Spiritual Refining

SERMON XCIX.

W E have considered the Work of Grace under several eminent Titles that the Scripture giveth to it. The next I shall pitch upon, is, Vocation or Calling; for Conversion is often notified by this term. And this Text will afford a just occasion to treat of it. To understand the Text, let us consider the divine and admirable Connection of this verse with the precedent Matter at the 28 ^th verse. The Apostle after other Consolations administered to afflicted believers, he giveth them this sovereign Cordial, All things work together for good to them that are called according to God's purpose. This promise or faithful saying is enough to bear up the heart of any troubled believer, for what can he desire more? If this will not satisfy, what can? Though thy adversities, temptations are called evils in respect of sense, yet in respect of thy spiritual advantage, so they are good adversities, they are good evils without any contradiction; and see how emphatical every word is. We know, not only Paul, but all the godly by their experience, and wise comparing of things together, come to know this. This is such a truth, that no Christian should be ignorant of; And then All things; he doth not say Some, but all things; not only prosperity, not only spiritual mercies, but even all miseries and afflictions whatsoever, yea sins themselves by God's goodness being repented of, make them more wary and humble; as fire driveth out pain by fire: and then they work together; though this or that particular affliction of itself may seem to make thee worse, to cause thy Sun to go many degrees backwards, yet all together promote thy good; They do that in a Constell • tion, which a simple aspect would not do. So that this true and faithful saying if embraced by all acceptation of believing, is enough to make a man in a continual transfiguration. Such a believer may truly say, Soul, take thy spiritual ease, for • ere is much spiritual good treasured up for thee; but this bread is only given to children; This pearl is not cast to dogs and swine; for in the next place we are told who they are, to whom this privilege belongs, and they are set out,

1. By their Duty or Grace, They love God.

2. By God's mercy vouchsafed to them, They are called according to his purpose. Whereupon the Apostle makes a golden chain of all the causes of Salvation, inseparably linked together, that none may be taken away one from another. It was a saying that A man might sooner wrest Hercules his Club out of his hand, then divide one of Homers verses from another, the matter was so dependant and connected together; but certainly all these causes are so divinely joined together, that none can part them. And the first Round in this Chain is God's fore-knowledge, or rather God's fore-acknowledging; For by fore-knowledge is not meant any prescience or prevision of such as would use their free-will and natural power well. No, that to repugneth the whole currant of the Scripture, which makes all good works the fruit and effect of Predestination, not the motive or cause of it, otherwise it would be Postdestination, rather then Predestination; but to fore-know is as much as to approve of, and to love, according to that rule, Words signifying acts of the understanding, are many times put for the concomitant and subsequent affections and effects thereof. Thus the simple word To know, is many times put for approbation, care and love. Thus Psal. 1. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous. John 10. I know my Sheep; and the compound to fore-know also is used in this sense, Rom. 11. God hath not cast away the people whom he for • -knew, i. e. did approve and love. So 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God; And so it is applied to Christ verse. 20. in that Chapter. Upon this fore-knowledge succeeds Predestination, and these are acts of God from all eternity; and from these as the fountain, streams the first effect in time, and that is Calling, Whom he hath predestinated he hath called.

There is a twofold calling, one External only, consisting in the tender and offer of grace, inviting of men to come in; in which sense our Savior said, Many are called, but few are chosen. The other internal and efficacious also, when God with the outward offer changeth the heart, making it to embrace Christ; and in this sense it is said here Called; upon this follow two further benefits, Justified and Glorified. It is not my purpose to insist on them, nor to dispute the order, Whether Calling or Justification precede; or, Whether Sanctification be included in this word Calling. These things are not within my compass; only take notice of this, That the phrase in the Preterperfect Tense, He hath justified, doth not imply a Justification from all eternity, no more then that we are called and glorified from eternity; but the Apostle speaks in the past time, either to show the certainty of it; or else because we are glorified already in Christ our Head, and have the sure pledges of it in this life; or else because he had begun in that Tense when he spake of Predestination, and could use no other, he continued the same expression in the other privileges.

The Text thus opened, I come to that particular benefit I intend, viz. Called; and for the sense of the word, you must know it signifies to have a being and existence, yet such, as that it is celebrated and publicly taken notice of. Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God; Matth. 5. 9. And, behold what love he hath shewn, that we should be called the sons of God, 1 Joh. 3. 1. And we read of a three-fold Calling;

First, That external and civil condition of life which a man lives in; in which sense everyone is bid to continue in the calling he is called unto, 1 Cor 7. 20.

Secondly, For any spiritual function or office in the Church. Thus the Apostleship is often styled a Calling.

And lastly, for that grace of God whereby he calls us out of the state of ignorance, Paganism and profaneness, to a state of truth, godliness and glory; which is either merely external, vouchsafed even to hypocrites and reprobates, or internal, bestowed on the godly only; and this the Apostle meaneth in the Text. From whence observe,

That whom God hath predestinated from all eternity, and will glorify in the world to come, he doth in this life powerfully call out of their sins and ignorance.

As they are regenerated, or converted, so they are a called people: I shall first treat of this powerful calling which the godly only have: And to consider this distinctly, let us open the nature of it:

• 1. In respect of the efficient cause.
• 2. The instrumental.
• 3. The nature of it.
• 4. The terms from whence we are called, and to which we are called.

And for the efficient Cause, God is he that calleth us with this powerful lively calling: and herein consider,

First, The omnipotent power and strength of God, who by his word can make such a wonderful change; He doth but call, and man who is naturally such an enemy and adversary to what is good, doth presently become a friend; so that the Scripture expressing this work of conversion, doth therein allude to God's Creation at first, when by his Word all things were made, he said, Let there be light, and there was light; Verba Dei sunt opera, said Luther, God's words are works; this made the Apostle say, He calleth those things that are not, as if they were, 1 Cor. 1. God's call gives a ready being to those things that had no existency at all before. So that herein is declared the sovereign power of God; God at the first Creation called for those things to appear which lay in the dark womb of nothing, and they presently came out; Even as if a Master should give a call to his servant who stands in the next room ready to receive his commands. Behold then and admire at the great power of God, who hath made this wonderful change on thee. Christ did no sooner call from Heaven to Paul, but he presently answers, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? So that God's call even to the deaf is not in vain, because at the same time he giveth ears to hear. Oh then let the godly consider, How comes grace, any godly affections or desires to be in thy heart? It had been impossible for such things to lodge in thy soul, had not God given this mighty call, saying, Let there be faith, repentance, godly sorrow; and presently there is.

Secondly, Take notice of the full sufficiency and happiness of God, who thus calls thee to communion with him. It is not for any want or indigency, that day by day he thus calls and invites thee to come in: No, God is blessed, and all-sufficient: had he not created Angels, or the visible world, he had been gloriously happy in the enjoying of himself, but yet out of his goodness he is willing to invite and call in men, that they also may be made happy; Christ in his Parable expressed this, when he sent out his servants to invite men unto the feast, and when they refused then he sent for the lame and blind, Luk. 14. 21. such as he could have no need of, but they did exceedingly need him; and so there is no day that God sends us his servants to invite you to this spiritual feast, but this consideration should wound thee and make thee ashamed: Oh why doth God thus call me? Why am I thus invited? Is not God happy and glorious enough? though I perish and be damned in my sins? What is man, Lord, and the son of man that thou shouldst be thus mindful of him? as if God could not be a God, a happy, blessed God, unless thou also wert brought into happiness.

Thirdly, In God's calling of us, consider the freeness of his grace, and the absoluteness of his purpose and good pleasure therein. He calls some, and leaves others; yea the far greater part of mankind, and those who have the greatest pomp and glory in this world, on whom the eyes of the world are most open. Thus the Apostle, Not many noble, not many wise hath God called, 1 Cor. 1. 28. but the poor and despicable things of the world hath God chosen. Indeed God partly by his Word to some, and partly by the works of Creation to others, hath left every man without excuse; he hath given to all men pregnant witnesses of his goodness, wisdom and power, that they might seek after him; but this is not the call of grace that is the fruit of Election; for that takes effect and cannot be totally and finally resisted; Thou therefore who hast been thus called, cry out, Oh the depths and unsearchable riches of God's mercy! There are two in a bed, one is called the other is left: Two in a family, one is taken and the other left. As in Paul's Conversion, when there was a voice from Heaven, Paul heard distinctly, but his companions did not; so in the same Sermon, which is God's call, one heareth it distinctly, receiveth the power of it in his heart, knoweth the experimental meaning of it; but others hear only a general sound, they understand nothing of it. Certainly this freeness of God's grace in calling thee and not others, who happily have not been such sinners as thou hast been, never committed such foul abominations as thou hast done; that hath not called others of better parts, abilities and greater wisdom, who thereby if converted, might have brought more glory and honor to God then thou ever art likely to do. This free arbitrary grace (I say) of which a man can give no reason in the world but his own good pleasure, may justly fill thy heart with all astonishment and ravishing amazements. This is the mystery of God's grace that thou shouldst always be contemplating and beholding, Oh Lord! Why am I called and not another? Why doth the Word of God come home to my soul, and others feel and understand nothing at all? It was a great favor of God to little Samuel, 1 Sam. 3. 9. when God called him twice or thrice, and did reveal his will to him, and took no notice of Eli the Priest and Judge in Israel. Oh hath not the Lord done as wonderfully in visiting thy soul, calling unto thee often, when those of greater parts, and greater pomp, and glory are passed by?

Fourthly, This Call of God it doth always speed. There is a present hearing and obedience in those that are thus called. Indeed there is an outward calling, and many who are so called do sinfully and wickedly reject it, and of such, few are saved comparatively; but of those who are called according to his purpose, as the Apostle here speaketh, there God giveth a ready ear, a ready heart; that they stand up presently and say, Behold I come to do thy will; My ears hast thou opened; Thy Law is written within my heart: So that however for a long time thou mayest not either understand this Call of God, as little Samuel did not, but give a little listening, and then lie down to sleep again; after that a second time to give a little listening, and then lie down to sleep again; so thou have some affections and desires, then presently they give over, and thou goest to thy lusts and thy sins again, then God a second, a third, yea many a time, who knoweth how often, gives thee further calling, and that makes thee more startle and more awakened, but thou doest again return to thy old lusts, thy old follies, thy old distempers, yet at last God takes away all that blindness and willfulness which is upon thee, and makes thee readily and fully give up thyself to obey him.

Lastly, This Call of God is very various in respect of the time when it is vouchsafed to them: Some are called in their infancy, some in their youth, some in their old-age; even as in the Parable, Matth. 20. some were hired in to work in the Vineyard at the ninth, others at the eleventh hour; not that this should make a man procrastinate and put off his conversion to God; for by the 12 ^th hour in that Parable, is not meant the later days of a man's life, but the later days of the world; The Jews they were called at the 9 ^th hour, the Gentiles they were called at the 12 ^th , yet God giveth the same Heaven to both, that is the proper meaning of that Parable. Indeed we have an instance of one, and but of one called at the end of his days, the Thief on the Cross, of whom Austin's observation is obvious; There is one, that none should despair, thinking it impossible for him to be converted, who hath put off this work till death hath arrested him: and yet it is but one, that none may presume: Of many men that have poisoned themselves it may be one doth recover, but this would be no encouragement to thee to swallow down poison: How many dreadful and sad examples mayest thou see and hear of those who as they lived wickedly, so died as desperately? Howsoever therefore God's calling be various, to some sooner, to some later, yet happy are they who are called out of sin betimes in their younger years, they have less wounded their consciences, dishonored God, and they have the longer time to do him service, and the best service: Oh how happy is it when the days of thy youth have been filled with the strength and power of God! Oh therefore that the younger sort of people, would expect and look after this call of God! Do not think its for old men ready to drop in the grave, for them only to repent, and to leave off their sins, but you must enjoy the pleasures and lusts of youth: Oh Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth! When God calls thee in thy tender years, thou wilt not then make those sad shipwrecks of thy soul, as others do.

In the next place consider, The instrument of God's Call, and that is the preaching of the Word. You may say, Where doth God call, and when doth he call, we have no immediate voice from Heaven speaking to us, How then can this be? The answer is, God calls you by the Ministers, we are Ambassadors coming in his name to you; so that you who refuse them speaking the word of God, you refuse God himself calling to you. They are the voice of God crying, Prepare ye a way for the Lord; so that every Sabbath-day God calls you by the Ministers, and you that think that if you should have an immediate voice from Heaven calling to you, then you would obey and submit; know you would not do it, if you refuse the word of God delivered to you by the Ministry: Our Savior said, That they who would not believe Moses, nor the Prophets, neither would if one should rise from the dead, and come unto them, Luk. 16. 29. It is neither our calling or speaking, but Christ by us that you refuse and contemn; and how great and far your judgment will be who neglect this great salvation, the Scripture bids every man think within himself, Heb. 2. 3. Indeed there are many things have a voice to call us besides the Word; The Heavens and all the creatures are so many tongues calling unto us; The rod of affliction, that hath a voice, and we are commanded to hear what that speaks; but the preaching of the word that is the powerful voice, and the immediate motions and inspirations of the Spirit accompanying it, these give life and quickening in speaking: That as God hath a voice of the Trumpet and the Archangel, to raise men from the dead; so he hath also of the Word, to raise men out of their security in sinning. Thus you have the efficient and instrumental cause of God's calling. Many practical Uses may be made of this: As

First, To magnify and adore the love of God to mankind, that doth vouchsafe such a gracious and merciful call to man fallen. This is more then he hath done to the Apostate Angels, Heb. 2. 16. To which of them hath he appointed a word of Ministry and Reconciliation? not only the Priest and the Levite, but even the good Samaritan hath passed by these, and taken no notice of them: yea come we to man, Is there not far the greater number of mankind, that though they have a witness enough to condemn them, yet have not the external offer and call of God? The name of Christ and faith hath not sounded within their coasts; yea come we closer still, How many thousands and thousands are there who have the outward call, but are wholly destitute of the inward call? Now if God pass by so many thousands of Angels, and ten thousands of men, and give thee this inward call, May not this fill thy heart with hot burning love to God? Canst thou contain thyself? As a wicked tongue, set on fire from hell, doth also set the whole creation on fire; so thy tongue set on fire with this heavenly love, should make thee cry out to all creatures, To bless God for his mercy. David had his heart thus burning within him, when he calls upon the whole creation, and every creature by name to praise God. The Queen of Sheba fainted to hear the wisdom, and behold all the glory of Solomon; how much rather may thy heart sink within thee, through admiration of God's love in this particular!

Use 2. Of terrror to those who willfully resist the outward call of God. God speaks once, twice, yea many times, and thou hearest not; Oh consider, that if thou callest thy servant again, and again, if yet he will not come, thou presently judgest it disobedience and rebellion; How then shall God account of thee otherwise? Again, remember this time of God's gracious calling is very uncertain; this may be the last day, the last hour: To day, if ye will hear, harden not your hearts; you have put off many days already, tremble exceedingly, lest this day of grace be setting in a black dismal night. Lastly, consider, now God calls you, and you hear not; the day of death, and other miseries will be coming on thee, when thou wilt call on God, and he will mete thy own measure to thee: See Proverbs 1. and the latter end; then thou wilt call to God, to Christ, to Angels, to Saints; And none will hear.

SERMON C.

