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of this "chosen generation," of that blessed seed. No; but in Isaac shall thy seed be blessed." Ishmael, though he may live in the house, yet he must not be heir with Isaac. There are many flourishing plants in the world that grow and thrive apace; but "every plant that my Heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. The King will overlook all his guests, and then, "Friend, how camest thou hither?" will light on all that have not the wedding garment on. However we may strive to pull in wives, and husbands, and children, and other relations, according to our selfish wills, yet, alas! that will not stand, that will not make any such who are not of this "chosen generation." It is not whom man approves, but whom the Lord approves.

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It was once so, that all lay in the confused mass together, in one lump, like the potter's clay; and then there was no difference at all. None could say, This is acceptable, or this rejected; this is Jacob, or this Esau; this is a vessel of honour, that of dishonour," till the Potter had separated and distinguished his clay to several purposes; and then was the portion of the nations divided, and "the Lord's people became his portion;" then this "chosen generation" had their first being, and were born from the "womb of the morning.” Now, in choosing, these several things are to be considered:

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1. Before a man chooseth anything, he weighs well, and considers, and overlooks it in his mind. He weighs all the flaws and all the perfections in it, that he may know what he chooseth, and not do it blindly. So the Lord was pleased to weigh all his creatures: "When he divided to the nations their inheritance, and separated the sons of Adam," then he said, "Jacob is my portion." He knew what he did-how man would prove. As God says, “I knew thou wouldst have iron sinews, and a brazen brow." thoroughly considered what he did, took in all faults and provoca'tions that should ever spring from them; and yet he pitches on this 'chosen, generation," and "Jacob is the lot of his inheritance." Hence it is there are no repentings in God, because the thing was thoroughly weighed. We often repent, because of our hasty rushing upon this and the other. But God is not as man; he made his choice with full advice and counsel; hence it is that "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance," and "in him is no variableness or shadow of turning." Because all his works were done in counsel, therefore they stand fast for ever and ever. And David says, 'Walk about Zion, and go round about her; tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death." This God is Zion's God, that hath done things at a certainty, and "will be a guide even unto death," who will never leave nor forsake her. The bottom and ground is certain, and is thus expressed in the Proverbs: "That I may make thee understand the certainty of the words of truth."

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This choice of God is a certain, infallible, unchangeable choice. It will seem wonderful when you come to consider it, and the thing sinks into your hearts: Wert thou once in the same lump with the reprobate silver? Was Esau Jacob's brother, and Jacob loved and Esau hated? How comes this thing about? What means this favour? What manner of love is this?" O Lord! if it did but sink into your souls, what a thing it is to be "chosen of God!" Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches." This is not the thing which puts the difference; and Christ saith to his disciples, Rejoice not that devils are subject to you." That is not your happiness. No; but that "your names are written in heaven;" you are of this "chosen generation;" God pitched upon you; whatever you are, rejoice in that. Samuel looks upon Eliab because of his stature and goodly person, as if sure he was the Lord's anointed "No," saith God, "not he; it is the stripling, the little youth in the field, the youngest and least thought of: David, he is the man." He saves not the whole, the honourable and learned, the Scribes and Pharisees; but, "ought not this daughter of Abraham to be loosed, whom Satan hath bound, lo! these eighteen years?" She must be loosed, because a daughter of Abraham, however mean and base in the eyes of man, for “ God seeth not as man seeth." He picks where he pleaseth; one of a city, and two of a tribe." Though Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet but a remnant shall be saved." Though there be "threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, my beloved, my undefiled is but one.” That he should let thousands and ten thousands go, and yet pitch on me!" This will be wonderful to us when we shall see into it!

