kingdom of God, and his righteousness in the first place, Matt. vi. 33. Hence it is styled an heavenly calling, Heb. iii. 1. and an high calling, Phil. iii. 14. because we are called by it to look after high and heavenly things. He that made us hath so much kindness for us, that it pities him to see us moil and toil, and spend our strength and labour, about such low and pitiful, such impertinent and unnecessary things, which himself knows can never satisfy us, and therefore he calls and invites us to himself, and to the enjoyment of his own perfections, which are able to fill and satiate our immortal souls.

5. Hence, lastly, we are called from misery and danger, to the state of happiness and felicity. As he called Lot out of Sodom, when fire and brimstone was ready to fall upon it, so he calls us from the world and sin, because otherwise wrath and fury will fall upon our heads. Or, as he called Noah into the ark, to preserve him from the overflowing flood, so he calls us into his service, and to the faith of his Son, that so we may escape that flood of misery, which will suddenly drown the impenitent and unbelieving world. And therefore we must not think that he calls and invites us to him, because he stands in need of us, or wants our service; no, it is not because he cannot be happy without us, but because we cannot be happy without him, nor in him neither, unless we come unto him. This is the only reason why he calls us so earnestly to him; For as I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die, O house of Israel! Ezek. xxxiii. Î1. Let us not stand therefore pausing upon it, and considering whether we shall hearken to God's call or no, nor say severally within ourselves, How shall I part with my profits? How shall I deny myself the enjoyment of my sensual pleasures? How shall I forsake my darling and beloved sins? But rather say, How shall I abide

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the judgment of the great God? How shall I escape, if I neglect so great salvation as I am now called and invited to? For we may assure ourselves, this is the great and only end why God calls so pathetically upon us to come unto him, that so we may be delivered from his wrath, and enjoy his love and favour for ever.

Thus we see what it is that God calls mankind both from and to; he calls them from darkness to light, from idolatry to true religion, from sin to holiness, from earth to heaven, and from the deepest misery to the highest happiness that they are capable of. The next thing to be considered is, how God is pleased to call us; for which we must know, that,

1. He hath vouchsafed to call some with his own mouth, as I may so speak, even by immediate revelations from himself. Thus he called Abraham and Moses, and several of the patriarchs of the Old Testament. And thus he called Paul, Christ himself calling from heaven to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Acts ix. 4. And it is observable, that whosoever were thus called, they always obeyed. But this is not the calling here spoken of.

2. God calls all mankind by his works and providences. All the creatures in the world are as so many tongues declaring the wisdom, power, goodness, and glory of God unto us, and so call upon us to praise, honour, and obey him. And all his providences have their several and distinct voices; his mercies bespeak our affections, and his judgments our fear. Hear ye, saith he, the rod, and who hath appointed it, Mic. vi. 9. The rod, it seems, hath a voice, which we are bound to hear. But though many, yea, all the world, be called this way, yet neither is this the calling our Saviour means, when he saith, many are called, but few chosen.

3. Lastly, Therefore God hath called many by the ministry of his word, and of his servants the prophets, the apostles and their successors declaring it, and explaining it to them. Thus God spake to our fathers by

the prophets, rising up early and sending them to call sinners to repentance, by shewing them their sins, and the dangerous consequences of them. As when he sent his prophet Isaiah, he bids him cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice as a trumpet, and shew my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins, Isai. Iviii. I. And they being convinced of and humbled for their sins, then he sent his prophets to invite them to accept of grace and pardon from him, saying, in the language of the same prophet, Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price, Isai. lv. 1, 2, 3. And God having thus at sundry times and in divers manners spoken in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, Heb. i. 1, 2. who therefore said with his own mouth, that he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, Matt. ix. 13. Hence as soon as ever he entered upon his ministry, he called to mankind, saying, Repent, and believe the Gospel, Mark i. 15. and Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, Matt. xi. 28. And when he was to depart hence, he left order with his apostles, to go and call all nations, and teach them what he had commanded, promising that himself would be with them to the end of the world, Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. By virtue therefore of this commission, not only the apostles themselves, but all succeeding ministers in all ages to the end of the world, are sent to call mankind to embrace the Gospel, and to accept of the terms propounded in it. So that when we his ministers preach unto them, or call upon them to repent and turn to God, they must not think we come in our own name; for, as the apostle tells the Corinthians, We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled

to God, 2 Cor. v. 20. Hence in Scripture we are called also κήρυκες, heralds, and our office is κηρύσσειν, το proclaim as heralds, the will and pleasure of Almighty God unto mankind, to offer peace and pardon to all that have rebelled against our Lord and Master the King of heaven, if they will now come in, and submit themselves unto him; if not, in a most solemn and dreadful manner, to denounce his wrath and heavy displeasure against them. So that as the angel was sent to call Lot out of Sodom, when the Lord was going to rain fire and brimstone from heaven upon it; so God being ready every moment to shower down his fury and vengeance upon the impenitent and unbelieving world, he sends us to call men out of it, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, Acts xxvi. 18. and to invite them to his court, to live with him and be happy for ever.

And that this is the proper meaning of our blessed Saviour, in this place, where he saith, many are called, is plain from the parable whereon these words are grounded; where the king is said to have sent his servants to call the guests which were bidden to the marriage feast, and put words into their mouths, telling them what to say, verse 4, as he hath given us also instructions how to call and invite mankind in his holy word. And when of the many which were called, there would but few come; hence our Saviour uttered this expression, that many are called, but few chosen. From whence it is clear and obvious, that our Saviour means not such as were called immediately from God himself, for they were but few; nor yet such as are called by the works of creation and providence, for so not many only, but all are called; but he means such as are called by his word, and by his servants and ministers reading, preaching, and explaining of it.

And verily that many have been and still are called in this sense, which is the next thing I promised to shew, I need not stand long to prove. For our Saviour

having commanded his apostles to go and call all nations to his faith, which is the proper meaning of that place, Matt. xxviii. 19. it cannot be denied but that the apostles presently dispersed themselves, and preached the Gospel to all nations; which they did so effectually, that in a few years after, even in St. Paul's time, the mys tery of the Gospel was made known to all nations for the obedience of faith, Rom. xvi. 26. and in St. John's time, some were redeemed out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, Rev. vii. 9. Yea, so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed, that the ancients compared it to lightning, that immediately dispersed itself, and was seen all the world over. So that in less than two hundred years, ab ortu solis ad occasum lex Christiana suscepta est, the Christian religion was received all the world over from east to west, as Lactantius who then lived asserts. From which time therefore, how many thousands of millions of souls have been called to the faith of Christ, by the preaching of his Gospel. And not to speak of other nations, how soon did the Sun of righteousness arise upon these western parts of the world, and particularly upon this nation, wherein we dwell; several of Christ's own disciples and apostles, as Simon Peter, Simon Zelotes, James the son of Zebedee, Joseph of Arimathea, Aristobulus, and St. Paul himself, being all recorded by ecclesiastical writers, to have preached the Gospel to this nation. Be sure in less than two hundred years the Christian faith was here received, Tertullian himself saying expressly, Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca, Christo subdita, the Romans could scarcely come at Britanny, but Christ hath conquered it. And soon after him, Arnobius saith that the Gospel nec ipsos Indos latuit a parte orientis, nec ipsos Britannos a parte occidentis, was not concealed either from the Indians in the eastern part of the world, nor from the Britons themselves in the west. And since the Gospel was first here planted, how many have been called by it to the faith