THe efficient and instrumental cause of this Divine Calling mentioned in the Text, hath already been declared. We come now to consider, The nature wherein it consists; and the terms from which, to which, in it: And first for the nature of it, because you heard it was partly external, and partly internal; even as man consists of an external body, and an internal invisible soul; so this heavenly calling hath that which is visible, sounding into the ear, and that which is invisible and internal, reaching with a mighty power, even to the heart.

Because, I say, it consists of these two parts, we must consider the Nature of it first as external, and then as internal.

First, And as its external, so it doth primarily and principally lie in the preaching of the word: The merciful and gracious invitation of sinners to come in by the Gospel, is the very essence of external calling: So that the word of God preached to you, whether it be in Commands, Promises or Threatenings, is to be received by you as the voice and calling of God from heaven to you: The Scripture commanding to leave such a sin, and obedience to such a duty; is as truly the voice and call of God, as any immediate extraordinary call that God ever vouchsafed to any; its as truly and as really, and with as much faith to be obeyed, though it be not so immediately and miraculously: As for example, Paul had this wonderful voice from heaven, Paul, Paul, why persecutest thou me? Now every profane, ungodly man, hath as really God's voice from heaven by the word speaking to him, Turn, turn ye, why will ye die? Its said, when Jerusalem was so near its destruction, they had a call from heaven, saying, Migremus hinc, Let us depart hence: No less doth every ungodly man hear every day, when he is bid to depart from iniquity, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Its noted as a great mercy of God to Lot, that he sent an Angel to call him out of Sodom, when fire and brimstone was immediately to be poured from heaven upon it; and whereas Lot delayed and delayed, the Angel even pulled him out, who was unwilling for his own good; This is a fit representation of our spiritual calling out of sin; the Angels are the Ministers of God, that cry daily, Come out of the world, lest you partake of the judgments of the world; and men are so unwilling, they do so dearly love their Sodom, though it will cost them fire and brimstone, that we are to compel you out of it: This then is a main fundamental principle, introductory to our conversion, when we consider God as speaking and calling to us by his word, to look upon it as truly and really the call of God, as if there were immediate voices from heaven speaking to us by name: Heb. 10. Christ is said still to speak to us from heaven; And how is that but by the word? and the Scripture is called the The word of God; God speaks it now, as well as at first when he commanded it to be written: Oh then tremble, lest you should be in the number of those who reject God calling of you: Should God send innumerable company of Angels from heaven to you, to call you out of your lusts, to the state of grace, it would not be more really (though more immediately) the voice of God, then what we out of the word declare unto you: This then undoeth you, you do not believe God himself by the word speaking to you, you do not think this is God's voice, that he speaks thus and thus to me, and therefore you are still settled in a willful way of sinning. Now the word preached is God's calling:

First, Instrumentally, as its the word of God, the word that comes out of his mouth: All the Ministers of God, faithfully discharging their trust, are voices crying unto you, Prepare a way for the Lord; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to preach, is to be the Lord's solemn Herald, to offer peace to Rebellious enemies, if they will come in; and if not, in a solemn and dreadful manner, to denounce his heavy wrath and curse: Look not then on Ministers in their Ambassage, as weak frail men, subject to the like passions with others, butas Ambassadors, as coming in the name of God, that cry out, Thus saith the Lord, Oh thou sinner, wash thee from thy iniquity; thus saith the Lord, and not man. And

Secondly, The word preached doth call men objectively; the matter of it is so precious, good, excellent and necessary, as that it doth strongly invite every man. Some Grammarians say, That that which is good and excellent, is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because it doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it doth call and invite men to be in love with it: This is sure about the matter of God's word; How Divine and Supernatural is it? what purity, what heavenly affections doth that require? insomuch, that no human precepts concerning piety and honesty ever came near to the Bible: And than the good things promised, are wholly transcendent man's capacity; they are such as never entered into the heart of man to conceive: Justification, the light of God's countenance, Eternal happiness and glory in heaven, were not men so brutishly earthly, would ravish them, and make them run after them; as the Church said Cant 1. 2. Because of the savor of thy ointments, therefore do the virgins love thee: If therefore ye would consider, both how great that infinite majesty is, who doth call you; and what that bait is he doth invite you to, even great and admirable privileges, this would excite in you such vehement and impatient desires after them, that all the lusts and pleasures of sin, would be accounted as dross and noisome vomit: Oh then think more and more, and consider of this calling. Shall the Devil and lusts call, and thou runnest after them, though into hells mouth? but God calleth, and thou refusest him: Come unto me all ye that pass by, saith the whorish woman; and in the same manner, every kind of sin, and how many venture into her snares! But come unto me, saith Christ, all ye that labor, and you shall find rest unto your souls, Mat. 11. in this men are refractory.

In the Second place, The call of God consists in those things that are less principal, and such, as without the former, would do no good; but when • oyned with it, is very subservient and instrumental. And here we may speak of three tongues calling aloud to us, two without us, and one within us; which I call external, though within us, because of itself it doth not internally change the heart of a man.

And the first less principal, Is the whole Creation: All the Creatures are like like so many tongues, as they declare the Glory, Power and Wisdom of God.

As for that dangerous opinion, that makes God's calling of man to repentance by the Creatures, to be enough and sufficient, we reject, as that which cuts at the very root of free grace: A voice, indeed, we grant they have, but yet they make like Paul's Trumpet, an uncertain sound; men cannot by them know the nature of God and his Worship, and wherein our Justification doth consist: Therefore whereas Psal. 19. the Psalmist had spoken of the sound of the heavens, and how they all declare the glory of God, he comes in the latter part to commend the Law of God, for that which hath spiritual effects indeed; viz. To convert the soul, and to forwarn from sin: Thou canst not then look up to heaven, or down to the earth, but there is some imperfect voice calling on thee to glorify that great and wonderful Creator, who made all these things: But then

Secondly, There are the Judgments and Chastisements of God upon men for sin; these have a louder and more distinct voice: Thus the Prophet, Hear ye the Rod, Micah 6. 9. The Rod speaketh: There are no judgments, either public or personal, but by them God calls aloud to thee to leave thy sins: Every blow-thou hast, every stroke thou feelest, say, Now God speaketh, Oh let me hearken and hear what God would have me do. Those Psalms that have this Inscription, Maschil, or To give Instruction, do for the most part contain the Chastisements and Afflictions of God for sin: And so thou mayest say of every affliction, This is an affliction to give instruction; of every loss, This is a loss to give instruction. Take heed then of that deaf ear, that when God smiteth thee once, twice, yea, many times, yet thou hearest nothing at all; as deaf men do not hear the most terrible thunderings that are.

Lastly, There is a voice that calls aloud, and that is the conscience God hath planted in thee; for that is God's lamp put into thy breast: All the bitings and accusings, and smitings that gives thee for thy sins, its no less then God calling thee by that; Indeed this is a natural call, and so reducible to God's external calling, yet it is more peremptory, more quick and lively then either the Creatures or Afflictions are: Hearken then to the calls, to the voice that speaks in thy bosom; How often doth that say, O vile and beastly sinner, when wilt thou leave these lusts? when wilt thou depart from these evil ways? Is it not high time that thou wert changed from these noisome courses. Take heed of putting out this light, do not stop the mouth of it, for it will one day cry louder, That will be the gnawing worm, which will never die. Thus much for the first part.

We come to the Second, wherein the marrow and life of this Holy calling doth consist; and that is in internal works upon the soul, which are carefully to be observed; that so every man may consider, whether he be in the number of those called ones or no, that shall also be glorified; for its no mercy, yea an aggravation of misery, to be called here outwardly, and to enjoy the privileges of grace, and hereafter to be damned finally.

Now the first particular, wherein this inward calling consists, Is to open the ear of man, to give him a spiritual hearing, so that he doth readily close with the call: Every man naturally hath a deaf ear to God's call: Though he hath a natural ear to hear the sound of the words, yet he hath not a spiritual ear; whence is that phrase so often, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear: So that God in effectual calling of his people to him, doth not only cause a sound of words, but changeth the ear, so that it heareth spiritually: This is called An awakened ear, or A revealed ear, Isa. 50. 4. Men naturally have their ears stopped and filled with earthly and mucky lusts: So that as deaf men cannot hear the most terrible noise of thunderings; so neither do such the dreadful voice of God threatening in his word: So that in this powerful calling, God saith Ephaphtha, to every deaf man, Be thou opened. Consider then with thyself, if thou art thus called, God hath given thee a quick ready ear; no sooner doth God speak, but thou sayest, Lo here I am, O Lord, to do thy will; and although lusts, and the cares of the world make a noise, yet thou hearest God's voice above alll: You may hear with affection, with delight and understanding, and yet not have this gracious ear.

Secondly, This effectual calling is opening the heart chiefly, so that it gives up itself in obedience unto God: Where there is this calling after God's purpose, there the heart is so mollified and softened, that the first thing it pitcheth upon, is with Paul, to say, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? This is so natural a consequent from spiritual hearing, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , hearing, is often put for obedience in the Scripture: Thus, as Paul, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, Acts 26. 19. so is every man when inwardly called, he doth no longer resist and refuse the gracious offers of God, he stands it out no more; yea it grieveth and troubleth him at the very heart, that he hath withstood the call of God so often; it might now be too late, God might justly refuse to hear him, as he refused to hear God. Now this obedience unto God calling, hath these properties:

First, Its a ready obedience: When once this powerful call manifests itself, there is no more disputing, there is no more arguings; Its God that calls, I must obey: Indeed, the outward offer of grace is too often rejected, and many Antecedaneous motions to conversions are suffocated; but when God giveth this last call, then the dead come out of the grave and live; then saith Paul, Immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood, Gal. 1. As Christ called from heaven to Paul, so Paul had flesh, and blood on earth calling him the clean contrary way. Carnal consultations, they invited to safety, ease, pleasure; but the holy calling of God, to self-denial, zeal, and suffering for God's sake, prevailed: Behold then the mighty power of God, that as soon as his word is out of his mouth, to such a soul embracing and desiring its old lusts, immediately he throweth all away, though pleasures, profits, carnal friends, all hang upon him to be the same he was once: Thus Matthew the Publican, as soon as Christ called him, Come and follow me, immediately he leaveth his profit and employment, going after Christ: So that this calling hath a speedy obedience.

Secondly, It hath a cheerful and willing obedience: They follow this call with delight, yea they bless and greatly praise God, that hath made them partakers of this Heavenly calling, as the Apostle calls it, Heb. 3. 1. Hence it is that Calling in the Text is reckoned among those other inestimable benefits of Predestination, Justification, and Glorification. How gladly did Zacchaeus receive Christ, when Christ called to him! and the Apostles whom Christ called, how willingly did they part with all to accompany him! So then, if thou art thus effectually called, there is a willingness, a delight, and exceeding great joy put into thy soul: Oh thou blessest God that ever he took notice of thee, thou art even ravished with the admiration of God's love and kindness to thee, its no grief or trouble of heart to leave thy former lusts; yea, they are a burden, a shame now to thee. As if a poor Peasants daughter should be called to marry a great King; how doth this transcendently affect her? it doth not trouble her to leave her old Cottage, to put off her old rags, to eat no more of her course food, but rather rejoiceth in the change that is made: Thus it is here, when God gives thee this call, then thou abhorrest the profane, ignorant, and ungodly life that thou didst once live: then thou sayest, I have found Manna for those husks I fed upon; I have found gold for that noisome dung I had before.

Thirdly, Its an universal obedience: This effectual calling hath divers duties to which a man is called, and it refuseth none. When God called Abraham out of his own Country, from his kindred, and from the Idolatry he lived in; What an illimited obedience did Abraham demonstrate? He went, saith the Text, not knowing whither he did go, Heb. 11. 8. God called him out of his Country, and did not tell him whither he should go, nor what he should do, yet Abraham's obedience is ready to all this: This then cuts off the hopes of hypocrites, who run hastily after God's command in some particulars, and in some duties, where self-advantage, self-interest or applause may show itself; but universally to obey in every command, in every call, that they cannot yield unto.

Lastly, Its a pure obedience: This calling hath a pure obedience, that is, obedience for obedience sake, because of the Authority and Sovereignty of God who commands; as you see it was in Abraham, in Paul, in Moses, in the Apostles: There was no reason in the world of their obedience, but merely because God called them: And then is obedience acceptable, when it is because God requireth it. But

Thirdly, This effectual calling gives a spiritual understanding and abilities, to know how to perform the duties and parts of this calling: Hence they are said to be made light in the Lord, Isa. 4. God never called any man to a particular calling, either in Church or State, but he also gave him abilities and fitness for it; as Moses, Aaron, Joshua, yea Saul had Kingly, though not gracious abilities bestowed on him: Now God will much more do thus in a general and more noble calling. Oh then consider, how art thou qualified with abilities to be a Christian, to be a Believer? God hath called thee out of darkness, out of profaneness, to be a Saint, to walk as a member of Christ; now, hast thou abilities for this calling? Do you not deride those that are in any calling, and have no abilities for it? do you not think such men unworthy of their place? No less art thou of this calling, who knowest not how to believe, to pray, to live, to worship God as thy calling doth require.

Fourthly, This effectual calling denoteth a separation, or setting of a man apart unto that which he is called: So that he must not live as he hath done, but he must solely busy himself in that to which he is called: Thus the Apostle speaking of his calling to be an Apostle, he saith, He was set apart: And in all worldly callings, you see men are set apart betimes unto it, and that they wholly give themselves to what their calling is; and its a sure forerunner of poverty, to be negligent herein: And thus it is in our spiritual calling, God hath set apart the godly man for himself, he calls him out of the world, and from all his former lusts, to live wholly unto him: Oh how little do men consider, that they are separated and set apart by their calling, unto God only, not to live to sin or the world anymore: Thus you have heard wherein the nature of this spiritual effectual calling doth consist.

The first use is of Instruction, That most men in the Church of God have but an outward calling merely, they have no inward at all; for where is the opened ear, the opened heart? where is the ready, speedy and pure universal obedience unto all that God calls upon us to do? where is the spiritual abilities for all the parts of our Christian calling? where are men separated and set apart from their lusts to holiness only? and yet no man is inwardly called, till he have all these: Oh then let thy soul make bitter lamentations in secret, let it pour out tears abundantly, saying, O Lord, this heavenly calling hath been no further then hear yet, it hath not gone to the heart; How often hast thou called upon me to leave these sins, to love those duties, and yet I have willfully been disobedient. Oh it is this inward effectual calling, that will only make thee happy; yet from this very day, from this very sermon that calleth you at this time, how many will go to their former lusts and wickedness? what may not God and his Ministers say, We are weary with calling anymore, as God told Ezekiel, Ezek. 3. 6. If he did send him to a people of a strange speech, and a strange language, surely they would hear, but the Israelites would not: So if God should send us to call the Heathens and Pagans, surely they would regard the call, they would entertain it; but you have lived long under this mercy, and so neglect it: Non respondere pro convitio est, What dishonor is it then to God, not to answer him, calling so many years together.

SERMON CI.

THe next thing considerable, that will further explain the nature of this Calling, is the Terminus a quo, and Adquem: And this is manifold.

First therefore, God's calling is from a state of blindness and ignorance, into marvelous and wonderful light: As if a man in a dark dungeon, where there was not the least beam of light, should be called out of that to the glorious Sun: Ye were once darkness, but now are ye light, saith the Apostle, Ephes. 5. 8. yea, its called Marvelous light, 1 Pet. 2. 9. for the wonderful glory and excellency of it: A man without this holy calling, is like hell itself, a place of utter darkness. Now the call of God brings a twofold light with it, as you heard; one external, enlightening all without us; and the other internal, enlightening the mind and soul of a man.

