dom of glory. 1 Theff. ii. 12. God hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. I Pet. v. 10. The God of all grace, who bath called us unto his eternal glory by Chrift Fefus. They are called unto glory, and fhall affuredly partake of glory. It is by faithful promife made over unto them; and nothing fhall be able to make the promife of none effect. That God, who is truth itself and cannot lie; that God who is infinite in power, and can make good his promifes, will most certainly perform them. i Tbef. v. 24. Faithful is be that calleth you, who alfo will do it. They that hearken to the call of Chrift in this world, fhall at the last day hear that call of Chrift, Matth. xxv. 34. Come, ye bleed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world. Surely then they that are effectually called, are bleffed perfons, here and hereafter. And if their ftate be such a state of greatest happiness, they have then infinite reafon to blefs and praife God, who of his rich grace has called them into fuch an estate. 1 Pet. iii. 9. Knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye fhould inherit a blessing.

Exh. 2. Walk worthy of your calling. This is a duty frequently urged in fcripture, on thofe that are effectually called. Eph. iv. 1. I beseech you, that ye would walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called., 1 Theff. ii. 11, 12. We charged every one of you, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto bis kingdom and glory. You should live as becomes thofe who have felt the effectual workings of God's holy Spirit on your fouls. You fhould not walk unfuitably to your calling, but in a manner befitting fo great and glorious a privilege.Now, if we confider the properties of this calling, we may from thence be informed how to walk worthy of it. Wherefore,

1. It is an boly calling, and therefore we fhould live bolily. It is fo termed, 2 Tim. i. 9. Who bath called us with an boly calling. It is holy in refpect of the author of it, even, the holy God. As he therefore that bas called us is holy, fo ought we to be holy in all

manner of converfation and godliness. 1 Pet. i. 15. It is holy in respect of the means of it, even, the holy word of God. And therefore our converfation should be as becometh the gospel of Chrift, by a care of conformity to the holy commands thereof. Phil. i. 27.It is holy in respect of the end of it. 1 Theff. iv. 7. God hath called us unto holiness. And therefore it fhould be our great aim and defign, to lead holy lives.---An holy calling then is to be fuited with an holy walk. We fhould walk in all ways of holy obedience to God; being careful to fhew forth the vertues of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light. (1 Pet. ii. 9.) Holinefs fhould be the work and bufinefs of our lives.

2. It is an heavenly calling, and therefore we fhould lead heavenly lives. Effectual calling, is ftiled an high calling. Phil. iii. 14. For the prize of the high calling of God. It is alfo called an heavenly callir g. Heb. iii. 1. Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling. It is an high and heavenly calling in refpect of its original ; it is from on high, from heaven, from the most high God, that dwells in heaven. It is alfo an heavenly cal ling in respect of its tendency. It leads to heaven, and terminates there. Now it being fuch an heavenly calling, we should therefore be heavenly-minded. Our thoughts fhould dwell much on heaven. That fhould be the fubject of our frequent meditation. We are

called to glory, and therefore fhould think often of glory. Again our affections fhould go out after heaven. Col. iii. 1, 2. Seek thofe things which are above.---Set your affections on things above. Our love fhould be fet upon heavenly things, our delight be in them, our defires reach forth after them. If we are effectually called, our treasure is in heaven, and our hearts accordingly will be there. Matth. vi. 21.---Again, our conversation should be in heaven. Phil. iii. 20. We fhould hold much communion with the God of heaven; and walk in the way that leads to heaven; fhould keep our eye upon heaven, as the place whereunto we are bound; and fhould

live by faith in Jefus Chrift the Son of God, who is paffed into the heavens.

Exh. 3. Labour to make your effectual calling clear and evident to yourselves. All that are effectually called, have not an affurance of their being fo. They may be, and often are, under many doubts and fears about it: Yet they should not contentedly abide in such a state of fufpenfe and uncertainty. But they fhould endea. vour after fatisfying evidences of their effectual calling. Here I fhall give fome Motives, and then fome Directions.