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2. A man affects the thing he chooseth; his heart goes after it more than that which he lets alone, and, therefore, Moses said to Israel, "The Lord did not choose you because ye were more in number than any people, but because he loved you." And in Jeremiah he says, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love," and "when thou wast in thy blood," (one would think that a strange time to love in,) yet, behold, thy time was the time of love.' Though there was no cause, yet he loves: 'Even so, Father," saith Christ, "for so it pleased thee." Two in a womb, two in a mill, two in the same condition; yet one taken, and the other left. To be left is enough; there is need of no more reprobation than that. If a man be but left, and not daily maintained, kept up, and preserved, he will corrupt himself, and run naturally to destruction. There is no need of cursing or destroying any creature; but he is pleased to leave some, and that is enough. They naturally tend and fall into the curse, and bring it on their own heads. A man's damnation is of himself; he procures his own curse, and if he but left, and not made spiritually alive, he must die. No man can

keep alive his own soul. The branch, if it be left without sap from the root, will naturally die. If the Lord hath not chosen nor set his love upon him, that is destruction enough, he will surely

run thither. Therefore see how Esau first sells his birthright, then loses his blessing; and one misery follows another, till he is quite ruined. The choosing, the setting his heart upon him, is the thing which saves. Christ says of the spouse: "Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes." That is the thing: to

be beloved, to find favour in his eyes. Love will bear all things; it is as strong as death; it will save to the uttermost; and this lot falls on some. Though Esther be an unlikely maiden, one of another country, of mean degree, yet "she pleased Hegai, and obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to him, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house; and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women." (Esth. ii. 9.) And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins." (Verse 17.) This is the thing that brings the crown to her, be she what she will. "Thou art fair, my love, my undefiled." Though she complains, "I am black," yet he loveth her, and love sees no faults; she is comely in his eye. This is the portion of the "chosen generation."

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3. What a man chooseth to himself, he taketh out from other things, and gathers it near to himself. Thus is it with God; he pulls the brand out of the burning; he takes the poor out of the dunghill, leaves them not there. This is, indeed, a sure token of choosing, when he leaves not a man or woman in their darkness, bonds, or snares, but pulls them out, separates the wheat from the chaff; who hath "translated us out of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son." In the Revelation it is said they were redeemed to God from amongst men, and Christ saith, Because I have chosen you out of the world, it hates you." He takes his chosen ones out of their chains, out of their filth, out of a perishing condition, and cuts them off from the old stock. That which he intends for a vessel of honour he takes out of the lump; he leaves not his own in the same lump with the rude world.

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Now, this is the great thing to be considered, whether you are yet thus pulled out? Hath he made thee to differ from the rude world? Art thou pulled out of the kingdom of Satan, where the whole world dwelleth in wickedness? Though in several ranks, forms, and degrees, yet in the same kingdom still-not a new creation made; but this will make it appear he chooseth thee, if thou canst say with David, "He plucked my feet out of the snare; he brought me up from the lowest hell;" and Jonah saith, "Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God." That is his salvation; there it appears God is God. We would vainly promise ourselves, as the whole world does, to be saved by his mercy only, and quietly pass our lives in our own wills here, and go to heaven when we die; but, alas! if ever saved, we must be taken out of the condition we are in. "Come out from amongst them, my people, that ye partake not of her plagues." Many have great

words, and great knowledge and light; ay, but they are not yet translated out of the old kingdóm; they remain still on the same stock. But things that are chosen are taken out of the midst of other things, as Moses saith to Israel, "Was ever such a thing known, as that God should take to himself a people out of the midst of another people, by great signs and wonders?" To take out of snares, and bonds, and entanglements! For God to say, Come out of all, and be you clean, and be my people, and I will be your God!"

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I shall inquire of you, Are you thus chosen? Are you pulled out of darkness and death, and joined to all the living? Though in ever so mean a place, ever so despised an outcast, though but a living dog, yet, if living, if taken out of death, and planted into a new life, that is the thing; if there be that seed of life, it will ever be stirring, and moving, and bending, like the needle touched with the loadstone; set it where you will, it can never rest until it come into its right place, till the soul be brought to God. There is a restless spirit in the Cains and lost ones, but that is only out of torment, the worm that never dies; and this restless spirit never moves towards God, but runs from him. But to this centre the Spirit of life ever tends to come from, and out of, all things unto God.