In darkness there is, first, Danger of stumbling and fall; a man knoweth not where he goeth: Thus, while not effectually called, men are ready to fall into hell every step they take; they see not the hell that is open to devour them, they do they know not what. And

Secondly, In darkness There is great uncomfortableness: The Scripture expresseth misery, and gloomy calamities, under the name of Darkness; and certainly the life of every unconverted man, is a very uncomfortable life; for though he may have carnal, transient pleasures, like the blaze of thorns, yet he hath no enduring joy: The very name of death and a day of judgment, is like Belshazzar's Hand-writing on the wall to him, it puts him into trembling and quaking: But this effectual calling of God, hath the contrary to these, its directive to a man's steps; he knoweth how to live, how to die; he knoweth how to abound, how to want: The word of God being his Counselor, giveth him wise, safe, and holy counsel; and hereupon he is never confounded, he is never fallen into the pit, unless when he forsakes this light: And then for the second effect of comfort, they are called To rejoice, and again to rejoice, Phil. 3. 1. they are called To peace with God, Phil 4. 4. to serenity in their own consciences, like the upper Religion that is not disturbed by any Meteors; insomuch, that it is both a sin, and a great dishonor unto our holy calling, for a godly man to live in discouragements and dejections: Its as if there were not that comfort, that happiness, that joy in possessing of God, as the Scripture informs us.

Secondly, We are called from a way of profaneness and ungodliness, to live pure and holy lives: Thus the Apostle, God hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto holiness, 1 Thess. 4. 7. By Uncleanness, he means any gross sins; insomuch, that none can conclude he is partaker of this Divine Calling, that still walloweth in the filthy lusts of sin. Oh then what terror should this strike into every profane man! If I am thus ungodly, I am not effectually called; if not called, I cannot be justified, I cannot be glorified: How then dare I live as I do? hath God called me to live like a beast? is it not said, That we are Saints by calling, not wicked and ungodly by calling? Oh shame and confound thy soul; saying, Where hath God called thee to lie, to swear, to be proud, covetous? it cannot be lamented enough, to see how Christians forget the nature of their Holy Calling: Fasten and fix this meditation upon your hearts; how doth this wickedness and dissoluteness of mine, consist with my calling? The Apostle exhorts, That they would walk worthy of their vocation, Ephes. 4. 1. do actions beseeming such an holy, heavenly privilege; therefore thou shouldst always reflect on thyself, saying, How doth this agree with my calling? how doth this become my calling? A man grown up to years, will not still use his childish tricks, he saith, it becomes not his gravity; how much rather mayest thou say, Such follies, lusts, do not become my Christianity? This is to make myself a monster, and spiritually deformed.

Thirdly, God's call is from all our former ways of idolatry, superstition, or false worship, to the pure and commanded worship of God: All men by nature are said To walk according to the course of this world, Ephes. 2. 2. but the godly are converted from serving their dumb Idols: Thus Abraham, God calls him from his own Land, a place of idolatry, to serve him. God's people are called To come out of Egypt and Babylon, that they might worship him according to his own way: The Churches name is Ecclesia, A company called together to serve and worship God; now who shall prescribe that worship, but God himself? not the servants, but the master of the house, must set down the orders to be kept therein; so that the pure and spiritual worshipping of God, is one main end of our calling; for God would have a select company out of the world, who should own him, give up themselves to him, and glorify him, which is manifestly done by a sincere, pure worshipping of him: Its strange therefore that people should be no more inquisitive about God's pure worship, wherein it consists; not to dote upon, or affect customs and traditions of worship, but to look for the institution and command of God.

Fourthly, Its a call out of the world, and all things therein, to the enjoyment of God, and applying ourselves only to him: And herein lieth the excellency of this call. All the world lieth in wickedness, their principles, actions and ends are all wicked; now God calls us out of this Sodom, out of this Egyptian darkness, to enjoy him. Hence pure Religion is said to be, In keeping a man unspotted from the world, James 1. 27. that expression denotes, That the world, and worldly things are like pitch, there is a readiness to defile, to pollute; and a godly man labors to keep his garments clean: So the Apostle exhorts, That we should not be conformed to the fashion of the world, but transformed through the renewing of the mind, that we may know what is the good and acceptable will of God, Rom. 12 2. And thus the world and the Church are two distinct, opposite things; its therefore defined to be Coetus evocatorum, A company called out of the world: Though we be men made of the earth, yet our Christian being is by a Divine call and power: As precious stones, though their materials are of the earth, yet the precious nature they have, is only from the heavens; as the clouds, though they be vapors arising from the earth, yet they fly up to heaven, and follow the motions thereof: So it is here, The people of God, though consisting of flesh and blood, and living an animal life, as others, yet they have a spiritual life; insomuch, that though they live in the world, yet they are not of the world: So that our calling is not only from gross foul sins, but also from immoderate and inordinate affections, even to lawful things; called therefore An heavenly calling, because its from heaven, and lifteth up to heaven. Hence the godly have their conversation in heaven, Phil. 3. 20. heaven, and not the world, is that Corporation and City they are of; they live by the Laws of heaven, not the world; their comforts are heavenly comforts, not earthly; their privileges are heavenly privileges, not worldly. Art thou effectually called? herein it will discover itself, if thy heart and affections be set on heavenly things, where God and Christ are, who are the beloved of thy soul: Its not enough to cast off all the noisome rags and menstrous clothes of impiety, but to throw away all burdens, and any heavy weight that may hinder thee in thy race to heaven: The Apostle supposeth this, when he prescribes us such a spare diet upon these things: They that marry, must be as if they married not, 1 Cor. 7. so they that buy, and have the world: God hath called you to look upwards; and as man cannot at the same time look with one eye up to heaven, and another towards the earth; so neither can a man have his heart towards God, and also towards the world: Live not then, as if thy soul were made of dust, as well as thy body, as if thou wert a worm in this sense; for feeding on the earth, as well as for contemptibleness: The Devil feeding on the dust of the earth, is the Devil possessing earthly men. Consider, that God hath called you to enjoy himself, to be made one with Christ, and to have communion and fellowship with him: Oh how should this sun put out the stars; this Manna, that Garlike.

Fifthly, This calling is from a state of quietness and security in the world, to a state of trouble and affliction: The very calling of a Christian, is accompanied with many oppositions and sufferings, which formerly he was not used unto; and herein our Savior dealt very faithfully, when he invited men to come unto him, He bid them prepare for the cross, for all evil-entreating in the world: The world loves his own, but it will hate those that are Christ's; and again, He that will be his disciple, must take up his cross, and follow him; this Christ admonisheth aforehand: That as the Devil enticeth by the present pleasures, but concealeth the future miseries; Christ doth take a contrary way, he revealeth the future glory and happiness, but doth also instruct them concerning the present afflictions and troubles they shall have in this world; so then, sad and grievous exercises they must look for: The Apostle Peter speaks excellently to this purpose, 1 Pet. 2. where laying down admirable directions about sufferings, that it must not be for any fault or imprudence in ourselves, but merely out of conscience to God, so that we suffer wrongfully in all we suffer; he tells them, This is acceptable unto God; And hereunto we are called; observe that, to unjust and wrongful sufferings he is called: The Scripture useth an equivalent phrase, Hereunto you were appointed; yea, God from all eternity did predestinate us to be conformable unto Christ in his sufferings; therefore as our Savior saith, Let everyone that sets out against the world and the Devil in Christ's name, that will take up his profession, let him first consider, what he can do; Can he leave all, forsake all, deny all, and part with every dearly beloved object for Christ's sake? then he may take much comfort: The Hypocrite, the temporary Believer; he proveth an unfaithful Apostate, because of this, he did not forecast what he should do, when the scorching heat of the Sun should arise; and this made our Savior even refuse the offer, that some tendered to be Disciples, following of him, because he knew what unsted fastness and unfaithfulness was in their heart. Now as this hath some disheartening in it, that while we lived slaves to our lusts, all things were quiet, and we lived secure lives; but since we gave up ourselves to God, everything hath risen up against us, we have procured an universal odium: I say, though this may discourage, yet in that the Scripture saith, we are called to it, it denoteth, That these things come by the gracious providence of a merciful father; and that where he calls, he gives also strength and proportionable abilities: so that the very expression, To be called to trouble in this world, hath much sweetness. and hopeful encouragement in it. And

Lastly, This holy calling is from a state of danger and misery, to a state of blessedness and happiness: God doth not only call us out of the sinfulness of the world, but also all that wrath and vengeance which is prepared for men of the world. As Lot, you heard, was called out of Sodom, or as Noah was called into the Ark, when the waves of water did overwhelm others: Thus God he calls his people from that fire and brimstone, and from that deluge of fury, which is to fall upon others: so some make this expression of calling to be a metaphor or allusion, to one that calleth such a man to come out of an house, when the main pillars are ready to break in pieces. Oh then, never think much to be called out of this Egypt, this Babylon; for its God's mercy to thee, when thou shalt see the beams fall upon others, the fire and brimstone burn others, and thou escape; this must needs fill thee with much astonishment and joy: Stand not then consulting, How shall I part with these pleasures, these profits? How shall I depart from the custom of evil doing? for its a mercy to be snatched from them: Oh say rather, How can I endure those everlasting burnings?

In the next place, let us consider, what Epithets or Properties the Scripture gives this calling. And

First, Its a calling according to his purpose, and his good pleasure, as here in this Chapter: And this denoteth, That God doth not foresee any merit, or any motive in us, but its merely of his pleasure; therefore its in the passive sense, we are called, viz. By God; its never said, We call ourselves; and withal, it being a calling according to God's purpose, it supposeth the sure and powerful efficacy of it: God cannot be disappointed in his purpose, The counsel of the Lord will stand; so that all this debaseth man, makes him an impotent and undone man to all eternity, if God help not: Oh then let this take thee up, as it were, into the third heavens, let it mightily rejoice thy heart, who hath had this compassion and pity on thee: Alas! God from all eternity had a purpose to be thus gracious unto thee; when thou hadst no being at all, long before the foundations of the world were laid, God had thoughts of love and kindness to thee, when thou couldst not desire or beg for such a mercy: Its no wonder that Paul doth often run out in large expressions concerning God's Love, his Predestination from all eternity, when he hath occasion to praise God for the calling and conversion of any in time; for this is to trace the stream, till we find the well-head: This is, as it was with Ezekiel's waters, to go from waters that rise up to the ankle, at last to that which will cover the head: What can then be able to discourage the heart of a godly man? what can disquiet? Here is a Catholicon for all diseases: Art thou afflicted? God hath called thee from all eternity? Art thou despised by men? God esteemed of thee from the beginning of the world.

Secondly, Its an holy calling▪ This is a frequent adjective; so that there is nothing in this calling, but what comes from an holy God: The matter of it is holy, and the end altogether holy; insomuch, that all profane, ungodly men should blush to own this profession: Thou art called to be a Saint, to be in the world, as a bright star in a dark night; But, is to be proud, covetous, profane, malicious? is this to be a Saint? Oh how should our bowels roll within us, to see how God is dishonored, his Laws are broken, and that by those, who glory in the call of a Christian! Oh let not such gross sins be anymore practiced or named among you! As in the Temple, every vessel was holy, so every part of thy soul and body shall be holy; an holy mind, holy thoughts, holy affections, holy eyes an holy tongue, an holy body: Thy calling being thus an holy calling, all within thee, and all that floweth from thee, should also be holy.

Thirdly, Its an heavenly calling: Whether you do regard the efficient cause, God from heaven calls to these dry bones to live; if the matter of it, it is to be heavenly in our conversations; to go through this world as pilgrims, to be as the fowls of the heaven, which though they pitch upon the ground for their food, yet they presently fly up to heaven: The privileges are heavenly, pardon of sin, assurance of God's favor, increase in grace, communion with God, and enjoying of God in heaven forever. We see how David prized being son in Law to a King: There are callings to great outward glory in this world; but God vouchsafeth a greater mercy to those who have this heavenly calling.

Fourthly, Its an high calling, Phil. 3. 14. The Apostle there compareth himself in the progress of Christianity, to one striving and running in a race; there should be no dullness no wearisomeness in this way: now as in those race, they who judged sat in an high place, and by an Herald called out every man to run; so he saith, God from heaven calls out every man to make haste in this way of godliness; so that thou art to hear him from heaven, calling thee to press forward, to think nothing is yet done, as long as so much remaineth behind; and if they were so earnest for a corruptible crown, how much rather should we for an incorruptible?

Lastly, Its a calling dispensod in a very contrary way to human expectation; which makes that Doctrine of Congrua vocatio to fall to the ground: You see your calling (saith Paul) not many wise, not many noble are called, but he hath called the foolish ana w • ak things of the world, to confound the wise: Herein God hath manifested his dreadful power, and glorious wisdom; It hath not been of him that runneth, or willeth, but of him that calleth, that so there might be no glorying or boasting in the arm of flesh: If you consider who they are that God hath called in all ages, they have not been the learned men, the great men, the wise men of the world, but the poor and the contemptible; some, indeed, there have been, therefore he saith, Not many, which implieth some: Julian objected against the Christian Religion, That they were Maids and Nurses, and Eunuchs, and such contemptible persons that were Christians; not considering that God doth not call according to outward appearance.

Use of Admonition; Let all those particular terms from which, and to which in this calling, be so many vehement motives and strong goads to obey this call. Doth God call thee to thy loss? Doth he offer thee any wrong, when he invites thee? He calls thee from a dungeon to a Palace, from hell to Heaven, from slavery to liberty, and yet wilt thou refuse? Oh thou art a man of no reason, no consideration, no faith, else thy heart would echo presently to God's Call! Oh consider that as God hath this gracious call inviting thee; so he hath dreadful terrible calls for those that refuse him! The Scripture tells of God's calling for a Famine, of his calling for a Sword; God calls for Judgments as well as for Mercies; He that calls thee now graciously, will one day call to the devils to torment, to the flames of hell eternally to scorch thee.

SERMON CII.

I Shall conclude this Text with an instance of some choice properties or effects that do accompany this calling. For seeing to such only belong Predestination, Justification and Glorification, Our life and eternal happiness lieth in this, to he found in the number of these called ones. Our Savior told the Disciples, That they should not rejoice in that they wrought miracles, that the devils were subject to them, but rather that their names were written in the book of life, Luk. 10. 20. Much less then may men rejoice in being rich, honored and blessed in this world, if they be not also called to grace and glory. The former are good things of this life only, the later of the life to come.

First then, Wouldst thou know whether thou art inwardly called, as well as outwardly, then examine thyself in thy real answer and obedience to it; For to be called according to God's purpose, is to have the event accompanying it. God no sooner calls but they hear. What God bids them do they do, what God bids them forsake they forsake. Oh but to how many do the Prophets stretch out their arms in vain! To what deaf men do we call? In what a Babel and confusion hath sin cast men, they are commanded to live holily, but oh the profaneness! God calls them to purity, but oh the uncleanness! Thus instead of answering, there is the contrary disobedience, God looks for grapes, and behold wild grapes. Think not then it can be well with thee, that there are any hopes of thy Justification o • Glorification, as long as thou stoppest the ear against God's call: if effectually •• lled, thou wouldst cry out, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth; when God gave Abraham a call and command to sacr fice his only Son, he riseth early in the morning, and can lay his kinfe to the very throat of his only child; Even thus when God commands thee to mortify such a sin, to crucify such a lust, spare it not, kill it, else it will kill thee, it will damn thee; now the effectually called person, he gets up betimes, he layeth his knife to the throat of his dearest lusts, and now he hates this Tamar more then ever he loved her: Oh, he crieth out, I must either part with God or sin, I must either leave Christ or this lust, I cannot keep them both together, and then with much zeal and detestation, he casts away his beloved transgressions, God then careth not for thy formalities, thy complements, thy duties, but is thy obedience ready? God calls thee to love him, to hate sin; Is this command obeyed? Obedience is better then Sacrifice: Didst thou obey God in giving over thy swearing, thy drunkenness, thy lusts; This would be more acceptable then ten thousand Sacrifices, or outward duties of Religion. Even the very inanimate creatures have obeyed when called upon, as when the Prophet cried, O Altar, Altar, hear the word of the Lord, and it rent in pieces; but thou continuest obstinate.