Mot. 1. An affurance of our effectual calling, is what may be attained by us. If it were a thing unattaina ble, it would be labour in vain, to seek after it: but it is not fo. It is attainable by us. The fcriptures were written for this end, to help to affurance. I Job. v. 13. 'Tis poffible for us from the light of God's word, to come to a certainty in this matter, if we ufe diligence. And hence we are directed and required to give diligence, to make our calling fure. 2 Pet. i. 1o. This fhews, that in the way of true diligence, we may come to be fure of our effectual calling. And for this end, God has laid down in his word fure marks of effectual calling, whereby to try ourfelves whether we be in fuch an eftate. Some of thefe fhall hereafter be mentioned. We find alfo in feripture, that many of God's fervants have had a certain knowledge and affurance of their being called out of a state of fin and darkness, into a ftate of grace and marvellous light, And this not by immediate extraordinary revelation, but by rational evidence and probation, even as others, 1 Joh. ii. 3. and iii. 14. From these things it is plain, that chriftians may come to a well-grounded affurance of their effectual vocation. The commands to labour after it, the figns given whereby to examine ourselves about it, and the examples of fuch as have enjoyed it, do manifeftly fhew, that it may be attained by us. This then fhould be an encouragement to us, to take pains in this matter, forafmuch as we know that our labour will

not be in vain in the Lord. Though it may be a diffi cult thing to gain affurance, yet it is not a thing im poffible.

Mot. 2. Aflurance of our effectual calling, will be exceeding beneficial to us. Great will be the fpiritual use and advantage of it. As,

1. This will make us chearfully to ferve God. Affurance of our being in a good eftate has not the leaft tendency to make us flothful and negligent in duties of obedience. No, but it is as oyl to the wheels, which makes them move more readily in the ways of God's commandments. Pfal. cxix. 32. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my beart. The enlarging the heart with comfort, through the affurance of God's love and favour in Chrift, is a well-fpring of free, forward, and chearful obedience to God. To fuch, the commandments of God are not grievous; to fuch the yoke of Chrift is eafy, and his burden is light. In heaven, where there is a full, unclouded and perpetual aflurance of the love of God, with what alacrity and delight is the will of God done there! And in fome measure, it is thus with faints on earth, that have a fatisfying perfwafion of their being in a state of grace and favour with God. They delight to do the will of God, and love his fervice, not being willing to be free'd therefromn.

2. This will adminifter great comfort to us under the moft grievous afflictions. Let our circumftances be ever fo afflictive, whether from the hand of God or man, if we have good ground to conclude that we are of the number of God's effectually called ones, we may be abundantly comforted. For, in that cafe, we may be fully affured, that all our afflictions are defigned and ordered for our beft good. Rom. viii. 28. We know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpofe. We know it, fays the apoftle; not merely, we think or hope, but we know, that all things work together for good. Tis a point of undoubted certain

ty. God intends good, the greatest good, to his chofen and called ones. And therefore nothing fhall befall them, but what he will make fubfervient to the accomplishment of his gracious defign. 'Tis not then a meer poffible thing, nor only a probable thing, that their afflictions will terminate in their beft good; but 'tis a most certain thing. And how may this comfort them, and cause them to rejoice, even in tribulation !

3. This will enable us to pray to God with holy confidence. If we know that we are effectually called, we may be sure that we are adopted into the number of God's children. And if fo, we have the Spirit of adoption, whereby we can cry, Abba father. Rom. viii.

15.

We may go to God, as to a reconciled Father in Chrift Jefus, with humble boldnefs, and affurance of audience, in whatever we ask of him that is for our good. Matth. vii. 9, 10, II. Or what man is there of you, whom if his fon ask bread, will be give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will be give him a ferpent ? If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more fhall your Father which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? No earthly father, how dearly foever he loves his child, can be fo willing and ready to give good things to him, as our heavenly Father is to give good things to his children, that ask them of him in prayer. They may therefore go boldly unto the throne of grace, for the obtaining mercy, and finding grace to help in a time of need. He that has effectually called them, fo as to enable them to comply with his call to accept of Chrift for their Lord and Saviour, will affuredly for Chrift's fake hear them, when they call upon him in prayer.

4. This will caufe us joyfully to come to the table of the Lord. If we have good ground to believe that we are effectually called, we may with chearfulness fit down with Chrift at his holy fupper. We are on the next Lord's day to partake of that holy ordinance, and if upon examination we can find that we are effectually called, we may with gladnefs of heart come thereunto.