Fourthly, Its a call out of the world, and all things therein, to the enjoyment 1of God, and applying our selves only to him: And herein lieth the excellency of this call. All the world lieth in wickedness, their principles, actions and ends are all wicked; now God calls us out of this Sodom, out of this Egyptian darkness, to enjoy him. Hence pure Religion is said to be, In keeping a man unspotted from the world, James 1. 27. that expression denotes, That the world, and worldly things are like pitch, there is a readiness to defile, to pollute; and a godly man labours to keep his garments clean: So the Apostle exhorts, That we should not be conformed to the fashion of the world, but transformed through the renewing of the mind, that we may know what is the good and acceptable will of God, Rom. 12 2. And thus the world and the Church are two distinct, opposite things; its therefore defined to be Coetus evocatorum, A company called out of the world: Though we be men made of the earth, yet our Christian being is by a Divine call and power: As precious stones, though their materials are of the earth, yet the precious nature they have, is only from the heavens; as the clouds, though they be vapours arising from the earth, yet they fly up to heaven, and follow the motions thereof: So it is here, The people of God, though consisting of flesh and blood, and living an animal life, as others, yet they have a spiritual life; insomuch, that though they live in the world, yet they are not of the world: So that our calling is not only from gross foul sins, but also from immoderate and inordinate affections, even to lawful things; called therefore An heavenly calling, because its from heaven, and lifteth up to heaven. Hence the godly have their conversation in heaven, Phil. 3. 20. heaven, and not the world, is that Corporation and City they are of; they live by the Laws of heaven, not the world; their comforts are heavenly comforts, not earthly; their privileges are heavenly privileges, not worldly. Art thou effectually called? herein it will discover it self, if thy heart and affections be set on heavenly things, where God and Christ are, who are the beloved of thy soul: Its not enough to cast off all the noisome rags and menstruous clothes of impiety, but to throw away all burdens, and any heavy weight that may hinder thee in thy race to heaven:
Fourthly, Its a call out of the world, and all things therein, to the enjoyment 1of God, and applying our selves onely to him: And herein lyeth the excellency of this call. All the world lyeth in wickedness, their principles, actions and ends are all wicked; now God calls us out of this Sodom, out of this Egyptian darkness, to enjoy him. Hence pure Religion is said to be, In keeping a man unspotted from the world, James 1. 27. that expression denotes, That the world, and worldly things are like pitch, there is a readiness to defile, to pollute; and a godly man labors to keep his garments clean: So the Apostle exhorts, That we should not be conformed to the fashion of the world, but transformed through the renewing of the minde, that we may know what is the good and acceptable will of God, Rom. 12 2. And thus the world and the Church are two distinct, opposite things; its therefore defined to be Coetus evocatorum, A company called out of the world: Though we be men made of the earth, yet our Christian being is by a Divine call and power: As precious stones, though their materials are of the earth, yet the precious nature they have, is onely from the heavens; as the clouds, though they be vapors arising from the earth, yet they fly up to heaven, and follow the motions thereof: So it is here, The people of God, though consisting of flesh and blood, and living an animal life, as others, yet they have a spiritual life; insomuch, that though they live in the world, yet they are not of the world: So that our calling is not onely from gross foul sins, but also from immoderate and inordinate affections, even to lawful things; called therefore An heavenly calling, because its from heaven, and lifteth up to heaven. Hence the godly have their conversation in heaven, Phil. 3. 20. heaven, and not the world, is that Corporation and City they are of; they live by the Laws of heaven, not the world; their comforts are heavenly comforts, not earthly; their priviledges are heavenly priviledges, not worldly. Art thou effectually called? herein it will discover it self, if thy heart and affections be set on heavenly things, where God and Christ are, who are the beloved of thy soul: Its not enough to cast off all the noisom rags and menstrous cloathes of impiety, but to throw away all burthens, and any heavy weight that may hinder thee in thy race to heaven:
- 14. Out of the world, to enjoy God.