Secondly, The effectually called, they do carefully observe and watch against all those contrary calls, that would turn them out of the way: For you must know as God hath his voice calling; so sin and the devil they have their sweet Syrenian Songs; They have their calls also, one calls one way, the other a contrary way. Solomon tells us of wisdom, that is, Godliness uttering her voice in the streets, crying aloud, Pro. 1. 7. To the simple and unwise that they get understanding: and then again he tells us of the whorish woman, as diligent to call in the simple man that passeth by, to defile himself. Our Savior bids us Be wise as Serpents, Mat. 11. 16. Now as he stoppeth his ear that he may not hear the charmers, though charming never so wisely, because it's for his destruction; so much rather ought we to close up the ear against all those sweet allurements of sin, and temptations thereunto: Ulysses his companions were all turned into beasts, (as they feigned) because they would drink of those enticing cups, and hearken to the Syrenian Songs. And therefore men are degenerated into all lusts and beastliness, because they hearken to sense, to lusts, they attend to their call and cry. As Eve giving ear to the Serpent, and not refusing him at first, was immediately destroyed; now then the truly called ones, they stop the ear against the world, against carnal wisdom, and hearken only what God saith, what the Scripture saith. It is many times the profession of a Christian; Oh if I could but know when God calls to me! If I could but understand his will what he would have me to do, then I would run after him; now there is no such way to find out God calling of thee, as to bid all carnal reasonings, all fleshly consultations stand aloof off. If a man would see the true representation of his face in a glass; he must wipe off all the dust and filth, and so if thou wouldst discern God's calling of thee from all other false calls, be sure that earthly considerations be not laid in the scale: Thus Paul refused that consulration which flesh and blood proffered him, Gal. 1. 16. and so Christ bid Peter, Depart for he was a Satan to him, Mat, 8. 33. an adversary to him.

Thirdly, He that is effectually called, is careful to walk in a worthy and beseeming manner of it. I beseech you, saith Paul, that you walk worthy of your calling, Ephes. 4. 1. Every man in any condition or estate, is to look to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quod decet, what is fitting and becoming him. Those actions are beseeming a child which are not an old man; men of better breeding have a suitable deportment: And thus it is in Christianity, Thy holy and heavenly calling should raise up thy spirits, ennoble thy conversation. As Nehemiah argued from the office and trust that was committed to him, Shall such a man as I flee? Thou shouldst then consider, Shall such an one as I tumble and wallow in the mire? Shall I that have such an holy and heavenly calling, live like a beast? I here is nothing should so confound and a shame a man for all sinful and ungodly ways, as that they are not suitable unto, nor worthy of his calling. Michal did in a sinful way despise David in her heart, when she saw him dancing before the Ark, Thou hast made thyself (saith she, 2 Sam. 6.) like one of the vile fellows this day; like one of the base ones of the world. She did this maliciously; but thou mayest truly say to thy soul, when overcome with unruly passions, inordinate affections; Thou hast made thyself like the vilest of men today. Do then things that are beseeming your calling, that are a grace to it, that may bring an honor and a glory to it in the eyes of the world. Shall the Sun send forth no more light then the dung-hill? Shall a Rose smell no sweeter then a noisome weed? Dead Flies are not fit to fall in a box of ointment. As Jacob said of his two sons, when they had committed such outrageous wickedness on the Shechemites, You have made me to stink before the inhabitants of the Land. Thus also mayest thou say to all unmortified affections, uncrucified lusts, You have made me to stink, to be loathsome and abominable before God. Therefore above all things look to this, that your conversation be as becometh this heavenly calling, you may not live as you list, walk as you please, make your lusts and your pleasures a rule to walk by; but consider what you are called to.

Fourthly, He that is effectually called, doth always desire to go after God's calling of him: For as in Philosophy, we are nourished by those things we at first consist of, Thus it is here. By what means at first we come to be holy, to be godly, viz by God's calling of us, we did not hearken to other calls. So it is still in our progress. God still calleth us by his Word to every duty, to avoid every sin, and herein we follow God. Oh it is admirable wisdom in all things to consider what call we have! Those servants are blamed for their rashness, and not commended for their forwardness, who come or go before they are called, before they have their errand. Ps. 25. 9. The upright he will teach and guide in his way, Ps. 32. 8. And so David, Thou wilt guide me with thy eye: As a father by his eye doth signify what he would have his son to do; so it is here, God doth by his Word either particularly or generally give him a call to every action or condition. And he that was at first wrought upon by God's calling, doth still look after this Star to guide him. He that undertaketh anything, doth anything without God's calling, doth as the devil tempted our Savior, Set himself upon a pinnacle, and throw himself headlong. For this is the only support and encouragement under any assaults, that all is done in obedience to God's calling us. Thus Moses, Isaiah, David, Jeremiah and Paul, with many others, could never have conflicted with all the difficulties they did, had not this calling of God supported them; so then as at the first our spiritual life came by a divine calling, thus the progress also is by God's calling; we do not iutrude ourselves, we go not before we have a command, we hearken to what God will say; and hence it is that the devil doth so industriously imitate the voice of God; Even as the beast Hyena imitates the voice of the Shepherd to destroy the sheep; he pretends revelations from God, he brings forcible interpretations of Scripture; so great a matter is it especially in doubtful things, and where the Scripture hath only general rules, and not particular determinations, to distinguish the voice of God from the voice of Satan, or our own desires. How many are apt to take the dictates and desires of their own spirits for the voice of God! As the old Prophet counterfeited a voice and call of God contrary to what the other Prophet had received, and thereby seduced him: It is then a sure and good sign of a called person, in all matters, specially of great concernment, to regard God's calling, whether it be to do or to suffer: whereas wicked men they never attend to God's directing of them, God's guiding of them, never pray about this, or study and meditate about this, but as their lusts and profits carry them, so they run headlong.

Fifthly, He that is effectually called is greatly thankful even to astonishment and ravishment, for this high mercy vouchsafed to him. The grace of the Gospel wheresoever it doth powerfully work, doth so soften and melt the heart, that praise and thankfulness is the great duty he studies; Oh how shall I be thankful! and the Lord enlarge my heart to praise him! What am I that God should call me! Oh, Why is my Soul so barren, so straightened! Why do I not run all over? Why doth not my heart boil within me? Thus a man partaker of this heavenly calling is affected; See the Apostles aggravation of God's mercy herein, 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according 〈◊〉 his own purpose and grace. The Apostle melts himself into ravishing thoughts about this, The God that needed me not, yea the God that was so greatly offended, and provoked by me, he out of his free grace calls me from sin and danger, from all that eternal wrath I was obnoxious unto; and therefore Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and let all within thee bless his holy name. You may observe the Apostle Paul's disposition, when he hath occasion to speak of God's converting and calling us out of the former lusts of sin he lived in, he is so transported that he never satisfieth himself with a thankful remembrance thereof; Wherein men are affected, and what they account extraordinary mercies, there they will always be speaking; Their Meditations are sweet and burning about it. So that it is a sure sign thou wast never yet effectually called, if thy soul many times break not out with joy and thanksgiving herein. Shall outward mercies, safety, wealth, honors, so work upon thee, as we see they did on Haman, and shall it not much more prevail with thee to be called to be God's friend, and God's favourite? How should all the afflictions and discouragements in the world be easily subdued, when this consideration prevaileth with thee!

Sixthly, He that is thus called according to God's purpose, he is careful not to apostatize or to go back again into that course of sin and wickedness, out of which he was called. As a man called out of fetters, and a dark dungeon, by all means takes heed that he be not thrown in there again. The Israelites were called only bodily out of Egypt, not in their affections and heart, when they so desired to make themselves a Captain, and to return thither again; yea when they loathed that admirable Manna, and desired their former Onyons again: Oh it is a sign thou wast never powerfully called! who for a time indeed hast given over thy beastly lusts, wilt commit them no more, but not long after dost return to the practice of them again; This makes it worse with thee then if thou hadst never begun to cleanse thyself. Our Savior hath a notable Parable to this purpose, of a man out of whom a devil was cast, but he returned again, and brought seven worse with him. Mat. 12. 45. Oh look to this then you who formerly have given some hopes of being called, you heard a voice within you, saying, Do no more such abominable things. You begun to pray, to weep, to be greatly affected; oh the conflicts that your souls formerly felt, but now all streams are dried up, you are as barren, as profane as ever! Know to thy terror and trembling, thou hast cause to examine whether the mighty power of God hath not yet called thee. No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back is sit for the kingdom of Heaven: Our Savior did always attend to this, to lay such principles in those that would be his Disciples, that they might never revolt: Therefore he told them of the worst afore hand, and daily instructed them about the danger of not persevering: He that is truly called doth stand immoveably like a rock, Like Mount Zion that cannot be removed; and indeed there is great reason for it, Can he be better then he is? Doth not God make up all things to him? Are his former lusts and the pleasures he took in them equal to God, and the enjoyment of him? Was there not bitterness and gall even in the sweetest honey of any of his sins? But at God's right hand there are rivers of pleasure for evermore.

Lastly, He that is thus called doth keep up his heat, and comfort himself with that hope of eternal life, and glory to which he is called. Hence Paul saith, He presseth forward for the mark of his high calling. As a man in a race attends not to any directions, but fixeth his eye upon the crown that he runneth for. Thus Paul did, No earthly or worldly temptations do hinder him; but his heart, his thoughts, his affections are set upon that eternal glory: Therefore we are said to be called to this hope. A man never hath true hopes till he be thus called. Alas, What becomes of wicked men's hopes? they place their hopes in outward greatness, in outward power, in outward glory; now these perish like the grass of the field: When Death comes, when Judgment comes, then all his hopes perish: but the righteous hath hope in his death; and it is a lively hope, death and the grave cannot quell it. We say, If it were not for hope the heart would break; but what hope hast thou who livest in thy sins, not forsaking of them? Will the world, will thy lusts, thy carnal friends be any longer a comfort to thee? Oh it is much that every wicked man doth not tear himself, and roar out with horror, I have no hope! God is offended, Christ did not give himself for such as I am, living in, and loving of my sins. Till I come out of this estate, there is laid up no hope for me. Go then and conclude with thyself, I have no hope as yet but about worldly things: Oh miserable man that I am! There is but a step between me and death, between me and hell, and yet I look not out; but when thou art called, then thy hopes will surely be established.

Use of Exhortation. Are the called of God thus qualified? then what matter of Lamentation is here, to see so few such among the number of those that are outwardly called? Where is the man of whom we may pronounce all these things, that he readily obeys, that he honors this calling. that he desireth to follow God in all things? Who is the man that doth this? Now the truth is, the tempations of sin and the world, they call so violently, so pleasingly the contrary way, that it is no wonder if so few follow God. But to persuade you to refuse these Delilah's always tempting of you,

Consider first, What sin and the world calls you to, • s i • not to those ways that end in death, in hell? You will see your folly, when you find it too late, when the arrows of God's anger have darted through your Liver and Heart, then you will howl and cry out; Oh how have our sins deceived us! Even as Ja • l called in Sisera to her house, Come in my Lord, Come in my Lord, but it was his death. Do then any lusts call to thee and invite thee? say, Whether will these lead me? Whether will they carry me?

2. Consider these pleasures of sin that invite thee, they are but for a moment, they are but a blaze, though they may tickle for a while, yet the smart and torment will endure forever. O Atheists, if we believe not these things! And oh fools and mad men, if when we do believe them, we labor not to escape them! As Saul spake about David, Can the son of Jesse (saith he) make you great or honored. why then do you follow him? Oh remember, Can the devil, can the world make you forever blessed? Can they put on robes of glory? Doth not God only these things for them that obey him calling?

SERMON CIII.

THe Apostle at the 18. Verse, begins an excellent discourse about the manner and way which God taketh to convert and save men; for whereas the eye of reason doth look for some Wise, Eloquent, and Externally glorious manner; the Apostle showeth, that God taketh the clean contrary way, by that admirable position, verse 26. to be engraven on all our hearts, and which is of daily use, both in Religious and Civil Affairs, The foolishness of God is wiser then men; and the weakness of God stronger then men; the Apostle calls the foolishness and weakness of God, that which in human thoughts and respects is so: Now he considers, that the things of God, which have this outward despicable appearance, yet have glorious operations; whereupon the Apostle amplifieth this transcendent method of God, as in the manner of preaching the Gospel, so in the persons that are converted thereby, in the Text read: where First, we have the introduction to observe. Secondly, The matter to be considered. The introduction, For ye see your calling; some read it imperatively, See and take notice of your calling; which way soever you take it, it amounts to this, That God's calling of men from a state of sin, to grace, is like Ezekiel's waters, that rise up higher and higher; we may still take notice of some more excellent and admirable aggravations in it: The looking upon the Creation, and considering of the Creatures, it may justly stir up men to glorify the Wisdom and power of God: But this much more; and that which the Apostle doth especially take notice of in this Text is, the persons whom he hath called, and they are described, first, Negatively, then Positively. Negatively, Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble; where he doth not absolutely deny, no wise, no mighty, no great ones; for examples in Scripture are recorded, of some few such, but not many: This is a serious consideration, to shame and confound all flesh; Who do not look upon these things, as making men happy and glorious? but God overlooketh them all. Now to fix us the more upon this consideration, he illustrates it on the contrary, God hath chosen foolish and weak, and base things in the world: The Apostle in this Argument, makes calling and choosing all one, because they necessarily agree, as the cause and effect together, Election and efficacious calling follow one another. Lastly, the Apostle instructs us about the end of God's dispensation in all these things; and that is twofold; 1. To confound the wise, and to bring to naught the mighty things that are. 2. Which is a consequent of the former, That no flesh should glory in his presence; that none may say, It was his power, wisdom, or any human excellency that did thus advance him, but God's grace only. Let us first consider the introduction, You see, or, See your calling: And observe,

That God's calling of us, is worthy of many serious and fixed meditations.

