lyes in Christ the Lord our Righteousness and our strength Under Christ your strength lyes in your call to your work Go in this thy might said the Lord to Gideon when he gave him a call Under Christ your strength lyes in the promise for Lex jubet Gratia juvat The Law commands and the Promise helps Under Christ your strength lyes in your comfort He works faintly that doth work uncomfortably The joy of the Lord is our strength It 's true in this sense and under Christ your strength lyes in dependance upon God for strength Our strength is to sit still That is to depend and wait on God for his strength Herein lyes your true strength
it be good or whether it be evil c Wherefore Jeremiah did intreat the Lord for them but they would not do what they said Whereupon said Jeremiah ver 20. Ye dissembled in your hearts when ye said We will do according to all that the Lord our God shall say So that there is a lying submission whereby men in affliction and distress do feignedly submit and resign themselves up to God Possibly a man may hear that the onely way to have his will is to resign up his will unto God Now that he may have his will he will resign it up unto God This is but to serve himself of God But where this work is truly done it is done with the greatest plainness of heart and the most sincerity Seventhly As this work is not to be done feignedly So it is not to be done sinfully but in well-doing Some say The will of the Lord be done and they say they do resign and give up themselves unto God But if ye look into 1 Pet. 4.19 he will tell you That this work is to be performed in well-doing Let him commit his soul to God in well-doing as unto a faithful Creatour And thus ye see how this work is to be done rightly It is to be done Solemnly and not sleightly Freely and firstly not forcedly and lastly Wholly and totally and not partially and by halves Absolutely and not conditionally upon Articles Actively and not in a way of submission onely With much plainness and sincerity And in well-doing Quest Well but when is this work to be done Answ It is to be done daily Once done and yet ever doing But there are some times wherein this work is to be done especially but most especially at our death First I say this work is to be done daily Sometimes a man is to resign up his will unto God in reference to his Health Sometimes in reference to his outward Estate â—ometimes in reference to his Relations Sometimes in reference to his spiritual Condition But as the Psalmist speaks Trust in the Lord at all times So I say we are to resign up selves and Souls and Will to God at all times Yet secondly There are some special times and seasons which do call for this work I 'le name Five First When a man doth convert and turn unto God Then he is in a special manner to resign and give up himself unto God What wilt thou have me do said Paul at his first Conversion The Priests that offered Sacrifices unto God were first offered themselves After Conversion we do daily offer our Sacrifices to God At the first therefore we are to offer up our selves unto him Secondly When a man is called forth unto any great work or service or employment especially if it be beyond his own strength and power Then he is to resign and give up himself unto God So Moses did So David did So all the Worthies of God have ever done when they have been called out to any great employments Thirdâ—y When a man is in any great danger distress and affliction Then he is to resign and give up himself and will unto God If the Lord have any pleasure in me says David he will bring me back again yet if not his will be done So Joab when he saw that enemies were round about him Let us fight says he for the cities of our God c. and the will of the Lord be done Fourthly â—hen a man doth joyn himself unto the Lord and his people Then he is especially to resign and give up himself unto God So the Churches of Macedonia did for says Paul 2 Cor. 8.5 And this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God Fifthly When a man hath sinned greatly and wandred from the Lord and from his holy Profession and doth return again unto God Then he is in a special manner to resign and give up himself unto God The same thing is to be done in our renewed as in our first Conversion And if ye look into 2 Chron. 30. ye shall find that when all Israel had gone astray Hezekiah exhorting them to return unto the Lord he saith v. 8. Now be ye not stiff-necked as your fathers were but yield your selves unto the Lord Margent Give you your hand unto God When we have stollen any thing from God it is our duty to restore it Have we therefore in our first Conversion given our selves unto God and afterward by our sins taken them away agâ—in whenever we do return unto God then it is our duty to restore and so to resign up our selves unto him And thus now ye see what those special times and seasons are which call for this work at our hands The times of Conversion câ—lls for it The time of special Employment calls for it The time of great danger calls for it The time of joyning to the Lord and his people calls for it And the times of our returns unto God after wandrings calls for it But Thirdly Though we are to resign our selves unto God in such times as these are specially Yet most especially we are to do it when we come to suffer for then God is ready to receive us Exod. 19.4 Then men are ready to destroy us Psal 10.14 The poor committeth himself to thee When we come to dye For then did Christ do it especially Then the Soul is to return unto him that gave it It doth not dye or sleep with the body in the grave but it returns unto him that gave it This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise saith Christ And the Apostle tells us That Paradise is the third heavens and the place of Glory 2 Cor. 12. Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all How can a man be said to be with Christ presently upon his death if the soul dyes and sleeps with the body Yea says he I am in a strait in respect to you I desire to live in respect of my self I desire to dye But if the soul sleeps and dyes with the body why should not he desire to live in regard of himself When the man dyes then the soul and spirit returneth to him that gave it When a man therefore dyes it is fit to resign and give up his soul unto God Secondly When a man dyes then if his soul goes to Heaven it is to pass through the Enemies Countrey for Satan is the Prince of the air The Air is full of Devils the soul therefore hath need of a good Convoy to pass through this Enemies Countrey And how should a man get this Convoy but by resigning and giving up his soul into the hands of God Thirdly When a man dyes Then he launches forth into the Ocean of Eternity And as God is the disposer of our times for the present so of our Eternity also Fit it is that we should acknowledge his
Will unto the Will of God I shall end the affliction with the resignation of my Soul into the hands of God And the more frequently I do it whilst I live the more easily I shall do it when I dye and say in truth with Christ Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Sixthly Study the Sovereignty of God The more your heart is possessed with Gods Sovereignty the more Resignation It is the Lord said Eli let him do what seemeth good 1 Sam. 3.18 And good is the word of the Lord said Hezekiah 2 Kings 20.19 Seventhly Then behold this Example of Christ being before you whom beholding c. The sight of a resigning Christ will make you resign and say Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And thus now I have done with this last speech of Christ on the Cross The words of dying Friends are precious and we remember them Now ye have heard this living saying of a dying Christ You that are the friends of Christ will remember them and the Lord teach us so to remember them that thereby we may learn both to live and to dye both to do and to suffer THE Dignity and Duty OF Gods Called-ones 1 Thes 2.12 That you would walk worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory IN this Chapter you have a Relation of the Apostle Paul's Entrance unto the Thessalonians how they received him and how he preached to them For your selves Brethren know our entrance in unto you that it was not in vain But even after that we had suffered before and were shamefully intreated as ye know at Philippi we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much contention v. 1 2. It was with much sincerity that he preached Our exhortation was not of deceit nor of uncleanness nor in guile v. 3. In opposition to worldly Interests Not as pleasing men but God which trieth our hearts For neither at any time used we flattering words nor a cloke of covetousness nor of men sought we glory neither of you nor yet of others when we might have been burdensome as the Apostles of Christ v. 4 5.6 It was with all gentleness and love We were gentle among you even as a nurse cherisheth her children Being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospel of God onely but also our own souls because ye were dear unto us v. 7 8. It was with much industry and labour Labouring night and day because we would not be chargeable to any of you we preached unto you the Gospel of God v. 9. It was with all holiness of conversation v. 10. Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe With all manner of exhortation v. 11. As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his children that you would walk worthy of God So here then you have the Matter exhorted to and the Motive pressing thereto Who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory Or Here you have First The Person calling God Secondly The Dignity called unto Who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory Thirdly The Duty that flows from thence That you would walk worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory Hence Observe That it is the duty of all that are called to Gods Kingdom and Glory to walk worthy of the Kingdom and Glory of God I shall therefore shew you First What this Vocation or Calling is and that there is that in it that may and should provoke us to walk worthy of God Secondly That when God brings home any man to himself he doth it in a way of calling and why so Thirdly That it is the Duty of all that are called to walk worthy of God Fourthly How a man shall know that he is truly called Fifthly What we should do that we may walk worthy of God who hath called us First This Vocation is an Act of Gods Grace and Mercy whereby we are invited to the great Supper of the Gospel to Communion and Fellowship with Christ As it is an act of Gods grace and mercy so it is opposed to works Rom. 9.11 For the children being yet unborn neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth Calling is opposite to works So 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace c. Vocation is an act of Gods grace wholly Secondly Men are invited to the great Supper of the Gospel that is to Fellowship and Communion with Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom you were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. If you look unto the persons that are invited to the great Supper Luke 14.16 Matth. 22.1 2 3. that great Supper is nothing but Communion and Fellowship with Christ those that are invited Matth. 22.3 are said to be called He sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the Supper And of those that refused to come it is said Many are called but few are chosen v. 14. Onely this Invitation to Communion and Fellowship with Christ is to be considered two ways First Meerly and barely as it is an act of God inviting by the Word Or secondly As it implies our answer or consent to that Invitation As when a man is called to an Office either in Church or State he is said to be called though he does not accept of it but when election and voluntary acceptation meet together then there is a call So our heavenly Call taking it in a large sense All that live under the Gospel are called and invited But in a proper and strict sense men are said to be called onely when they accept and consent upon Gods Invitation This distinction is very necessary For Matth. 