actions, even in the circumftances as well as in the substance of them. BUT this I dare fay we all both know and believe, even that it is our duty to follow Chrift; and therefore it is a fad, a difmal thing to confider, that amongst them that know it, there are fo few that do it: But even thofe that go under the name of Chriftians themselves, do more generally follow the Beasts of the Field, or the very Fiends of Hell, rather than Chrift our Saviour. For all covetous Worldlings that look no higher than Earth, and all luxurious Epicures that labour after no other but fenfual Pleasures, whom do they imitate but the Beasts that perish. And as for the proud and arrogant, the deceitful and malicious, Seducers of their Brethren, and Oppreffors of their Neighbours, all Backbiters, and Falfe-accufers, all Deriders of Religion, and Apoftates from it, they are all of their Father the Devil, and his works they do. And if all fuch Perfons should be taken from amongst us, how few would be left behind that follow Chrift? very few indeed! but I hope there would be fome. And oh that all who read this would be in the number of them, even that they would all from this Day forward refolve to come as near our bleffed Saviour in all their Actions both to God and Man, as poffibly they they can; which if we once did, what holy, what happy lives fhould we then lead? how fhould we antedate both the work and joys of Heaven? and how certain should we be to be there e'er long, where Christ that is the pattern of our Lives here, will be the portion of our Souls for ever. THUS I have fhewn what Chrift requires of those who would be his Difciples, enjoining them to deny themselves, take up their Crofs, and follow him. And now I have done my Duty in explaining thefe Words, 'tis all my Readers as well as mine to practise them, which I heartily with we would all refolve to do; and I muft fay, it highly concerns us all to do fo, for we can never be faved but by Chrift, nor by him unless we be his Difciples; neither can we be his Disciples, unless we do what here is required of us. And therefore if we care not whether we be faved or no, we may think no more of these things, nor trouble our heads about them; but if we really defire to come to Heaven, let us remember he who alone can bring us thither, hath told us, that we must deny our felves, take up our cross, and follow him. Thoughts upon our Call and Election. M ANY are called, (faith our Saviour, Mať. xxii. 14.) but few chofen. Oh dreadful Sentence, who is able to hear it without trembling and aftonishment! If he had faid, that of all the Men that are born into the World, there are but few faved, this would not have ftruck fuch fear and horror into us; for we might still hope, that though Turks, Jews and Heathens, which are far the greatest part of the World, should all perish, yet we few in comparison of them, who are baptized into his Name, who profefs his Gospel, who enjoy his Ordinances, who are admitted to his Sacraments, that all we who are called to him, might be chofen and faved by him; but that of those very Perfons who are called, there are but few chofen: What a fharp and terrible Sentence is this! Who can bear it? Efpecially confidering by whom it was pronounced, even by Chrift himfelf. If a mere Man had fpoken it, we might hope it was but an human Error; if an Angel had uttered it, we might think it poffible he might be mistaken; but that Chrift himfelf, the eternal Son of God, who is Truth and Infallibility it felf, that he fhould af fert fert it, that he who laid down his own Life to redeem ours, that he who came into the World on purpose to call and fave us, that he in whom alone it is poffible for us to be chofen to Salvation, that he fhould fay, Many are called, but few chofen. This is an hard faying indeed, which may juftly make our Ears to tingle, and our Hearts to tremble at the hearing of it. And yet we fee our Saviour here exprefly faith it, and not only here neither,but again,Mat. xx. 16, Whence we may gather, that it is a thing he would have us often think of, and a matter of more than ordinary importance, in that he did not think it enough to tell us of it once, but he repeated it in the fame words again, that we might be fure to remember it, and take efpecial notice of it, that many are called, but few chofen. IN which words, that we may underftand our Saviour's meaning aright, we must firft confider the occafion of them in this place, which in brief was this. Our Saviour, according to the custom that obtained in those days amongst the Wife Men of the Eaft, delighting to ufe Parables, thereby to represent his heavenly Doctrine more clearly to the understanding of his Hearers, in this Chapter compares the Kingdom of God to a certain King that made a marriage for his fon, and fent his fervants to call SA them them that were bidden to the wedding, v.2, 3. Where, by the King he means the eternal God, the universal Monarch of the World, who intending to make a Marriage betwixt his Son and the Church, ftyled the Spouse of Chrift, he first fent to his Guefts before bidden, even the Jews, the Seed of Abraham his Friend, and at that time his peculiar People. But they not hearkening to the first Invitation, he fends to them again, v. 4. Yet they still made light of it, having it feems, as we moft have, other business to mind, and therefore went their way, fome to their Farms, others to their Merchandize, v. 5. By which our Saviour intimates, that one great reason why Men accept not of the Overtures of Grace made unto them in the Gofpel, is because their Minds are taken up with the Cares of this World, looking upon their Farms, their Trades, and Merchandize, as things of greater moment than Heaven and eternal Glory. Yea, fome of them took the Servants which were fent to invite them, and treated them fpitefully, and flew them, v. 6. Why, what is the matter? what Injury have the Servants, the Prophets, the Apoftles, or the Minifters of Chrift done them? What do they come to opprefs them, to take their Eftates from them? To difgrace, or bring them into bondage? No, they only come to invite them to a Mar riage |