Its like Tapestry folded up, which when opened, makes a glorious show. If the Queen of Sheba had her spirit faint within her, with admiration of Solomon's wisdom, how much rather may we, in beholding of the wisdom and goodness of God herein? Our Savior saith, The kingdom of heaven comes not by observation, Luke. 17. 10. that is, the excellent works of grace, which are the Kingdom of Heaven; and the Gospel, which is the instrument of these; they come not as great Kings and Emperors to a place, with a great deal of pomp and ostentation, to say, Here it comes, and there it goeth; but it is after a spiritual and invisible manner; even as the wind, which seemeth to be nothing, we cannot see it with the eye, or feel it with the hand, yet it hath mighty and powerful operations: As it was with Christ himself, he was in a despicable form, a worm and no man, accounted amongst the wicked, when yet he was at the same time a glorious and infinite God; but yet because of that outward appearance, they despised him, Is not this the Carpenters Son; And he was accounted of no reputation: Even so it is with the called ones of God, they are such that the world despiseth, contemneth, the learned ones and great ones of the world, they do none of these things; not considering what rich jewels are in these course Cabinets: So that as our Savior saith, Blessed is he that is not offended at me; so also, blessed is he that is not offended at the way and manner of God's calling: But now let us go into this Temple, and behold the wonderful works of God. And

First, The grace of God itself in calling any, though never so few, is with heart and mouth to be always acknowledged: God who had his only son to delight in, and millions of Angels to serve him, that he should call thee so poor, so weak, so inconsiderable, this should set thee upon the very pinnacle of admiration. How often do you see Paul gathering up this manna, and every day, like a true spiritual Dives, he fareth deliciously upon comfortable meditations, sometimes the grace of God, sometimes the riches of his grace, sometimes the unsearchable riches of his grace: Oh how inexcusable are the people of God for their unthankfulness, dullness, and unbelief in this particular! They are not affected to ravishment with the grace of God calling them, they do not aggravate every meditation, they do not set home everything that may make their souls run over, to make them say, O Lord, my heart suffers violence within me, I can hold no longer; thy love, thy grace in calling me, doth even overwhelm me.

Secondly, The time and season when God calls his people, deserves meditation: Not only mercies themselves, but the times and seasons of them, are wisely ordered by God: Some God calls in the morning, some in the noon, some in the evening of their age: And to everyone, this grace of God hath its full matter of consideration; he that is called betimes, he may consider God's goodness to him so early, that God thought on him so quickly; he might have gone on and provoked God, carrying guilt and a sadded conscience, even to the very grave: He heareth others cry out, O Lord, it troubleth me I loved thee no sooner; Oh how much time have I lost! how shall I recover and redeem those lost hours, and lost days? but as for thee, God instructed thee betimes to take heed of sin: He that is called at the latter end of his days, having the guilt of many sins upon him, he also may be quickened to glorify God, that he would not despise him for all his rebellions, that he would not remember all his unkindenesses, that such a long and old enemy of his should be taken into favor: yea, at that very time when they have been in full pursuit of their lusts, hath God called them, as it was with Paul, yea, and is to every man; When, Lord, I was thinking and working evil against thee, thou wast preparing good for me; when I, Lord, had no delight, but in my lusts, and those things that did grieve thy spirit, even then thy thoughts of kindness were to me: Oh think on these things! what, is there nothing but your children, your husbands, your wives, your temporal mercies to be delighted in? Yes, that grace of God calling thee should possess thy whole man.

Thirdly, The persons whom God calleth: They afford many considerations; As

First, They are the meanest in outward condition: If you read the Evangelists, you shall find, that the greatest part of persons called, were of no pomp, no noise or fame in the world: Though the material Temple was built of precious stone, and excellent wood, and adorned with gold, whereby it was the magnificentest wonder in the world; yet there is no such beauty in the spiritual Temple of God, in his Church and children: This hath always been objected against the ways of Christ. Julian objected it, the Papists objected it against our Martyrs, that suffered by their cruel violence: Now God hath delighted to take such a way, not only in heavenly things, but even in the Government of the world, he hath many times shown such remarkable passages: Joseph a contemptible prisoner, hath his irons taken off, and he is admitted to the greatest honor in the Land: Moses, from what contemptible originals, did he arise to be the chief Governor of the people; and thus David also! So that as God to make himself glorious in the outward Government of the world, hath advanced men of no degree; thus he makes heirs to the incorruptible crown of glory, men accounted as dung and off-scouring of the world: Take heed then, that as the Pharisees looked for a glorious Messias, and that was their stumbling block; so thou also look for the great, and rich, and mighty men of the world, to be as they are, to live as they do, and that prove thy spiritual undoing: Oh the wisdom and goodness of God! how unsearchable his ways? those who have scarce clothes to cover their nakedness, shall have the crown of glory, and the robes of immortality upon them; those who have scarce a cottage to live in, shall be set on thrones of glory; those who are despised and contemned by men, are highly prised by God, and loved by Angels: This honor have all the Saints.

Secondly, Consider also, That the persons called, are many times the worst of men, great and heinous sinners: As they are the meanest for their external condition, so the worst for their Moralities, that all the world may be convinced, and say, It was not such a man's goodness, his ingenuity, his honest endeavors, his willing desires, but God spake unto him, while wallowing in hit blood, To live. The Pharisees, who gloried in an external strictness, and knew no further then an outward godliness, did upon this consideration, labor to defame Christ and his Doctrine, that he kept company with publicans and sinners; as the Israelites murmured that Moses married a Blackamoor, and as the contemptible and vilest of men followed David; so it was a great stumbling block, that Christ called great sinners to repentance, that he rejected the Pharisees, the seeming glory of the world. Our Savior in many places he discovers, that profane and open sinners, did sooner obtain the kingdom of heaven, then those civil, moral men; and if you diligently eye God's way, you shall find it still true, That the rich he sendeth empty away, and the hungry he fills with good things; that none are further from being effectually called, then such who say, They are full, rich, and want nothing; their own righteousness, their own goodness, their own self-sufficiency, is that which beareth up their hearts; and being thus whole in their own apprehensions, they seek out for no phycisian: Oh its worthy of our serious consideration, to take notice of how many thousands are forsaken and passed over by God, who are persuaded all is well with them. Despairing men are but few to presuming men, they are like the sands upon the sea shore; go from one man to another, and you shall find them all contented in themselves; there are no groans for Christ, there are no pantings for a 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 Savior; there are no restless and unquiet complaints of the soul, Oh who will ease me, who will clothe my nakedness, who will satisfy my hungry soul! Oh that this truth might burn like fire; you that have the best thoughts of yourselves, are, it may be, in the worst condition; you that have no trouble, deserve to have the greatest; you that eat, and drink, and live without any inward checks of conscience, have the greatest cause to fear and tremble: Oh think, God doth not use to call such self-flatterers, such self-righteous men as I am: Who is further from the Kingdom of heaven then I am?

Thirdly, God calleth such men that have the least worldly abilities and sufficiency; which besides their external meanness, makes them more contemptible; that the Apostle meaneth by the following phrase, Not many wise after the flesh; that is, not such who are endued with Political wisdom in human affairs; those that have wisdom to rule and manage the affairs of this world, are many times very ignorant fools about heavenly things: The children of this world are wiser in their generation, then the children of light. said Christ, Luke 16. So that as the Apostle saith about preaching of the Gospel, We preach not the wisdom of this world, so neither are those who are called, the wise men of this world: So that as worldly politicians laugh at the plain simplicity of those who truly fear God, and d •• e not sin against him for the greatest advantages in the world; so on the other side, godly men may pity and bewail such wise and conceited men, that can every way promote their own advantages in this life, but yet are wholly ignorant about faith in Christ and repentance: Take the choicest wits, and the profoundest understandings that are, about worldly matters, and propound anything about Regeneration, the work of Grace, and life of Faith, the very babes in Christ will understand more, and give a better account then they do.

Lastly, This is no mean thing to observe in God's effectual calling, That he chooseth the fewest number of mankind: As God hath not chosen many wise, or many great ones, so not many men, comparatively to those millions of men, that he lets alone in the dungeon of their dark lusts: And truly this matter is full of terror, we have cause to tremble while we think of it, that such a little flock Christ should choose to himself; that the remnant of mankind that shall be saved, should be no more then the remnant after an harvest or vintage: This our Savior doth often press as a truth, that hath a sharp edge to enter into every man's conscience; if anything in the world may startle thee out of thy security, it must be this, That few are chosen, God hath effectually called but a very little handful of men to eternal glory: You that make multitude an argument for your evil ways, and think its good to say, The most do this, the greatest part go this way: Oh the Scripture tells you, what will become of most men; its not for us presumptuously to pry into the secret ways of God, neither may we impudently expostulate, Why God should leave the greater part of mankind, in their desperate and undone estate; it is enough for us to acknowledge God's sovereignty herein, with fear and trembling. So then, hath God called but few? how possible is it for thee to be none of that small number; but eight persons were preserved in the Ark, when all others were drowned by the overflowing waters: Thus we have cause to behold the manner of God's effectual calling of his people.

Use therefore of Exhortation, To take notice of the ways of God herein; it hath been the Rock that many thousands have split themselves at, they have not wisely considered of this: What is the reason so many presume of their salvation, think its but putting out the hand, and they may when they will take this crown of glory? Why do the greatest part of men eat and drink in security, blessing themselves, saying, If death comes, if sickness comes, it shall go well with them; all is from this, they consider not that, that God calls but a few, the greater part of men will be damned: This should make thy heart quake for fear; its the Scripture truth, not our scare-Crow, you do not love to hear this spoken of; but Christ thought it fit to reveal it to the world, that the very foundations thereof may shake. Again, what is the reason so many are offended at the condition of godly men; that the ways of God are such a stumbling block? They do not rightly consider of God's calling, they look that Christ's Kingdom should be of this world, they expect the wisdom of the world, the greatness of the world, the wealth of the world; and God hath determined a clean contrary way. When John sent to Christ, to know whether he was the Messiah or no, he returneth this Answer, The blind are made to see, the lame are healed, the poor receive the Gospel, and blessed is he that is not offended at me. Prejudices and carnal cavils against godliness, are the destruction of many thousands. Now it we will wisely consider of God's calling his people out of sin, we shall attain to these notable Instructions:

First, We shall never judge ourselves happy by any external greatness; and the Summum bonum, which human wisdom pitched upon, will be found sometimes Magnum malum, an hindrance of that which is the greatest good indeed; yet when will the world be persuaded otherwise? How contrary are God's thoughts to thy thoughts? how opposite are thy apprehensions, to his purposes? He layeth aside the wise things, the great things, the glorious things of the world: Oh you, that have these external advantages, fear they be not spiritual disadvantages! Little cause there is to boast of these, if thou knewest all; These are the bunches in the Camels back, these are the snares to thy feet, the millstones about thy neck: Be then afraid, and think, If I had been poor, and were afflicted, I had been in a more hopeful condition. Disciples must follow Christ, and they can best follow, who have the least burdens: Oh judge nothing great outwardly, that may make thee little spiritually; count those things cursed, that may hinder thee from being blessed.

Secondly, Give God the glory of all the grace and spiritual mercies that he vouchsafeth to thee; For who art thou, and in what to be accounted of, that art called by God? did thy greatness procure it? thy goodness deserve it? doth not God all things, to stop the mouths of men, that there may be no boasting, That none should glory in his presence? Humility and thankfulness is beseeming a Christian called, nothing doth so become him; For what hath he that he hath not received? who hath made him to differ from others, that hapl • had not sinned against God, so much as he hath done? And therefore should God be exalted, because this is his very end why he layeth aside all human glory, that he himself may be magnified.

Thirdly, From hence learn, never to despise things, because outwardly weak and vile, no rto be too confident, because they are great and potent; for you see its God's way, To make things that are not, to confound things that are; dead things live, and live things die; as God put back many of the Israelites, when they went to war, they were too many. God in all his mercies, whether of grace or civil things, delights to make himself only known, he will not have his glory taken from him, and given to another: This gives hope in low things, and fear in lofty things.

SERMON CIV.

THe passage introductory of the matter contained in the Text, hath been dispatched. Let us observe the particulars of the distribution, which the Apostle here intendeth: And

First, There is that which is a Goddess, as it were, in the world, admired by all; Not many wise men. Several Countries have heretofore striven about the appropriating of the famous seven wise men to themselves; some striving to make this man their Country man, others to make that: But here you see God passing over such, and choosing the babes and foolish ones of the world: So that you have the persons passed by, described, first, By their absolute quality, Not many wise, 2. By a restriction or limitation of this wisdom, Not many wise men after the fiesh. Now wisdom after the flesh may have a twofold sense; as flesh hath, 1. That which is earthly, corrupt, and sinful craftiness, which the Scripture in many places speaks against. 2. For Human civil prudence; as flesh is sometimes used for man, denoting indeed weakness, because not God or Angel, but not sinfulness: And this political civil prudence, is a natural perfection, and a good gift of God; yea, its a duty, to which the people of God are exhorted; but even of such political wise men, God doth not choose many, though some he doth: Thus Solomon had such wisdom to admiration; and Daniel is noted for a wiseman, because Tyre is reproved for her foolish confidence, thinking herself wiser then Daniel, Ezek. 28. 3. and Heman, that made the famous Psalm of one troubled and afflicted in conscience, distracted with the terror of the Lord daily, 1 King. 4. 31. yet the Scripture speaks of him as one of the great wise men in his time. We read of Achitophel, a man so politically wise, that his counsel was accounted as the Oracle of God, yet he was rejected by God, and his wisdom proved fatal to him; but of this more in time. For the present consider, how the Apostle doth imply a distinction of necessary use, about wisdom, only he names one part of the distribution, A wisdom after the flesh, the complete sense is this, There is an heavenly wisdom, a wisdom after the spirit, highly esteemed by God, which all that are called do partake of: And there is A wisdom after the flesh, in an earthly, carnal, and worldly manner, when men savor not the things of God, but what makes for their own advantages; insomuch, that the Scripture sometimes describes them by this, That they are wise to do evil, Ier. 4. 22. I purpose to speak something largely to this head; for godliness is reputed of, as folly, madness, and simplicity; and fleshly or crafty practices, or sublime and high reaches, these are judged the only wisdom in the world. Let a man set upon the powerful way of godliness, let him endeavor to walk uprightly, not conforming himself to the present course of the world, he is presently branded for an unwise man; he immediately looseth all his reputation: As Tertullian said in his days, when a wise considerable man turned Christian, they would say, Mirror quod Cajus vir bonus & sapiens fit Christianus, I wonder such a wise and prudent man will turn Christian.

Observation is that which is an implied Doctrine by the Apostle;

That there is an excellent, heavenly, and spiritual wisdom.

He that speaks of a wisdom after the flesh, necessarily supposeth a wisdom of a more excellent and admirable nature, even that which is after the spirit: Though you call a man able to transact matters of great importance, who is apprehensive of the times and seasons for all things to be done, a great wise man; yet there is a wisdom far transcending all this; and that is, in heavenly matters, to know how to walk in a pleasing way to God, and at last; to partake of everlasting happiness by him: The Theam of wisdom hath been often treated on by the Heathen, but their eyes were upon this glorious subject, like those of the Ba • s or the Owls to the resplendent Sun beams. Aristotle when he speaks more strictly, makes wisdom to be the knowledge of more excellent and heavenly things, with the causes of them; but at other times, he makes wisdom to be the knowledge of any Arts or Sciences. But I shall speak of wisdom, as the Scripture useth it: And

First, It is taken for original and substantial wisdom; and thus God is said To be the only wise God, Rom. 16. 27. Why art thou repining and discontented at the hand of God, though never so heavy on thee? God is the only wise God; none hath wisdom but he? And thus Christ is often in the Parables called Wisdom; he is the increated wisdom; and as he was the Mediator, the treasures of wisdom were hid in him.

Further, in the Scripture, wisdom is sometimes used, for those abilities men have to discharge their callings and relations; so Aholiab and Bezaleel are said To be filled with wisdom by God for that work of the tabernaele; and Solomon had wisdom given him, to be a skillful Pilot, to govern the ship of the Commonwealth committed to his trust.