22.14 it is said Many are called but few are chosen And Rom 8.30 it is said expresly That whom he hath predestinated them he also called and whom he called them he also justified If those that are called are predestinated and justified how is it true That many are called and few are chosen I answer Taking Calling in a large sense for a bare Invitation many are called Taking Calling in a strict sense as implying our answer and acceptation and consent thereto so none are called but those that accept the Call and are brought home to God Gods Calling is an effectual Invitation of a person to the great Supper of the Gospel whereby a man does accept it and is brought home to God Secondly How does it appear That when God brings home a man to himself he does it in a way of calling and why so I answer If our Conversion be called our calling and the Saints are
5. Is Communion and Fellowship with Christ desireable We are called to that 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye are called to fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord Is the Kingdom of God and his Glory desireable The Text says We are called to his Kingdom and Glory What is desireable that by our Vocation we are not called unto But may not these be lost No. The Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance The Gifts of the Creation was not without Repentance God repented that he had made man Gen. 6.6 But the Gift of effectual Calling is without Repentance Therefore the more obliged to God for calling and therefore our duty to walk worthy of our Calling Fourthly The more dangerous it is to refuse the Call of God The more mercy it is to be called And the more obliged we are to walk worthy of God who hath so called us Prov. 1.24 Because I called and ye refused I will also laugh at your calamity c. But that I would have you consider in the Two and twentieth of Matthew and the first Verse If you mark the Parable you will find three Threes run Parallel one with another First Three Invitations Verse the third He sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the Wedding-feast formerly Then Verse the fourth there is the third Invitation Again he sent forth other servants saying Tell them which are bidden behold I have prepared my dinner c. all things are ready come to the marriage Three Refusals run parallel with these three Invitations At the third Verse They that were bidden formerly at the second time of the servants being sent to call them would not come And again Verse the fourth He sent forth other servants saying Tell them which are bidden behold all things are ready come to the Marriage but they made light of it Verse the fifth there is the third Invitation And the remnant took his servants and intreated them spitefully and slew them Verse the sixth Observe three Judgments run Parallel with these three Refusals Luke 14.24 For it is one and the same Parable In Matth. 22.8 it is said That when the King heard thereof he was wroth and said The wedding is ready but they that were bidden were not worthy And in Luke I say unto you says he not one of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper And Verse the seventh The King sent forth his armies there is a second Judgment and destroyed these murtherers And burnt up their city that was a third Judgment What a dangerous thing is it to refuse Gods Calling and Invitation It is a great mercy to be kept from refusing and therefore if God calls and gives us an heart to accept it it is our duty to walk worthy of his Calling Worthy of God Therefore Fourthly When may a man be said to be called And how shall I know if I be truly called or no Those that do not live under a Gospel ministry nor never did were never called For God does ordinarily call men by Preaching of the Word But though men do live under the means of Grace if they have not a disposition suitable they are not called effectually though called outwardly They have not the Wedding-garment For what is the Wedding-garment viz A Call to the Wedding-supper to Communion with Christ in the Gospel and a disposition suitable to accept the Call So that I shall know that I am effectually called First if the Lord hath put forth an infinite and an Almighty poâ—er upon my Soul constraining me to turn from my sins to God Do they that are called refuse Go out into the high-ways and hedges says the Lord and compell them to come in Luke 14.23 When a man can say The love of Christ constrains me I can do nothing against Christ but for Christ They are effectually called Secondly If you are begotten by the Word of Promise Then you are calâ—ed effectually In Isaac shall thy seed be called Rom. 9.7 How was Isaac begotten Not in a way of Nature but by a word of Promise v. 8. Thirdly If you be separated from the world indeed from the things and persons of the world 1 Pet. 2.9 But ye are a chosen generation a Royal Priesthood a peculiar People an holy Nation that ye should shew forth the praises of him that hath call-called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Fourthly If there be in you an aptness a readiness and a willingness to be ruled by the Word in all things Then are you effectually called So when Cornelius was called and Peter came to preach to him Acts 10.29 We are all present says he to Peter to hear all things that are commanded thee of God And so when Paul was called Lord what wilt thou have me to do says he Acts 9.6 Fifthly If you can say in truth That all things work together for your good