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4. Things that are chosen have no hand in their own choice. All that befals this "chosen generation" is of mercy and free goodness. Who made thee to differ?" Nothing they could do could ever make a difference; but the case stands thus: Two things lie together, and a man passing by takes one and lets the other lie; the things have no hand in it. So is it in this choice of God: all is done according to the pleasure of his own will. See and read as you go, that you may have nothing to glory and boast in, nor challenge the least to thyself, as if he saw some readiness, or activity, or worthiness in thee more than in others. No; he saw nothing except his own pleasure. If there be anything good in thee, he puts it there. Ye have not chosen me," saith Christ, “but I have chosen you." This will make it appear free indeed, when you shall be made to see there is no hand of yours in it, but " of his own good will begat he us." No man ever began first to seek after God; but I was found of them that sought me not," else no soul would ever be. saved. Can a stone move upward? No; nothing can move to God but what came from God; none can go to heaven but the Son of Man, which came down from heaven. It is contrary to man, who is born from beneath, from the earth, to move upward; his centre is below. Unless he be pulled, and drawn, and borne up, and carried upon eagles' wings, he falls to the earth like a stone. The natural man cannot please God; he neither will nor can be subject to the law of God, which is, that he may have the glory alone in the work of salvation, as he says in Isaiah: "It shall be to me for a name and for a praise." That he should have such unlikely ones, and out of stones raise up children to Abraham, will seem wonderful. I did not think to see the Lord here," saith Hagar, when she

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had given up all for lost. This will make the soul say, as David did, "God alone doeth all."

5. Things that are chosen are set apart for some special use; a man hath some end in choosing them. It was so with God in this. choice: he hath a peculiar end and design to bring about, and he chooseth some for that purpose. But why are not all the world for this use? True, they might have been, had he put in them the same Spirit, and fitted the vessel to that purpose; but he spends a great deal of cost and pains upon some, and prepares the vessel for that very purpose to put in new wine. Old bottles would break presently; they were not intended for that purpose. Saul had this wine in him; he was among the prophets, the Spirit of God was upon him; but the vessel broke, and all ran out and was lost. So it was with Judas, a preacher, who went in and out with Christ, and wrought miracles; but the vessel had holes, and all was lost and came to nothing. Therefore it is said of some, that concerning faith and a good conscience they make shipwreck. All is shattered, and broken, and disappeared, as if it never had been. Some are compared "to the corn that grows on the house top;" though it be green and flourishing, yet it soon withers and comes to nothing. It was sown there by chance, or carried by some fowl; the husbandman never intended to have, a crop from thence. So it may be, and hath been, with many that are very green; they have knowledge, and parts, and forwardness, ay, but they grow upon the house top; the place was not intended for that purpose―: to bear a crop. The stony ground flourished for a time, but soon died for want of root. "Ye did run well," but they were left, and soon turned aside. But now, whoever is pitched upon by God, and made a chosen vessel, he is set apart for some end and service. 'Say ye," saith Christ, "the Master hath need of him;" and he says to Ananias concerning Paul, "He is a chosen vessel, to carry forth my name. Whoever of you are thus chosen, and picked and gathered by God out of the world, relations, and friends, do you think God hath no end in it? Is it, think you, that you should still live to your wills as you did, and walk as other Gentiles! No; it is that you may do him service, be his, and no more your own.

6. Things that are chosen men expect more from than other refuse they leave behind. A man when he is hungry chooseth bread, and not a stone; and he looks for more refreshment and nourishment from that than he would from a stone. God does not expect to gather grapes from thorns; he looks not to reap where he never sowed. The unjust servant accused him falsely in that. But if it pleased him to take advantage he may. He may come at an hour unthought of, as Christ came to the fig tree, and cursed it, because no fruit was on it, though it is said it was not the time of fruit. It seems strange, but such a Lord is he: if he will take the advantage, if he will be very urgent to mark what is done amiss, then who shall stand? He can, if it pleased him, cast a man into