Sometimes wisdom is taken for the worldly crafty shifts and abilities men have to contrive mischievous designs, or save themselves from danger.

Sometimes for an opinion or conceit that men have of themselves, as wise, when indeed they are but empty shadows. And

Lastly, For true godliness, in which sense the Scripture often useth it, making the fear of God the beginning of wisdom; & condemning all wicked menfor fools, Deu. 4. 6.

In the next place, let us observe in what this wisdom is discovered: And

First, Its not acquired by study, and experience, and a prompt quick nature much working with these, as human prudence is; human wise men are both born and made so • born, because all the book-knowledge & consulting with those dead counsellors, cannot produce wisdom, if a man have not a dextrous inclination thereunto, yet an apprehensive nature without those helps, proveth also very insufficient: Now this heavenly wisdom, it was neither bred in our bones, or acquired by our endeavors, but it comes from God only: If any man want wisdom (saith James) let him ask it of God, who giveth to all men liberally, James 1 • 5. and therefore its called Wisdom from above, James 3. 17. both originally, because it comes from above; and finally, because it carrieth a man up to God: Hence also its called The spirit of wisdom, Ephes. 1. and Paul prayeth, God would bestow it upon the Ephesians: So then, those that are partakers of this heavenly jewel, they are wrought upon by God; they were foolish, and even like beasts that understand nothing, till God makes them spiritually wise.

Secondly, The rule of this wisdom is the word of God: The Scriptures are able to make even a Timothy, wise to salvation, 1 Tim. 3. 15. Though Tacitus and Maehiavel, are the politicians Bible, and they follow the instructions delivered by these Authors; yet the child of God deriveth all his wisdom from the Scripture: Those Proverbs of Solomon may be called a Treasury of wisdom; What hath a man to do as a man, as a Christian, as in any Office, Relation or Condition, for which he may not fetch Divine rules from thence? Thus in Deut. 4. 6. a place alleged before; all Nations would wonder, and say, What a wise and great people were the Jews, who had these wise and holy Commandments to walk by? and needs must the word of God be the rule of all wisdom, because its the word of a wise God, he knoweth all things better then we can: Oh then take heed of leaning to thy own understanding, of hearkening to carnal counsel, against the word of God; for what that bids thee do, and what that bids thee foroear, thou wilt find to be the wisest counsel that may be. Our Savior saith, What will it profit a man, to win the whole world, and loose his own soul? yet thou despisest this counsel, if thou hadst many souls, thou wouldst damn them, to get a little part of the world; now thou thinkest thyself so wise in this, thou blessest thyself, and applaudest thy own wisdom: Oh remember, God's word is wisdom, he is a wise man, that thinketh and believeth, and practiseth accordingly.

Thirdly, Wisdom from above, is seen in the discerning and judging of what are the most excellent things: What is true, and what is false, what is good, and what is evil; what is to be embraced, and what is to be shunned, Sapiens est cui res sapiunt prout sunt, He is a wise man, to whom things are represented and perceived as they are. That is a distempered palate, which judgeth the most sovereign and excellent meat bitter and loathsome: Its a great glory attributed to the spiritual man, The spiritual man judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man, 1 Cor, 2. 14. A spiritual man, so far as he is spiritual, is endowed with that admirable knowledge, as that he can judge between good and evil; they have their senses exercised to make this difference: And herein lieth a great part of heavenly wisdom, it quickly discovereth what are the sins that will prove deceitful or dangerous to him: If the very beasts have a natural instinct to difference that which is good to them, from that which is hurtful; how much more doth God give such necessary wisdom to his own children: To every wicked man we may say, Thou fool, who swallowest down thy poison, who desperately woundest and damnest thy own soul, yet takest no notice of it; when wilt thou be wise? when wilt thou seek out for understanding? We say of the bodily health, every man is either a fool, or a Physician; its certain, every ungodly man is a fool, and no Physician about his soul; he knoweth not what is good for him, he doth not wisely consider what is for his advantage, and spiritual welfare: Give me (saith he) that which is pleasant or profitable, though it damn me.

Fourthly, True wisdom lieth in propounding a good and happy end to a man's self, the enjoyment whereof will make a man indeed happy: The ultimate end of a man, is that wherein his happiness doth consist; now we read, even among wise men, how much this hath been disputed; some placed it in riches, some in honors, some in pleasures; and certainly, there are many men, who propound the same happiness with beasts, even an earthly, sensual pleasure: The Apostle describeth such, Whose belly is their God, who mind earthly things, Phil. 3. 19. and David on the other side, describeth his utmost end, when he saith, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and whom in earth in comparison of thee? And often he makes God his Portion, his Shepherd, his all in all: So then, consider with thyself, its the great part of wisdom, to propound some end to ourselves in all our actions, otherwise we act irrationally: Its the first question in good Catechisms, What ought to be the chiefest and highest end of every man in this life: Hence, as Aristotle in his Moral Philosophy, doth first treat of the end of all human actions as the chiefest thing, and if that be not first determined, we shoot at rovers: So some Divines say, because Divinity is wholly practical, we must first inform, what is the chief end of all our duties, why we live and move, why we eat and drink, why we have a being in this world, and at what mark we are to shoot: Is it then the glory of God, the enjoyment of him, and salvation of thy own soul, that thou aimest at? If from morning to evening, and again, from evening to morning, thou art set upon this; then art thou a wise man: But O the folly and simplicity of most men, who have no greater ends, then to be happy and glorious in this world! and although experience teacheth them the vanity of riches, the uncertainty of honors, and the Tragical ends of all earthly greatness, yet they are resolved for no other course: Oh that you who read the Bible, profess yourselves Christians, acknowledge a day of judgment, believe a resurrection of the dead, should yet be bowed down to these earthly things! O boast not any longer, in that thou art wise for to get great things in this world! for that should not be the utmost end; and nothing is happy, but in proportion to its ultimate felicity: Shew thyself a rational man; To what end do I labor and weary myself all day? What is it that my soul would have? what doth it desire? Can anything but God satisfy it? can I have any rest or quietness in my spirit, till the light of his countenance shine upon me? Canst thou sit down with Jonah, though not with such impatiency, and seeing a worm devouring thy gourd, something or other consuming thy outward hopes, cry out, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity; the Lord only satisfieth and sufficeth my soul.

Fifthly, True wisdom lieth in the election or choice, and full execution of all those means which conduce to that end: Election is a great part of wisdom concerning means, as well as intention about the end: Now as God, and the seeing of him, is the only end, thus godliness and holiness is the only way: See you a man studious of godliness, careful not to sin or to offend God; this man is a wise man, because he keepeth in the direct way to his end: The paths of godliness end at last in happiness; and therefore godliness is so often called wisdom, and The fear of the Lord. by which men depart from sin, and dare not offend him: though accounted a foolish precise thing, yet its the beginning of all wisdom; Who then is a wise man, and a prudent? even such an one who chooseth those ways, and is diligent in those actions that make for eternal happiness: Oh if thou couldst leave off those pleasures of sin, if thou couldst pray more frequently, reform more studiously, thou wouldst find this the sum of all wisdom.

Sixthly, True heavenly wisdom lieth in circumspection, and a diligent caution; and that two ways: First, To let go no opportunity that may advance grace or happiness: Walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Ephes. 5. 15. and wherein is that seen? By redeeming the time, because the days are evil: Oh thou art then wise, when thou considerest, My days are short, the opportunities of grace are few, I have been too long already a servant to sin, I will therefore take all occasions to further godliness; What hurt and hindrance is thy spiritual folly and imprudence to thee? He is accounted the wise Merchant, that takes the seasons and opportunities for his trafficking: And thus it is for heavenly things; there is a season and opportunity, which if thou neglect, which if thou let pass, it may never be recovered again: This is called wise to do good. Secondly, This circumspection, lieth in the avoiding of all the temptations of sin and Satan, which are very subtle; and unless a Christian be an Argus, all over eyes, he cannot escape destruction by them. The little Horn in Daniel, was said to be full of eyes: Some Interpreters make that the Turkish power and government, which was base and contemptible at first, but by their care and industry, and diligent watchfulness, signified by those eyes, did presently biggen into a great Dominion: Thus even a godly man is to be full of eyes; for the deceits of lusts are many, and the methods of Satan are wilely and crafty; therefore its an high degree of wisdom to escape all these, whereas the fool goeth on blindfold. Every sin, every temptation of Satan, is a pit and snare to entrap him.

Seventhly, Wisdom consists in foresight and providence: To look to present pleasures or present advantages, not considering the future, is a part of a fool: He is blind, not able to see afar off, saith the Apostle, 2 Pet. 1. Hence the life of a Christian is compared to Watching. A Watchman on the Tower, is able to discern the Enemy a far off approaching: Now this foresight consists in two things:

First, To prevent after-repentings, that will be full of horror and perplexity, but wholly vain: Thus the damned in hell are brought in, calling upon the hills and mountains to cover them, that they may avoid the wrath of the Lamb: Insapientis est dicere non putabam: Fools use to say, I did not think this, I never thought the miseries and guilt of sin, the flames of hell, the horror of conscience would have been thus horrible: He then that is wise, looks upon sin and the world, as one in hell would look on them, with amazement and astonishment, endeavoring to fly from it.

Secondly, Foresight lieth in attending to our latter end, that the present time quickly flieth away: Oh that my people were wise, saith God, that they would remember their latter end, Deut. 32. 29. This is heavenly wisdom, to consider, that the present pleasures and advantages will immediately die: The time is coming, when thou wilt, lie languishing on thy deaths-bed, that all friends and worldly comforts will take their leave of thee: This consideration would be a special preservative against sin; though the thoughts of death, and making up thy accompt, are for the time bitter, yet they will make for thy future good: O then how foolish and brutish are the greatest part of men! they never consider what will become of them, when dying, when standing at God's Tribunal: Oh they think not what confusion will be on their faces, to see themselves cast into utter darkness, when others are received, to be commanded to depart, as those that are cursed, into everlasting fire.

Thirdly, Herein lieth provident wisdom, to forecast for eternity, that we may be happy forever: Alas! no man's happiness consists in enjoying the great and glorious things of this life; no more then the Malefactor in the prison, that fareth deliciously, may be called an happy man, when he is immediately to be called out to the place of execution: Yet who can ever persuade the world, that there is any other wisdom, then to get the good things of this life? Give me today (saith the profane man) take thou tomorrow; give me this life, take thou eternity. O beasts, rather then men! yet such worms are we, and no men: The Scripture doth represent eternity so distinctly, whether of happiness or misery; that its a wonder men should no more meditate about it, that they cry not out, O Eternity, eternity, to be with the Lord forever, or the Devils and damned forever: Oh this forever, what an overwhelming word is it.

Use of Instruction: Who is the true wise man? not a man of the greatest parts, of the greatest reach and craft; but one who is made wise by God, hath the Scripture the rule of his wisdom, and performs all those forementioned acts. This man is more wise then Solomon in some respects; yea, if all the learning and prudence of all the men in the world were put into one man's head, yet without grace, he hath not so much knowledge and wisdom as the weakest babe in Christ: Oh when all accounts are cast up, and there will come to be a final decision of all things, then all the world will see, who is a wise man, and who is a • ool: Thou mayest lay thy car to hell, and hearken how the damned roar out, Oh their folly, their madness! they did not believe these things, which now bitter experience makes them feel: Now, indeed, the godly • eem fools, are judged so by the world, but when you see them set on the Thrones of glory, and crowns of immortality put on their heads, then their wisdom will be published to all the world.

SERMON CV.

YOu have heard of a wisdom secretly implied by this distinctive expression of the Apostle, Wise men after the flesh, viz. That there is an excellent heavenly wisdom, which is a wisdom after the Spirit. And this is indeed the true proper wisdom. Human wisdom, like the Glow-worm, may cause some luster in the night; but heavenly wisdom is like the Sun, glorious at noon-day. Now concerning these earthly and carnally wise men, see the dreadful dispensation of God's providence, Not many wise men after the flesh hath God called. Those that by their crafty wisdom are able to get the good things of this world, are denied the good things of the world to come. Those that we use to say of, Let them alone, they will save one, do commonly hereafter lose two, viz. their soul and body. The worlds wise-man at the day of Judgment will be God's fool. Observe then,

That wise men after the flesh, though of great repute in the world, are for the most part rejected by God in respect of eternal glory.

The Devil at first made use of the Serpent to deceive mankind, as being more subtle then any beast of the field; but God he takes the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. That as our Savior in another case said, That which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abominable before God; So it is here, That which the world magnifieth, which it adoreth; is cast away as refuse and dross by God. Those things which the world reverenceth as Idols of gold, God many times makes fire-brands in hell: So greatly do God's thoughts and man's differ.

To open this let us consider, What are the Characters and Properties of wise men after the flesh. And

First, They are such who have a deep judgment and savoury taste about worldly things, the pleasures and profit of sin, but no apprehension or relish at all about heavenly things. Sapiens a Sapore, because he finds a taste and experimental sweetness in the object he is conversant about. Now as the heavenly wise man he finds a sweet relish in heavenly things, as you see by David's many expressions about the word of God, and the enjoyment of God; So the earthly wise man he hath a savoury pleasing taste in these inferior comforts: As David saith, Thou hast put more gladness in my heart, then they have had when their wine and oil increaseth, Psa. 4. So these have more joy in the increase of their profit and pleasures, then in any Ordinances or religious Worship of God: As David saith, His soul breaketh for the longing it hath always to the Commandments of God: So his soul even breaks for the longing it hath to the accomplishment of all its lusts and desires. If you then would have a true description of the worldly wise man, it is eminently in this, He hath a delight and sweet savor in the enjoying of all fleshly lusts. He finds no delight in God, no sweetness in Ordinances, no joy in the holy Ghost. His affections are set upon earthly things and not heavenly. As the Swine delights not in pleasant gardens and medows, but in dirty and miry places; so neither doth the fleshly wise man take any joy in the acts of Religion, he knoweth not the meaning of the sweetness and excellency of any grace, but is carried out in all the delight of his soul upon these earthly objects. His thoughts are there, his affections there, his discourse and words there; and herein you may even admire to see what parts, skill and discerning many men have in the matters of the world, but in matters of Religion mere Idiots and very fools. Oh they will one day see their madness! Could I tell the way to grow rich, and not the way to Heaven? Could I tell how to save myself here, and not to save my soul hereafter? Oh then be ashamed all you who have knowledge and parts about worldly things, but stark ignorant men in matters of godliness.

Secondly, Wisemen after the flesh as they savor only the things of the flesh, so they have an irreconcilable enmity to the things of God. The more fleshly wisdom and human craft a man hath, the more wretched enemy and adversary he is always to what is good; they are the great politick wise men that do most abhor and scorn Religion. Thus the Apostle Rom. 8. The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God; what a brand and black infamy doth this Text cast upon all subtle wise men; Their wisdom (that which they boast of, they glory in, the best they have, which the world admireth them for) this is enmity, not dislike, not distaste or averseness, but enmity the highest degree of opposition; and enmity in the abstract, nothing but enmity: There is not a crumb or a drop of any love or compliance with the things of God. That as the Serpent, though a wise creature, yet is full of poison and venom; such are all men of parts, and wit, and quick abilities, if not sanctified; They have wisdom but against God; they have wit but against godliness; they have craft but to oppose godliness: So that many men would have had easier condemnation at the day of Judgment, if they had been fools and mad men, rather then such wise men; better thou wert a man driven out of thy wits, raving and talking thou dost not know what, then to be so advisedly and deliberately opposing of the ways of God: O then consider, whether the more wisdom and the more parts thou hast, thou art not the more atheistical, the more crafty adversary to what is holy. Whether that be not the only obstacle, why thou dost not submit to the ways of God; Thy lusts do not hinder thee, thy profaneness doth not hinder thee, but thy carnal policy, and thy fleshly wisdom, because godliness is a way of self-denial, of danger and opposition in this world; therefore thy heart cannot comply with it.

