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a print of a seal, though the print be dimmed, and not apparent, yet is a good sufficient evidence in law, though it be not so fairly stamped, and the seal so evident, as that of other seals : so I say unto thee, be not dis- couraged though thy seal be smooth, and little; yet look if any measure of faith be in thee in truth, or any light of God have shined in thine heart, though there remain faith and doubting still in thee. This dims the print, but mars not quite the evidence ; as though the legs and knees be not so strong as others, yet thou wilt not deny, but having weak legs and knees, thou hast such members as well as others, and art able to go ; thou hast them in truth, though not in such strength as well as they; so I say, thy weak and dim evidence may be true as the strongest. When we desire for more, wish for more, endeavour for more, and are not content of that we have, in this case, the evidence is but blotted, we want not the title.
Use 3. The third is for instruction. If this be so, let not then any man dare to confound the external calling of men with the internal calling of God. You shall at some times see some men at a word of God falliug sud- denly upon them, struck as with a clap of thunder, and go away bleeding, as one struck on a galled wound ; this aflfects much for the present, but continueth not.
So again, the calling of God by the ministry, breeds in some a certain amazement, when the majesty and glory of the word, overcoming our senses, doth for the present ravish us with a marvellous conceit of the excelleDcy thereof ; as those in the Gospel, who having heard of the excellency of the kingdom of God, do thereupon send out this confession, * Blessed are they that eat bread in the kingdom of heaven,' and yet in neither of these a true calling. A man, if he have no more, may have small comfort in either, save by the one he may be convicted, and by the other condemned. The market, indeed, by the preaching of the gospel, is set open, the banquet is provided, and the guests invited to it, but where is thy warrant to come ? where is thy invitation ? where is thy wedding garment ? what answer canst thou make unto the Lord of the feast ? where are the fruits of thy faith ? where is thy sanctity ? where is the sense of thy poverty and wretched misery ? where is thy hunger and thirst, and desire of Christ ? Look to this well.
Again, we must not think that the particular calling of men, either to magistracy or ministry, is this calling to glory and virtue ; the first whereof, is to
1. Execution; 2. Action.
For if an outward calling to the ministry be sufficient, then Judas, who had such a caUing to assist Christ in his ministry, and had, with the other, power to cast out devils, had this calling, Luke ix. 1. But he was not thus called ; he knew it not, for if he had known it, he had been saved and lived.
Further, how precious this calling should be unto us, we may see, Luke X. 20, whereupon the seventy disciples returned rejoicing, that the spirits were subject unto them. Christ reproves them, saying, ' Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.'
Here is only cause of true joy. We know this was a great and excellent work, to subdue spirits and devils, to relieve poor souls, and in this to shew forth his exceeding power, who had sent them ; and yet all is nothing to this calling. Christ he wills them to look to their election, and rejoice
VOL. VII. I i
498 A GLIMPSE OF GLORY.
therein, as though all other joys were in vain, until a man might rejoice in this.
Let not, therefore, a man rejoice in any outward calling only ; nay, not in this, that he is called to be a minister in the church of God, without this particular calling.
By this then be sure to take thy warrant of rejoicing, fetch it out of this calling, that God hath called thee to glory and virtue, which is the next thing'to consider of; our calling to glory and virtue ; I mean, a considera- tion of these things whereunto we are called, glory and virtue.
1. Ghnj. Glory is the end of all. The glory of God is the furthest reach and end of all things, and virtue is the way leading unto glory. Glory, the extent of glory, is set before virtue, the means and way there- unto : why unto virtue, and not by virtue, I have shewed already, I will not now insist. The liberty of the Scrij^ture is manifold in the like. GI017 ; what is glory ? Glory with men is nothing else but an estate in the world, that draws amazement and admiration after it ; this it is, not that which we look after. Of such a kind cf glory we read. Gen. xlv. 13, of Joseph, whereof he speaks to his brethren, ' And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt.' This was a glory, and a glory, I confess, not to be despised, when God gives it as a favour and pledge of future glory, as it was unto him.