Then are you called indeed according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Not to them that are called outwardly but to them that are called according to his purpose effectually and truly Do all things work together for good Can you say I was under such and such an affliction or temptation and it wrought together for my good and under such a dissertion and it wrought for my spiritual good Then are you called truly according to his purpose Sixthly If you hold forth the praises of him that hath called you Then are you called truly and effectually For why are you called but that you should shew forth the praises and virtues of him that hath called you 1 Pet. 2.9 If any shall complain I fear I am not effectually called First Because I was first wrought upon by afflictions Those that are truly called I find are called by the Servants by the Preachers of the Gospel To this I answer It is true that God does ordinarily call men effectually by his Ministers who are the servants he sends forth but remember also it is said He sent forth other servants to tell them which were bidden all things are ready Come to the marriage Mat. 22.4 Christ ha's other servants then these his Ministers though ordinarily those he truly and effectually calls it is by these But he sends other servants too He can give commission to an affliction to bring home souls to himself VVhat think you of the Prodigal Luke 15. VVas not he brought home to his Father by an affliction Was not Naaman brought home to God by his Leprosie You will say perhaps these were providentially occasionally But what say you then to Zacheus VVas it not a kind of accidental providential Call that he had And that Christ should call Matthew as he passed by and saw him sit at the Receipt of Custom Waldus the Father of the Waldenses he and a company of his friends had supped together and been merry and as they were returning home one of them fell down dead in the street This was an occasional
means of his Conversion who was so famous a man and an Instrument of converting so many Thousands to the true Religion But shall the Prodigal say I fear my Conversion is not right because affliction led me first home to my Father Shall Zacheus say It was but an accidental thing that I ran up into the Sycamore-tree being low of stature and so could not else have seen Jesus for the press whom I desired onely out of curiosity to see And therefore I fear my Call was not right God knows how to make use of Contingencies occasional Providences and of your Afflictions to bring you home to himself And if you be brought home to God by the hand and ministry of affliction that you can say as one did If my Parents had not been undone I had been undone for ever Be content then with affliction and love it the better Usually persons have the greatest love for that Minister that was the first instrument of their Conversion Secondly If any shall say I fear I am not truly nor effectually called because I do not know the time when I was so called there being some that can tell you the very time and the Sermon and the particular word in the Sermon that was effectual to their Conversion But I can give no account of any of these I answer The Sun when it comes into a Room where the windows have no shutters comes in by degrees but it comes into a room where the windows have shutters all at once Where there are the shutters of Profaneness Drunkenness Uncleanness and the like when such men are wrought upon the sun comes in all at once Those that are born of godlâ—â—arents and have been educated and trained up in a godly Religious way they are converted but many times they cannot tell you neither the particular Minister nor the word nor the time when Converting grace came in upon their souls it came in by degrees shall such say therefore they are not truly converted Suppose a man had had the Stone but had got a Powder in the use of which the Stone does wear out by degrees shall that man say I never had the Stone because many that are cured of the Stone it has been by cutting and with a great deal of pain which I escaped and therefore I never had the Stone So shall I because I have not had those terrours and troubles of Conscience that others have felt argue therefore I am not converted No but go and bless God that you are converted That the Stone is wrought out of your heart in a more kindly and gentle way then in others I say What shall I do that I may walk worthy of God who hath effectually called me and in so sweet and gentle a way Fifthly What shall I do that I may walk worthy of God that hath called me since certainly called I am I am either called outwardly onely or effectually If a man invites me to Dinner and I do not go I am yet to carry it answerably to his love in inviting me Much more when the Lord ha's called me and that effectually it is my duty to walk worthy of God who hath thus called me I am come into a great and open field through all these precedent Gates I may proceed to further Particulars hereafter at present only remember That a man is said to walk worthy of God when he walks meetly suitably and answerably to that God that hath called him There are four Expressions Bishop Davenant hath in his Notes upon the Epistle to the Colossians that run into this same matter Sometimes a man is said to walk worthy of God Sometimes of the Lord Christ Sometimes of the Gospel Sometimes of the high-calling whereunto he is called But that I may speak clearly to the Point I shall begin with the first of these and shew you how a man shall walk worthy of God that hath called him to his Kingdom and Glory that is suitably and answerably First Observe the Attributes and Excellencies of God and let them shine forth in you that shine forth in him God is a great God and if you will walk worthy of this great God you must do some great thing for him Solomon when he would build a Temple