Thirdly, The wise men after the flesh they are subtle to invent distinctions and excuses to palliate and cover their sins. God tells the Israelites by the Prophet, That they dug deep, and did hide their counsels low, covering themselves, but not with the covering of God's Spirit, Isa. 30. 1. This wisdom after the flesh, Adam immediately upon his fall gave a testimony of, when he put off his sin from himself to Eve, and Eve again upon the Serpent. It was Saul's wisdom after the flesh that made him disobey God's Commandment, making fair pretences; And the Prophet Hosca bringeth in the Israelites, who by unjust and unlawful ways did heap up treasure, comforting himself with this, There should no iniquity be found in him, Hos. 12. 8. And those false teachers who brought in the worshipping of Angels, They had fleshly wisdom, as the Apostle calls it, Col. 2. 23. All the evasions, distinctions and palliations that men have either to cover their sins, or to extenuate them, or to make them no sins, are the sole issue of fleshly wisdom; Therefore you are exceedingly deceived, if you think drunkenness, fornication and such sins of the flesh are only damnable; no there is the wisdom of the flesh; There is a fleshly mind, a corrupt mind, which the Scripture makes damnable as well as these. Those many distinctions in Popery about worshipping of Images, which are so subtle that a Papist himself saith, A man must have Ingenium valde metaphysicum that can tell how to understand them, are nothing but wisdom after the flesh. All superstitious worship is a wisdom after the flesh. And as in matters of Religion, so in matters of morality, all subtle pretences, all specious evasions that men have, when they commit any sin, or do any unlawful actions, these are poisoned streams from that poisoned fountain of fleshly wisdom. Oh then take heed of pleading for thy sins, of distinctions in sinning, of endeavoring to make that lawful which thy conscience tells thee is unlawful! This seeming carnal wisdom will turn at last to horror and despair of soul. Thou wilt then see thou didst but mock God, and delude thy own conscience.

Fourthly, Wise men after the flesh they are subtle, crafty and industrious to accomplish all their evil designs, and effect all their wicked purposes that they have contrived within themselves. Thus they are said to be wise to do evil; and they are said to study and contrive mischief, and that they cannot sleep till they have wrought it. Their hearts are compared to the Bakers Oven, (Hos. 76, 7.) that is heated, wherein all their mischievous intents are perfected: David often complaineth of such crafty deceitful men, whose tongues were sharper then swords, when their words were smoother then butter. The Apostle calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Men that can deceive; they make it their work and business, and they do it with much easiness, because corruption doth prompt them, and the devil is at hand ready to assist them: Glory not then in being crafty and politick to bring about the sinful lusts of thy heart. Thou canst over-reach, cozen, deceive others: Oh remember, Christ hath called us to be sheep and not foxes! Remember this thy wisdom will prove folly; for doth not God say, He will destroy the wisdom of the wise, 1 Cor. 3. And doth not the Lord take the wise in their own craft? Do they not dig their own graves? Do they not fall in the pit they make for others?

Fifthly, Wise men after the flesh they are conceited and puffed up with this wisdom, They are swoln bladders puffed up with the empty wind that is in them. He that thinketh he knoweth anything, knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know, 1 Cor. 8. 2. Oh it is a great matter to know as we ought to know; now the carnal wise man knoweth nothing as he ought to know; He knoweth not the matter as he ought to know, nor the manner; Not the matter; for Paul desired to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified, 1 Cor. 2. And again, He accounted all things dung and dross, for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, Phil. 3. And the Apostle would not have men glory in their riches, or in their might and power, yet in this, that they know God; now the wisdom of the flesh doth not enable us to know God or Christ, not God as revealed in his Word, therefore such wise men do so often dishonor him and break his Commandments, and are refractory under his judgments, not Christ; for none can know him, but such as Paul that account their own righteousness dung, that go out of themselves, as poor, naked and miserable: But alas, wise men after the flesh cannot do any of these. And then for the manner, they ought to know all things two ways: First, Humbly, with sense of their great ignorance, as Agar though so wise, saith, He had not the knowledge of a man, Prov. 30. 23. that he was a beast and no man; Now the carnally wise are proud and arrogant, deserving that Motto which the Romans gave to their god Terminus that bounded their goods, Nulli ced • , I give place to none. And secondly, we must know truths practically, to do them, to find the power of them upon our hearts: • f ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them; and without this, knowledge and wisdom is but oil to make the flames of hell hotter. The Apostle speaks of knowing Truths as they are in Jesus, Ephes. 4. 1. and that is, when they make us put off the old man, and put on the new; And again, there is the acknowledging of truth after godliness, Tit. 1. 1. Now of all men in the world none are so hop • less and remote from grace, and in such opposition to Christ, as carnally wise men, because the first foundation that is to be laid in Christianity, is to cast off all our own wisdom, our own knowledge, He must become a fool that he may be wise, so the Apostle, 1 Cor. 3. 18. Now to become a fool by way of conception in the worlds account, and by our sense and feeling is, when we see our sins, the aggravations of them, the eternal misery accompanying them, and that all this is done by our own madness and folly: Oh what a fool, what a beast is such an one become in his own thoughts! He could even with Nebuchadnezzar forsake the company of men, and hide himself with beasts, because he hath so greatly sinned against God; such a fool must a man become ere he is spiritually wise; and further he is to become a fool, because all the way of believing, of comfort, of duty, of obedience, he must fetch only from directions out of the Scripture. He is such a fool that he knoweth not how to believe, how to go to Christ, what way to take to be justified: Thus every man is to become a fool: But oh what indignation and scorn is in a wise man's breast to become thus annihilated, as it were! yet our Savior also doth pregnantly confirm this, when he said, Unless a man become as a little child (Lnk. 9. 47.) he cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven. You see then, that of all men in the world, those who have great parts, abilities and deep reaches, have the greatest cause to tremble. Thou art too wise to be godly; Thou art too wise to be a babe of Christ's; Thou art too wise to deny thyself, and take up thy cross and follow him. Take heed the devil hath not got thee on a pinnacle, and he will not leave till he hath thrown thee down headlong into hell: Oh then take heed of self-conceit, of boasting in thy own parts, of leaning to thy understanding. There is more hope of the profanest beast and most ungodly wretch that is, then of such an one. Such the Pharisees were, and very few of them ever got any spiritual good by Christ.

Sixthly, The wise man after the flesh he useth to measure all duty by safety, himself and his own safety and advantages, are of his privy counsel. Thus because Peter persuaded Christ to avoid the cross, Christ sharply reproved him, telling him, He savoured not the things of God, but of men, Mat. 16. 23. Peter speaks as a wise man, but not as a godly Christian. Paul denied this crafty wisdom, when he would not consult with flesh and blood: And David when he made the word of God his counselor: Our Savior in many directions would break down this wisdom after the flesh, as when he said, What will it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his own soul? And He that will save his life will lose it. Here you see that he dehorts from this wisdom, because it is indeed folly, and it will prove the greatest undoing of a man: So our Savior at another time tells them, His Disciple must deny himself, must take up his cross, must look for nothing of comfort or advantage in this life, That the servant cannot expect to be above the Master: Now the very Birds of the Air, and beasts of the field had better provision then he had; What harsh Doctrine then is this to wisdom after the flesh? Will they be persuaded to cut off their right-hand, to pull out their right-eyes? No, they are wiser then so: Oh then take heed of this devil in thee! for so our Savior called that carnal wisdom in Peter, run from it, as Joseph did from his Mistress: Say of it, as Jacob of his wicked sons, Oh my soul, enter not in this counsel! Bid carnal wisdom be gone before thou wilt consider what God requireth of thee.

Seventhly, Wise men after the flesh they will choose sin rather then affliction: Whereas the Scripture makes the evil of sin infinitely greater then any outward evil; carnal wisdom asserts the clean contrary. Oh beloved, we should fear nothing but sin! not to be outwardly miserable and undone, but to sin, we should cry out with Joseph, How can we do such things and sin against God? We should pray, Lord, Whatsoever thou wilt keep me from, keep me from sinning: But alas, sin is but a mock, a nothing to a carnal wise man. Tell him of provoking God, of sinning against his conscience, of eternal damning in hell. He makes but a bold derision of such things. Oh the patience of God that causeth not the thunderbolts of his vengeance to strike such immediately into hell: Oh then take heed of this fleshly wisdom, whereby thou wilt choose to commit a thousand sins, rather then lose the least earthly advantage! This will prove gall and wormwood at the later end. This will roar like a Lion in thy conscience hereafter. We shall one day hear thee cry out with Judas: Oh I have sinned in betraying my soul, in betraying my conscience, in betraying the truth of God, unless Faith and Repentance prevent such wounds and blows!

Lastly, The wise man after the flesh so lives and orders all his affairs, as if God did not rule and govern in the world; as if it were of man to order all his own affairs; as if God kept himself within the circle of the heavens, and let the sons of men do what they pleased; and from this it is that mere carnal wisdom discovers itself remarkably in two things:

1. It trusteth only to outward helps and human refuges, as for faith in God, and trust in the promises, they regard it not, but as so much breath out of the Ministers mouths. You have the Prophet Isaiah and Jeremiah debating this case with the Israelites, They would not trust in God, They would have the Arm of Assyria, They would go into Egypt, and they thought this was the only wisdom; in how many places doth God perstringe this? and the Prophet by way of a sharp irrision tells them, Yet God is also wise; They regard no wisdom but of man, yet God is also wise, Isa. 31. 2.

2. Under the judgments of God in the world not to be humbled, not to look on them as the strokes of God, but to be like senseless beasts under God's anger.

Use of Instruction. Learn what censure to pass upon all worldly wisdom. Never call that saving of thyself, which is indeed such infinite loosing of thee: Oh pray that God would give thee the true heavenly wisdom which is from above. We may say, This fleshly wisdom is that which sets hell on fire; Take that away, and there would be no hell; as he said of self love, Oh kill this Serpent that crawls in thy breast! Thou hadst been godly long before this time, but for carnal wisdom. Thou hadst been as forward as any other in the way to Heaven, but for this fleshly wisdom. Thou wouldst not have defiled thy conscience, and gone against it, but for fleshly wisdom: Oh how is it, that after so much hearing and reading, thy sins are not cast away! thy conscience is convinced, thy heart many times trembleth; Oh it is this carnal wisdom hinders thee!

SERMON CVI.

THis Text hath discovered two sorts of wise men, The wise man after the Spirit, and The wise man after the flesh; as also, God's determination about the later, which is full of admiration and terror. He hath not chosen many wise men after the flesh. The characters of carnal wise men, you heard the last day. I shall conclude the first subject here enumerated at this time, and that which remaineth to be considered in the first place is, What are the Reasons why God passeth by this human wisdom, and makes no account of it, Would it not have made much for the honor of the Gospel? Would it not have been a greater credit and ornament to Religion, to see all the great wise men of the world, to have done like the wise men of the East that came to adore Christ, though lying in a stable? Is not this History famous, that wise men should come so far, and bring their external oblations, and testimonies of high respect to Christ, in that mean and contemptible way, and that in danger of their lives by Herod? In outward judgment these might have been called, The fools of the East, rather then the wise men. This did wonderfully celebrate the name of Christ; and may not a man say, If God would thus affect all the wise men in the world, would not godliness and religion be freed from those blemishes and scandals that have been and still are upon it? They are the simple and more foolish sort of people, that set themselves to the power of religion: None of the subtle profound and wise men of the world will venture too far this way. This I confess is a very plausible pretence, and might have deceived many, did not one example of our Savior wonderfully confound such objections, where you may see him wonderfully affected with this divine dispensation, his heart is greatly moved with it; I thank thee, O Father, that thou hast hid these things from the wise, and hast revealed them to babes, Mat. 11. 25. The Text saith, he made this confession in a public and solemn manner by way of thanksgiving unto God. So then, if this riddle of God's dispensation be unfolded by Scripture-direction, we shall see matter of great praise and joy, not muttering or repining at God's providence. And in this way of God there may be reason on God's part, why he rejects such; and reasons on the carnal wise man's part, why he is refused.

And for the first, One eminent and visible reason, why God lets not the destroying Sword, as to the Israelite, but the Scepter of Grace pass over this wise man, is to teach us that human wisdom hath no merit or causality, yea hath no disposition or preparation to the enjoyment of Christ. For when we see God so ordering it, That not many wise, not many prudent and subtle men are advanced to this crown of glory, all the world seeth it, That it is not human wisdom or prudence, but the mere grace of God that makes the difference. The Apostle doth often inform those that were converted, That it was not for any works they had done, but by grace only: So then, God who aimeth at his glory in all things, that every mouth might be stopped, that no man might say, I had a better understanding, I had a quicker insight then others, therefore God chose me, he takes such as are Babes and foolish comparatively, and bestows immortality and glory on them. Had the wise men of the world been called, then Achitophel, Whose counsels, were as the oracles of God had not been refused. The Heathens many of them gave a large testimony of their great wisdom; yet none of the Plato's, the Aristotle's, the Tullius of the world did God make use of; but Piscatoria simplicitas, the mean things of the world were the fittest way for God to make his own greatness known; and hence it is that by sad experience we see men of the quickest parts, the nimblest wits, the most constant memories, yet to be the furthest off from the Kingdom of heaven. Its God's way, he alone will have the glory, and to him only it doth appertain, and therefore he takes not those who may plead any internal worth in themselves.

Secondly, God will hereby teach us; that he doth more regard the least degree of a true humble and saving knowledge of him, then he doth all the human wisdom in the world. That as the Scripture calls that tongue, Isa. 50. 4. The tongue of the learned in the Preacher, who is able to speak a word of comfort in due season to a contrite broken heart for sin; So that man is a wise knowing man, who hath the fear of God in his heart, and thereby departs from all evil; and indeed as in beasts, that is their proper wise instinct they have; whereby they are able to avoid that which is evil and hurtful to them; so in man, that is his proper wisdom to avoid that which is his greatest evil. Now the greatest evil of a man, as a man, is sin. For he being made rational and after the image of God, and for that glorious end of eternal happiness, that is his proper evil which depriveth him of this, and only sin doth that: Oh consider then thou art wise, when thou canst refuse all those sins that do so easily beset thee! Thou canst cry out, as they did of the deadly herb in the pot; This is death, yea this is damnation. Observe what is that which makes a man approved of by God, it is not his great wisdom, his great learning, but a practical knowledge of himself and of Christ. Aristotle said concerning the natural knowledge of the heavens in their nature and motions, that a little knowledge that way is greater then much knowledge of the sublunary things, but certainly the practical knowledge of heavenly things is far more necessary then the speculative knowledge of all Arts and Sciences. Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he knoweth God. Do not then boast thyself either of outward greatness or inward excellencies of the mind, for thou art not to be compared to the meanest person in the world, how contemptible soever, that doth in a saving manner know God: This is eternal life to know God, Joh. 17. 3. You cannot say, wisdom, honor, riches are eternal life.

