An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

Thirdly, There may be difference in their externals; Some are rich, others poor; some are great in place and office, others are mean and inferiors. For although 1 Cor. 1. Paul saith, Not many noble, not many wise, not many rich hath God chosen, yet some he hath, though not many. Yea, those that have been by their callings greatly engaged to sin, and to act against Christ, yet even of such God hath called some; some of the Pharisees, yea some of the Priests that were the most professed enemies to Christ, are yet said to believe in him. And thus in times of Reformation from Popery, although Luther said, In the Monasteries and Friaries there was greater opposition to the Gospel, than in the very Ale-houses and Brothel-houses; yet Luther himself, and some others were Monks. Yea, as he saith of himself, Insanissimum Monachum, mad in doting upon Popish opinions, yet God converted them.

Thirdly, There may be difference in their externals; Some are rich, others poor; some are great in place and office, others are mean and inferiours. For although 1 Cor. 1. Paul saith, Not many noble, not many wise, not many rich hath God chosen, yet some he hath, though not many. Yea, those that have been by their callings greatly ingaged to sinne, and to act against Christ, yet even of such God hath called some; some of the Pharisees, yea some of the Priests that were the most prosessed enemres to Christ, are yet said to believe in him. And thus in times of Reforneution from Popery, although Luther said, In the Monasteries and Frieries there was greater opposition to the Gospel, than in the very Ale-houses and Brothel-houses; yet Luther himself, and some others were Monks. Yea, as he saith of himself, Insanissimum Monachum, mad in doting upon Popish opinions, yet God converted them.

Thus you see a world of difference in the Externals of those that God calls; We might also add the Difference in respect of their Vicinity and Consanguinity. God calls sometimes out of a wicked Family, a wicked generation, a wicked place, where there is none else scarce that minds any thing that is godly. In Caesar's household there were some that believed; sometimes you have a Child converted, when Parents and all the Kindred are desperate enemies to God: Sometimes again, you have Parents and Children, and all godly, as it was with Timothy, in respect of his Mother and Grandmother.