for God said It must be exceeding magnificent for it was for the great God It is no great thing to Believe Love and Pray and give Alms to the Poor but it is a great thing to believe in the face of Impossibilities To love over the head of Injuries To Pray when ones heart is dead and down To give Alms to the poor out of but a mite or two as the widow did and it is said She gave more then all the rest It is no great matter says one for a man to do great things but to do great things and to think himself Nothing this is a great matter If you will walk worthy of God do some great thing for God Secondly As God is a great God So he is a Sovereign Lord absolutely free and is determined by nothing from without but himself but onely of his own counsels Therefore if you will walk worthy of God what is the thing wherein his good Pleasure lies Labour to know that And not onely to do the thing he commands but serve the good pleasure of God Be ye more gracious because God is so freely gracious Thirdly God is infinitely holy therefore it is not said Almighty almighty almighty nor Great great great but Holy holy holy because God looks upon Holiness as his greatest Excellency So must you if you will walk worthy of God and be holy as he is holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Fourthly He is a God-All sufficient Gen. 17. I am God All-sufficient walk before me and be upright You give him the honour of his All-sufficiency in being upright When you step out from God to fetch relief some where else you dishonour God Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go out to the god of Ekron Fifthly He is a faithful God His faithfulness is twice repeated Faithful is he that hath called you 1 Thes 5.24 God is faithful by whom you were called 1 Cor. 1.9 Then would you walk worthy of God who hath called you When ever God makes a promise promise your self that thing because God hath promised it Not because the creature promiseth it being big and full of second Causes but when God promiseth assure your self of it because God hath promised it This is to walk worthy of God as he is faithful Sixthly He is our chief good and our utmost end and therfore in all your affairs you are to begin with him and to rest in him and to be boundless and insatiable in your desires after him A world y man makes the world his end and therefore is insatiable thinks he never ha's enough of it because he makes it his utmost end Secondly If you would
walk worthy of God c. Observe what the great design of God is in the world and labour all you can to advance the same The great design of God in the world is to glorifie himself in his Son Now when a man does pray to God and Christ shall do the thing for him that he prays for then the Father is glorified in the Son John 14.13 Whatever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son And when a man does hear Christ and believe in Christ and obey Christ as sent of the Father Then he glorifies God the Father in the Son Thirdly In case you have any work to do first go to God before you try other means it is no great honour to God to come to him in the last place when you have no whether else to go and to trust God when you can trust none else But to believe in the face of Impossibility and to love over the head of Injury and to pray when all is dead and down This is worthy of God Fourthly Observe what that is that hath been your god and give that to God Bishop Babington who was a good man in his time observes that the Children of Israel did sacrifice to God that which was the gods of other Nations and herein they honoured God If you can give that to God which hath been your God consider God the Father gave that to you that was dearest to him If you give him that which is dearest to you which you have made your God This is a thing worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory Fifthly Take heed of sinning in secret because God sees you and be sure you be much in private duty for God beholds you The more I walk in the eye of an All-seeing God the more I walk worthy of God Sixthly In case you do or have received any mercy from God be not only thankful upon account of a benefit but praise God There is a great deal of difference between Thankfulness and Praise I am thankful to God for a benefit but I praise him for that excellency of God which shines forth in that benefit Lastly Let there be always something of God stamped upon all that you do suffer or enjoy Do you think that a naked Profession is worthy of God To pray morning and evening and never think of God all the day after is worthy of God No but if you will walk worthy of God something of God should be stamped upon all your doings Sufferings Company Converses and Enjoyments How is it with you as to what you have heard Observe your selves Would you walk worthy of God You have heard it is the duty of all that are called to his Kingdom and Glory But Lord how few are there that walk worthy of God of the Gospel of Christ of that high calling whereunto they are called Are there not some among us that sit under the Gospel that in point of Righteousness live beneath Heathens That walk contrary to their Profession Is this to walk worthy of God Are there not some of us that at the best walk in a Legal way as under a Covenant of Works Either you are called effectually or you are not Called you are outwardly all of you that live under the Gospel If you be not called effectually the time will come when you will have this dreadful Question put to you Friend how camest thou in hither not having a Wedding-garment Not having a Gospel disposition suitable to a Gospel-dispensation If you be called effectually you are called to a Kingdom And faithful is he that hath called you who also will do it Onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel worthy of him who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory FINIS