Use 1. It is a point not altogether fruitless. It yields some comfort to know, that when we are taken hence, others shall stand up when we are gone. The church shall not die with us. Is not that a comfort, when a Christian yields his soul to God, to think : yet God will have a church and people, if not amongst us, yet in some other part of the world. He will have some that shall glorify him in this world, that shall adorn and beautify religion, and shall for ever be glorified with him in heaven, till he have made an end of these sinful days. It is some comfort, I say, that good- ness shall live after us, that the gospel shall continue after us. There shall be a posterity to the end of the world, that shall stand for the truth and cause of God. The world was not, nor ever shall be so bad, but God hath had, and will have, a party in the world that shall stand for him, and he for them. Now the children of God, as they know God hath a purpose to glorify them world without end ; so they have a desire that God may be glorified world without end; and from this desire comes Joy, when they think that there will be a people on earth to glorify God still when they are taken hence : for it is a disposition wrought from God's peculiar love, to wish that God may ever have his praise here in the world, while it is a vrorld, and for ever in the world to come. Therefore it is a comfort to them to think that God will always have a church.
But these are but a few, called by Isaiah a remnant : ' a remnant according to election,' as it is, Rom. xi. 5. A handful in comparison of the world, yet they are a world in respect of themselves ; for they are a world taken out of the world. But compared with the rest of mankind, they are but as a ' few grapes after the vintage, as the gleanings after the harvest, one of a city, and two of a tribe,' Jer. iii. 14. The prophets, every one of them have special phrases to set out the fewness of those that God hath a special care of. He calls them in the next verse the ' remnant of Israel.' God will have some continually; but those are but a few that are his. His flock is but * a little flock.'
It is a point not mainly aimed at here ; but it is very useful.
Use 2.* Is there but a few, but a remnant in all times ? Am I one of tJiose ? What have I to evidence to me that I am of that little flock that is Christ's ? What have I in me to evidence that God hath set his stamp upon me to be his ? that I shall not go the broad way to destruction ? This should force such quares to our souls. When we hear of the few that shall be saved, we should make that use that Christ makes of that curiousf question of the fewness of them that should be saved. ' Oh striA^e to enter in at the strait gate,' Luke xiii. 24. Stand not on many or few. Make this use of it. Strive to enter in at the strait gate. Take up and practise the duties of religion, that are contrary to the corruption of nature, and contrary to the times. Avoid the sins and courses of the times, and then
* In margin here, ' To examine if we be of those few.' — G. t That is, = ' vainly inquisitive.' — G.
231 THE RICH POVERTY ; OR,
we shall know and evidence to ourselves that we are of that few number. Somewhat must be done to shew that we arc not of those that go the broad way. ^Ve hear that there are few that go the other way ; and indeed it will make a man look about him, the very consideration that there are but few that shall be saved.
Use 3. And it will make a man wondrous thankful. * Who am I, and what is my father's house ?' 2 Sam. vii. 18. What is there in me ? What could God see in me to single me out of the rest, out of a great number that go the broad way to destruction, to set his love upon me ? It will inflame the heart with thankfulness to God. It will not make a man proud to despise others. That is pharisaical. But it will inflame the heart to be thankful in a peculiar manner to God, and 'to single out God in a peculiar manner to be our God, as he hath singled us out to be his. For always he works somewhat in us, like to that he works for us. Those that God hath singled out to be his, he will give them grace to single out him again. God shall be my God, religion shall be my care, and that that God respects shall be that that I will respect. Since God so respects me, shall not I love and respect all that God respects ? And shall I not grieve when anything goes amiss with that that God hath a care of? Certainly it will work this dis- position, when we come to perceive, by grounded evidence, that we are of that few company, of that remnant here spoken of, that God will leave alway to trust in his name.