Well, as these may be reasons on God's part, so if you consider the earthly wise man, There is more hope of a fool then of him; His wisdom is like a Sword in a mad man's hand, his wisdom is the continual offensive weapon that he lifts up against God. For

First, A man of carnal wisdom is depraved and defiled there where the first motions of conversion should show themselves, and that is in the understanding. Light is first made by God in the new Creature, as it was in the old creature of the world: Now, saith our Savior, If a man's eye be dark, the whole body is darkness, Mat. 6. 23. Were it not then that thou art so wounded in thy mind, that it is so fleshly and so corrupt, there were greater hopes of thy Salvation. So then, how necessarily must this wise man perish, whose whole wisdom and understanding is only to damn himself! His wisdom is against God, all his arguments, all his reasonings they are against his own soul, against that way of godliness, in which only he can be happy. Aquinas observeth, That faith is more difficult in a learned man then in another that is more ignorant, because the learned man knoweth more objections against the truth, is able to raise such arguments, he doth not well know to solve again; and this is much more true in a carnal wise man: Oh the many cavils, froward objections, subtle reasonings that he hath to put off the commands of God! This right eye then must be pulled out ere thou wilt walk in God's way.

2. No marvel if God refuse such, for they are his greatest enemies. They oppose his glory, the kingdom of Christ, & his people; and howsoever God indeed doth sometimes lead Captivity captive, and triumph over his enemies, by changing their hearts; yet there are others whom he doth oppose, and crusheth into pieces; and thus commonly God doth with wise men of the world, The Lord knoweth that their thoughts are but vain: He catcheth the crafty in their own thoughts: He will destroy the wisdom of the wise, 1 Cor. 3. So then no wonder if God pass by such men, for there are no greater enemies in the world to him then such. The Apostle Jam. 3. giveth three properties of this carnal wisdom, Its earthly sensual, devilish, It hath all the wickedness of men and devils in it. Its earthly, that is, wholly intent to get all earthly advantages, whatsoever is profitable and great in this world, that this wisdom reacheth after. Then its sensual, destitute of the Spirit of God, as Jude argues it, being wholly fixed upon the lusts and pleasures of sin.

Lastly, Its devilish; as godly wisdom is a beam of the divine Light; so this carnal wisdom is part of that devilish wisdom that is in the Devil. The Devil he is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 because of his knowledge. So that you see, the more knowledge, the more understanding a man hath, if not sanctified, the more devilish he is, the nearer he comes to a devil. So that as the devil is called the red Dragon for his subtlety and cruelty against the sheep of Christ, Thus you have many carnal wise men, Dragons rather then men; So violent and bitter are they against all the ways of holiness.

In the next place let us consider an Objection, for this Doubt may arise, If God reject wise men after the flesh, Doth not this condemn all human wisdom? How can any man in any prudent and discreet way manage his affairs, especially in evil and dangerous days, if no prudence be allowed? Yea doth not our Savior, though he command all spiritual fortitude and courage, all self-denial and readiness to take up the crosle, all integrity of aims and ends, yet withal he bids us, Be wise as Serpents, Mat. 10. 16. and commands us to beware of men, Mat. 10. 7. Did not Christ himself when his adversaries came with captious questions, as in that about paying tribute to Caesar, Mat. 22. wisely prevent their ensnaring of him; and so Paul, though as ready to lay down his life for Christ, as men are their clothes when they go to rest, yet in those troubles he had about his enemies, he discovered much civil prudence, did by his wise carriage put his adversaries to it, that they were often frustrated, and Paul both kept his innocence, and yet saved himself.

To answer this, It cannot be denied but that discretion and civil prudence is an excellent gift of God; and to have zeal but not knowledge and wisdom is to have strong legs, or body, as Samson had, but no eyes. The men of Issachar had this great commendation, That they were wise men, and knew the times and seasons, and what was fit to be done. And certainly prudence (though there be a danger of it, lest it should degenerate into craft and carnal policy) yet of itself it is an excellent grace and ornament to Religion; It preserveth godliness from that contempt and scorn it is apt to receive in the world; In a man's sufferings its the great comfort, that its not for my rashness, for my unadvisedness, my busy sinful meddling, but for a just and necessary duty I suffer. How then may the wisdom of the flesh that is sinful be distinguished from lawful and commendable prudence?

And the first palpable difference is this, Lawful prudence is always accompanied with integrity and innocence; but carnal policy hath hypocrisy, guile and guilt with it. Let a man be as wise as he can be, only let him commit no sin, let him not play the hypocrite, let him not violate his conscience. Thus our Savior giveth that excellent rule, Be wise as Serpents, be innocent as Doves, Mat. 10. 16. If thou hast much of the Serpent in thee, but none of the Dove, thou hast none of this commendable wisdom; Let not the Serpent eat up the Dove: Oh but where is this happy bounding of prudence and integrity! Many men have not only the prudence of the Serpent, but the poison of the Serpent also. Never then think that is any lawful wisdom which runneth thee into a sin. Its as if a man to prevent a disease should eat a great deal of poison. The losing of thy integrity, thy innocence or peace of conscience, is a greater folly then any acts of thy prudence will commend thee for wisdom. So far therefore as prudence can find out a way to escape, and yet keep integrity, this man doth hit the mark, and is like those skillful Benjamites that could shoot to hit a very hair.

2. Lawful true prudence hath for its end the glory of God, the promoting of his truth, the advancing of Christ; but now fleshly wisdom hath no other end, but selfpreservation, self-advancing. We read of Paul, who did so wisely carry himself that he could without any sin or hypocrisy become all things to all men; But what was his great end? it was to gain some: It was not to make his advantages of them, but Christ's. And thus in another place he saith, He had caught them by guile, 2 Cor. 12. 16. But how? Not for himself but for Christ. So that all the prudence Paul used in the preaching of the Ministry to preserve his liberty, and to save his own life, was only to further the Gospel, and to propagate the truths of Christ, That the Church of God might receive no detriment, thy ends will abundantly distinguish what kind of wisdom it is thou hast. If a carnal earthly wisdom, thou matterest not God's glory, not his truth, not his worship, but thy own safety; whereas godly prudence regards this most, and saith of the truth of God and his glory, as they did to David, Thou art better then ten thousand of us, thou shalt not go into danger; and by this it appeareth, that only a godly man is wise, for he only can propound such divine and public ends to himself.

3. Carnal wisdom is only the ability and enlarging of the intellective parts of a man. His judgment, his invention, his memory; but then for the heart, the will and affections, they remain wholly in sin, so that such men have no inclination, no delight in anything but what is evil. But now godly prudence is accompanied with the sanctification of the heart and affections, they are made obedient and flexible to God, they are set upon no earthly thing beyond the bounds God hath prescribed, and this is a main difference; for according to some Philosophers opinion, and the Scripture seemeth to incline that way, The heart is the seat of all wisdom, Cor sapit, pulmo loquitur, is the old saying. So that if the heart be carnal and polluted, then the wisdom thereof is so; and commonly the corrupt will and affections bribe and defile the understanding; so that we may say in fleshly wisdom the heart and affections they are corrupted, and then they corrupt the understanding, that whereas the understanding should go before them, they go before the understanding, and it is with such a man, as Copernicus saith it is in the great world, the earth moveth, and the Sun stands still, so their earthly affections they move, they work, they do all, and their reason or wisdom stands still, not directing at all; but godly prudence that sanctifieth a man's will and affections, it beginneth in the head, and so descends to the heart, I pray God ye be sanctified in spirit, soul and body; It beginneth first in that which is most sublime and intellectual in a man. So then fleshly wisdom is like a Glow-worm upon a dunghill, there is some luster, but on a noisome dunghill; they have parts, abilities, but like a jewel in a Swines snout; whereas this wisdom is said to be first pure, Jam. 3. 17. and then follow the other properties, its first pure.

4. This godly prudence, as its very active in doing, so its as patient and admirable in suffering Holy prudence walketh by lawful rules to avoid danger; but if God will exercise them, then its as wise to bear them with the flourishing exercise of all graces. Now fleshly wisdom is subtle to escape miseries, but if fallen into them, then toileth and vexeth a man like a wild bull in a net. He hath no skill, no understanding to lay himself low before God: Now wisdom is as much, if not more seen in suffering then in doing. Therefore Jam 1. speaking of the afflictions God's people would be plunged into, he addeth, If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God, that is, wisdom to bear afflictions, to account it all joy when they are beset with them. Howsoever Christ hath commanded his Disciples prudence, that they may escape all dangers, yet he hath withal told them, That all their wisdom, and all their godliness shall not preserve them from persecution, but they must go many of them at least through the red Sea of their own blood into the Land of Canaan; now when all this doth befall them, they take it thankfully, they rejoice they are accounted worthy to suffer for Christ; they are not weary of Christ and his ways, though they cost them so dear; but now the carnal wisdom of man, if after all the shifts and subtle plots he hath used, he fall into danger, then he is confounded, then he crieth out, then he roareth and curseth, and is like the Sea foaming out its froth. And thus for the first Objection, I shall a little touch upon another, and that is, Some may think from hence may be gathered a very popular Argument against human learning: for if they are not many wise men after the flesh that God takes, then this human learning is not at all to be regarded; Those that have the wisdom of the Spirit, they ought to be exalted only.

Briefly to answer this, That although human learning without the Spirit of God, and the power of Sanctification be nothing but a tinkling cymbal, and is the greatest enemy Christ hath, and the only pillar of the devils kingdom, yet in itself its a necessary qualification, especially to those that are in the Ministry, and although God chose fishermen, who at first were rude and illiterate, yet he afterwards endowed them with the knowledge of the tongues, and miraculous abilities of wisdom and utterance; and Paul had all that kind of learning the Jews used to have, and besides was conversant in human Authors, as appeareth by his quotations out of human Poets; and Moses he was skillful in the learning of Egypt, which was then the only famous place of learning. Now that learning of itself is a necessary qualification to the Ministers of the Gospel, appeareth by these Arguments;

First, The knowledge of the original tongues is a great part of human learning, yet how necessary that is, all the world seeth, for without that the Scriptures could not be translated into a known tongue and interpreted. The Bible would have been a sealed Book; how could men, and women, and children be able to read the Scriptures, had there not been learned men, who by great pains and study obtained the knowledge of originals?

Secondly, Its requisite, because a Minister is to divide the Word aright, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which cannot be without the help of those arts, Logic and Rhetoric, which are properly subservient to that end; for although it be the Spirit of God that helpeth us to the sense of the Scripture in a spiritual saving way, we are not by our wit able to believe it, to apply it, to conform to it; yet as its a Text consisting of words, and a coherence to make up the sense; so the instrumental way to discover that, is by the help of the arts, and therefore those that are unlearned they are said to wrest the Scripture, 2 Pet. 3. 18. to mangle and torture them to their own destruction.

Thirdly, The adversaries are learned, and every Minister ought to be able to gain-say them.

Lastly, Experience teacheth us, That when the arts and human learning revived, then truths were discerned from falsehood: Which made the Pope hate learning, and account it Heretical to understand Greek; yea, one Pope would not suffer a man to name the word Academia, University; but this is by the way.

Use of Instruction: How happy and excellent a thing it is to have godly prudence and integrity to embrace each other; not to let thy wisdom degenerate into earthly, carnal wisdom: Oh be afraid, when you are wise for earthly things, and have no understanding for heavenly! Oh! at the day of Judgment this will be thy folly, thy madness: Thou hast been wise to heap up riches, but hast not been rich in faith or godliness; thou hast been wise to get the favor and love of the great ones in the world, but hast not been wise to obtain the favor of the great God: Sapiens non est, qui sibi non sapit: Now thou hast no wisdom for thy immortal soul, thy eternal happiness, for that which is of the greatest consequence: Therefore thou art not truly wise.

SERMON CVII.

THe first subject enumerated by Paul, whom God is pleased to reject, and to say, They shall not be mine, in the day I make up my jewels, hath been dispatched. We proceed to the other two remaining; and because they agree in one common consideration, I shall handle them together. The first part, of those who for the most part are overlooked by God, Are wise men after the flesh, such as are eminent and admirable for internal excellencies. In the next place the Apostle instanceth in those that are exalted for external greatness: And that is twofold, either such which is acquired by human industry, in the word (Mighty) or such which is natural, that we have by our birth, in the other word (Noble.)

The first sort of persons are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and in the next verse, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , answering the Hebrew Generim; and doth signify any that are mighty and strong in this world, either by their power, or their wealth, or their honor, that are tall cedars, when others are but shrubs.

Secondly, The other are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which word, though sometimes applied to the gracious disposition of the godly; as the Bereans are said to be more noble, because they did search the Scripture (observe that, its true nobility, and true honor, to be diligent in searching the Scripture) yet here its applied unto that human excellency and prerogative some have above others by their birth; for although there is none so nobly descended, but he is born a child of wrath, and so hath no more privilege from hell, then the child of the meanest Beggar, yet in a political and civil consideration, they differ far from others: Now when you see God in the disposing of eternal glory, not much mattering these persons, it should be like a thunder bolt in the very heart of all those who boast themselves in their wealth, power and nobility, for they are the less likely to be made glorious hereafter: So that as God when he chose David to the Temporal Kingdom of Israel, commanded Samuel to call all Jesses Sons together, and chose clean contrary to Samuel's expectation; for when he saw Eliab the first Son, he said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before me; but God said, Look not upon his countenance, or the height of his stature, for God seeth not as man seeth: So it is here in Divine Election, he chooseth not, he approveth not, as man by worldly respects doth: Observe,

Although men temporally great in this world, are greatly exalted by men, yet God chooseth not many such to eternal glory.

The Pharisees made it a great argument against Christ and his way, John 7. Do any of the Rulers believe in him, but the people that do not know the Law? Here you see they triumph; What? believe in Christ? see who they are that do it, the multitude, many of the poorer and contemptible sort; Do any of the Rulers, any of the great men, and rich men, do they believe in him? The Aposile James, Cap. 2. 11. speaks excellently to this purpose, reproving their sinful partiality in exalting a rich man for his gold ring, and goodly apparel, but despising those that were truly good, because poor; Hearken (saith he) i. e. Consider what I say, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith? Oh consider, thy wealth, thy greatness doth not make thee happy, unless rich in faith and grace also, unless we may say, O man, O woman, great is thy faith, as well as Great are thy earthly advantages.

To open this; Consider

First, That there are four things especially, which are the great things of the world; and if the Devil show the glory of any of them, its an hard thing not to fall down and worship him, if they be had thereby.

The first is, Earthly Power and Dominion: Est natura hominum avida imperii, said Tully, The nature of man being ambitious, is greedy of power; and its Omnibus affectibus flagrantius, more hot and burning then any other lust, unless the heart be so sanctified, as to accompt nothing great but God; Though Histories do abound with the Tragical ends of many, who were in their time great and terrible in power; yet few are of that man's mind, that would not vouchsafe to take up a Crown from the earth, if he should find it, because of the cares accompanying of it, Every Crown of gold, being also a Crown of thorns.

Secondly, Another admired thing in the world is Glory and Honor: For this many Civil, and many Religious attempts have been undertaken: A poor empty reward, yet the Heathens have busily disputed, whether this very nothing be not the chiefest good.

The third thing admired is, Riches and Wealth: Dives fared diliciously every day: The Psalmist speaks, how the world blesseth such, that heap up to themselves innumerable riches, even like the sands of the sea shore: And although some say, they are called Divitiae a dividendo, because they so divide and distract the heart with tormenting cares; yet they find nothing but happiness in them.

Lastly, There is Nobility, which is by blood and birth: This temporal excellency